The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-09-26

acquaintance. as q master of arts OF
Welsh rarebitry and badinage.- But
NO one was prepared for the almost
oriental beauty OF his latest verses,
which appeared In one Of the best
of the monthly periodicals under
the name OF MY Lady of the Realm
OF Dreams" and which would have
done credit to much more ambitious
poet than Billy Ashe. Ashe him.
self thought rather well of them; he
felt that IL in some way compensated
| for the nasty knock on the head
that the lady had been the means OF
| giving him, and that he had turned
| . most perplexipg dream to very
good account. II was better than
taking IL to the Society of Psychical
Research, which he had thought Of do
| ing in the vividness of his first i'm
preston, but six months without
any further developments, waking or
sleeping, had dulled his keen con-
viction Of its psychic value. Mean
while q comfortable check from the
magazine had seemed to take the
thing out of the province Of psychic
research.
Ashe was q modest man, but not
too much to find a little lionizing
quite to his taste. and he went to
afternoon teas and cotillions with q
feeling that tomorrow would be
someone else's day, and he must
gather his roses while he might. So
he entered Mrs. Fosters long draw
ing-room prepared to smile as he lis
tened to his verses misquoted by
fair fiatterers; he retained that Sc
rene attitude of mind while he shool
hands with Mrs. Foster, and not ont
minute longer. For beyond Mrs
Foster, and standing just outside TIT
ring of light from tall lamp, wa
|, the lady Of his dreams, with her whit
: gown that chung to her shoulders ant
|. rounded waist, and fiared with heav,
l folds at her feet. This time sh
wore a fan ON the long silver chai
3 around her neck, and she had n
}. hat nor veil, SO Ashe could see tina
: she was regarding him with tn
2 frankest interest from a pair OF mos
y attractive brown eyes. He fiushe
= with surprise, and his remarks
= Mrs. Foster died on his lips. She wa
not Q dream. then, his princess!
. sudden recollection of the check frol
the Hundred Years" made hi
" warm, and as a corollary came tt
D realization of his narrow escaI
from the Society of Psychic Il
q search-good heavens.
;" Meanwhile Mrs. Foster was sayir
e graciossly, $50 good of you to com
m Mr.. Ashe, and not forget your o
le friends, now you are such a celebrit
e And to reward you, am going TO l
ID troduce you to a very dear your
10 friend of mine, Miss Gregory, who
ne mires your poems so much" Al
" Ashe found himself before his pri
10 cess, while Mrs. Foster went
y. fluently, Constance, my dear, this
he Mr.. Ashe," and turned TO greet a
nd other guest. All remnants of
m self-possession vanished at I
Is, sound of the names, and interrul
Sc ing Miss Gregory's polite EXPIRE
IL sions Of delight at making his {
II quaintance, Ashe asked abruptly:
vn "Are you a princess?"
p. She opened her brown eyes wild
ps and looked at him in surprise.
ed "Do-do you believe in telepat
ale and astral bodies?" he went on aft
n a moments pause. "Or are you OF
nd D dream?"
cd "Dear mel" said the girl. m
-as Foster said you were so nice. q
an not startling-that no one wo'
in know that you were a poet or al
.en thing els, awe-inspiring. and here y
~ have called me three alarming nan
"a, in as many minutes. Is this poe
rlv license. Mr.. Asher"
an did you really mind Cissy Lotus
,rd he asked anxiously. "You see sh
he my favorite pipe, but she's ratl
old. and I'm afraid she's little
On. strong to be pleasant to strange
But l didn't expect you, you kn'
. . when YOU came in SO suddenly.
ou The girls face was gravely p
e,- zled. but her eyes looked anus
I'm afraid Mrs. Foster has a
-. taken idea Of YOU" she said witt
shake Of her head.
90. "Where do you live?" inqui
~. Ashe. 'When you are not in drea
F, you know-when you are not
r.t. Thurston's library"
m "Well,' said Miss Gregory, I'm
tor Ieved. / am glad to find tina
!. can at last take an intelligent
1. terest in the conversation.
Thurston's library-isn't it fla
ned mating placer"
"You wern't in it long enough
~ find out" objected Ashe. And
YOU think it was quite kind OF
to make me bump my head?'
a.. "Long enough! I've spent hour
80 Thurstons' library" said the CIR
,, mock indignation. "And M
81. made you bump your head
seeI swell, perhaps not conscious
.;r admitted Ashe, "but II was vi
mo. your spell" Miss Gregory looked
4 him with n smile beginning TO q
At the corners Of her mouth.
"You are certainly casting
ia over me-" she said. REALLY,
.,;ot Ashe, I don't know what you mel
I'm sure / never had anything =
lend with your humping your head,
I'm not sure that 1t wouldn't q
rood"