Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-12-20
aWHAT Is 1T. DAIsY?n

had added luster to Daisy's fuller fig
ure. Both were trusting and beloved /
and saw none but clouds of gold in the
long vista of their future
l could only sit and gaze longingly
and eagerly while the phantom faded
away from my gaze. Another picture
now rose before me.
I saw myself clad in cheerful morn
ing robe. Charles had prespered in
business, gold poured into his Golfers.
an1. with gold came Fashion, with AM
1 Dition and Pride and score 81 demons
in her train. It whispered;
You are young and you are heauti
full. In the great world you would be
an acknowledged queen. Put youl
husbands wealth to use. Let not youl
beauty fade out in The nursery. Youi
child viii get on we'll enough in the
nurses care. Live in the world and
shine like a queen"
And this was the beginning OF the
shadow which darkened the picture. ]
saw the glitter Of the ball, the splendid
furniture, the silver plate, the gay
equipage and the stately apartments
and amid it all through the opened
door Of a neglected nursery l saw q
! pale, drugged 4-year-old child slowly
dying. The end came. The tiny .rese.
wood caslzet was closed over the fea.
lures Of the child who died of motherly
neglect. l saw strong man bend in
conyulsed grief over his dead boy and
then 60 out silently and growing
grayer day by day. turn to his business
again. | heard frantic bursts Of grief
| from the stricken mothers mouth and
clasped my jeweled hands in anguish.
A long pause fell between, and then
another, the last, picture fell before me
I recognized its faithfulness at once
Ten years intervened between this pic
ture and the preceding one. l had not
changed save to fuller and perfected
/ beauty Everything was as plain as
day the magnificent furnishings Of
the home, with Persian carpets, costly
4 tables, bronze and marble statues and
china and silver wares, and through
these walls l moved, a cold and beauti.
full woman of ice.
| l shrank from the portraiture with
dismay. But while l sat and gazed In
to the picture glided pale, careworn
man wearing the same expression
had often seen upon my husbands
face. How changed he looked from the
hopeful, manly Charles Gordon who
had stood before me in the moonlight
He had been grave and silent man
ever since his boy died, but there was
now some fresh trouble eating away
his life.
"What has brought this ahoutf1 !
asked.
In moment my question was an
swered. Into the magic picture came a
shadowy finger which pointed TO the
paper strewn table at which my hus-
band sat. l gazed and beheld a revela-
ton, and mechanically my eye ran ever
every paper he opened The catalogue
was fearful-a long array of bills
plate, furniture, statues. jewels. silks,
r long array of which recognized dis
tinctly my own agency, and balancing
| this catalogue stood a tangled trade.
empty Golfers, with the word "Panic"'
written as with pen of fire. While
he sat and unfolded each paper and
laid it aside stole nearer and gazed
upon the one be had just taken. Il was
my latest bill, the bill for my bali dress.
I made q movement to snatch i from
him, and the spell was broken
"What is it, Daisy? You asleep here
and dreaming?" started and to find
myself seated in the great velvet chair
and my husband standing beside me.
did fall asleep? I must. But you,
Charles, you have not sleptt' | said,
for just then noticed that he was in
| his coat and full dress.
Il have been up late, looking over
some papers l brought from the store.
But was just going up stairs. You
should be asleep before this,' he added,
half reprovingly, his eye wandering
with sort of panied look over my
toilet.
"Why do you not speak to me,
Charles? You are in some great trou-
bic. Oh, Charles, have had a dream
this evening that has shown me my
self in my true light ! am nothing
more than nothing. am drag in
stead Of a helpmeet Speak to me,
Charles, and tell me that you do not
hate me-
Can you bear the worst, Daisy?" he
asked hoarselg lifting his eyes to
mine.