The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-28
The Artists Dream.
Two souls with but a single thought

Two hearts that beat as one.
Ralph Thorndyke was possessed OF a
dreamy. poetic nature. far beyond the
ordinary. He owned a pretty pnoto-
graphic studio, and his business was con-
genial to his artistic temperament; there
was so much in it to cultivate love OF
the beautiful
He had reached the age OF q. heart
whole and fancy free or apparently so
TO his friends Today is his birthday,
and he isthinking intently of realistic
dream Of the night just passed. Just a
year ago vision came to him; face not
beautiful, but strong and earnest and
sweet. She appeared 20 him in por-
trait which he seemed 10 be looking at.
The light brown hair was in natural
waves over a smooth forehead, and the
cain, steadfast eyes were of a deeper
hue.
Now. year later. the same face had
again appeared; and Ralph is thinking Of
the message that came to him. Pa
tience, one more year and l VIII come
TO you'' He finally awoKe from his
reverie and started for his studio; on the
way he picked up package from the
sidewalk Soon reaching his coy little
office, he opened it, 20 find two photo
graphs by Sarony in a folding frame;
one was draped figure, the right hand
raised to the forehead, the face profile,
the other ah, the same true brown eyes
which had haunted him for year. The
brown hair, with golden tints in the high
lights; the fair complexion. deepening
into wild rose pink on her rounded
cheek. The photo was beautifully paint
ed in water color, and lifelike. The ar
fist soon made copies OF both pictures
and took his plates into the darkroom
70 davelOY1 y1-ifh cyood
Toward night little urchin stuck his
head in the door and shouted: Jour
nali'
Here, boy" said Ralph. "never mind
the change" as he flung his a nickel He
read the nws, then glanced at the adj
vertisements. Under Lost and Found
appeared the following:
LOST-Two photos of lady, IN a fold
ing gold frame, between Wellington st.
and postoffice. Finder please send to D
go, The Journal
Ralph sent them to the address named
congratulating himself that he possessed
such satisfactory copies, and resolved to
enlarge the profile for himself. 1t was
a labor for love, to work on it day by
day, and a most beautiful work of art
it was when finally finished. Time went
on apace; another year, with its pleas
ures and trials. has passed.
About IL o'clock next day the electric
bell rang three rings" a signal that a
subject was ready to be posed; it was
the work of moment 10 put the mega
tive for exposure into the plate-holder.
As Ralphp walked toward the camera
what he saw took his breath away. The
vision of his dreamsi The same woman
~ face, the graceful formI
The pleasant voice of a well-known So
ciety woman broke in: ALLOW me, Mr..
Thorndyke, to present my friend. Miss
Marion Beane, to you and your best ef
fort in art" The artist bowed. express
ing himself the best he could with such
a whirling brain as pleased 20 favor him.
He posed her, then she went to the
dressing room to don another costume;
her friend, Mrs. Claremont, chatted with
RRalph, saying: I'm so glad that you
two have ment today. Marion is so ro-
maantic; would you believe it? She is
waiting for an ideal: she believes that
everyone possesses half a soul. that
somewhere in the world the other half
is waiting to be recognized and claimed;
il the two halves join, then is the union
perfect and two lives made happy, other
wise unhappiness and discord result from
the ill-assorted union of two people.
Two years ago she went into a trance
or sleep at midnight while at Newport,
nearly frightening every one out of their
wits. She came out of it. however, in a
few hours; a year ago the same thing
occurred at the same hour. while she was
visiting me. She returned to her home
the next morning and lost two photos
Of herself, made in New York. I adver-
tlsed the loss and received them the next
day" Marion's appearance at this time
put a stop to further confidence, and
Ralph had all he could do to control
himself to be the artist.
When the ladies were about TO go he
said: 81 would like to have you ladies
visit my sanctum sanctorum," to which
they gave glad assent
When they entered the door Marion
gave a violent start, for, facing the en-
trance was her own figure in life size;
under the portrait the words Looking
into the future" She blushed. then turn
ed pale. and her eyes met RRalph's with
something like recognition. Mrs Clare
mont saw that there was something in
the air and retired gracefully from the
office with a remark about some errand
that must be attended to Immediately.
RRalph advanced toward Marion and.
taking her hand, said: Il was the for
tunate finder of your photos and have
had this portrait for my daily companion
a year. May hope in the future to pos
sess the original? We have in reality
known each other two years and need not
measure time in the conventional way:
I feel that 1 possess your souls mate
Is Il not true?''
Marion gave him a glance full OF faith
and trust. saying: Even so my heart is
yours" 1t is needless TO add that Marion
never went into another trance What
could it be? Did her soul leave its earthly
surroundings to seek its mate? She be-
lieves that It did, and found It. too
Boston Post.