Morris tribune., 1899-07-22
CHAPTER 1.
The Dream.

| Ethel, you've broken my dream" And
Mr. John Bruce, SO Well known in the
scientific world as patient and labor
| ious student and lucid teacher laid
! down his pen, and glanced across his
writing table at his wife with rather
thoughtful look in his honest, kind
brown eyes.
''Have I? I thought you never did
dream, John"
well, I don't often. But l dreamt
last night with vengeance. That cold
duck had for supper was responsible
for it, of course. 1t was very curious
dream
What was it. John?'
Mr.. Bruce laughed
"Why, if you weren't such sens1-
Bile little woman. l should hesitate to
tell it you. My Scotch cousins would
say I've been what they call 'forespok-
en-; and if either you or | were in the
very least superstitious, we should be
conjuring up all sorts Of DOGGY fancies
on this pleasant, comfortable Valen-
tines Eve"
"Why, John. whatever did you
dream?" asked Ethel Bruce, smiling.
She was a very fair, pretty woman,
of eight and twenty.
A tender, loving little soul, devoted
to her clever husband, and firmly cher
isning the idea that there was no one
like him in the world.
A very pleasant, home-like picture
did the room present, with its cosy
crimson curtains at doors and Win
dows, it's blazing fire, its pretty mis-
tress, engaged with her sewing, on one
side of the hearth, it's master, thought
full and studious, on the other.
The Bruces were in easy circum-
stances, and their home life was al
most ideal.
When his wife pressed him to tell
his dream, John Bruce turned his
chair to the fire, and looked into the
blaze for a moment or two with slight
Iy knitted -brows.
Let me think" he said. Il must
tell it you in order. All! l have it. I'd
forgotten it until a moment or two
ago, when you mentioned Valentines
Eve Well, now listen.
I'm my dream I seemed to be sitting
IN this room, just where | sit now.
was writing busily, and it was very
late The clock in the hall struck II.
and I remembered it was Valentines
Eve l left my writing and began to
think of other Valentines Eves--of
one in particular.
And he smiled affect1onately at his
wife, whom he wooed and won just
ten years ago.
We'll, dear, go Or
''Well, l was just turning to my
writing again, when / noticed one OF
those curtains move'-and he waved
his hand towards the heavy crimson
curtains which draped the windows,
1.-THE next moment, shape-I say. a
shape, for l could not distinguish
whether it was man or woman, Dr., in
deed, anything human-emerged from
the folds of the curtain and came
swiftly towards me.
TT was all in gray-the garment
long and flowing, and the face quite
concealed Before | could spring p &c
defend myself-and, indeed, my limbs
seemed paralyzed-I saw the flash of a
naked blade, and realized that | was
about to be murdered. l tried to-
Shrek, but could not make sound.
You know what nightmare is. But the
shock woke me- l found myself safe
in bed upstairs, with you sleeping tran
gully beside me; and / made up my
mind not to make my supper off cold
duck again.
Mrs Bruce had listened with that
curious kind of interest which the re-
cital of weird dreams usually evokes,
but she only smiled at the conclusion
of it, and said
I'm not sorry to find you can dream
a bad dream as well as l. ] thought
you were superior to them, John"
But another person who had listen
ed to Mr.. Bruce did not take it by any
means SO cody.
This was little girl of eight or
nine, who had sat near the fire on a
footstool, almost entirely hidden by
her mothers skirts.
She sprang forward suddenly, and
chung to her fathers knees, raising her
eyes to his face, and crying out, with
great agitation
ooh, papa, will that dream come
true?"
Mr.. Bruce laughed as he lifted his
little daughter on to his knee, and
stroked her fair hair with a loving
touch, which showed how passing dear
she was to him
She was their only child-a dainty J
spiritual little creature, with mind
and soul beyond her years.
Very lovely she was, with skin as
delicate as a rose-leaf luminous, dark
eyes, and a wealth Of beautiful gold
brown hair
Those large, lustrous eyes were fixed
on her fathers face now with d look |
OF terror and distress.
His wierd dream had sunk deep into
her childish mind
EIe glanced at his wife amusedly.