The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-11-20
the name of "My Lady of the Realm


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
a most perpleNiag dream to very
good account. 1t was better than
taking it to the Society of Psychical
Research, which he had thought of do
ing in the yividness of his first i'm
preston, but six months without
any further developments, waking or
sleeping, had dulled his keen con-
riction of its psychic value. Mean
while n comfortable check from the
magazine had seemed to take the
thing out of the province of psychic
research.
Ashe was a modest man, but not
too much to find little lionizing
quite to his taste, and he went to
afternoon teas and cutillions with n
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 shook
hands with Mrs. Foster, and not one
minute longer. For beyond Mrs.
Foster, and standing just outside the
ring of light from tall lamp, was
the lady of his dreams, with her white
gown that clung to her shoulders and
rounded waist. and flared with heavy
wore a fan on the long silver chain
around her neck, and she had no
hat nor veil, so Ashe could see that
she was regarding him with the
frankest interest from pair of most
| attractive brown eyes. He flushed
with surprise, and his remarks to
Mrs. Foster died on his lips. She was
not n dream, then, his princess \
sudden recollection of the check from
| the "Hundred Years" made him
| realization of his narrow escape
from the Society of Psychic Re
search-good heavens.
Meanwhile Mrs. Foster was saying
graciously, $50 good of you to come
Mr.. Ashe, and not forget your old
friends, now you are such celebrity
And to reward you, l am going to in.
troduce you to n very dear young
friend of mine, Miss Gregory, who ad.
mires your poems so much" And
Ashe found himself before his prin.
cess, while Mrs. Foster went on
fluently, Constance, my dear, this is
Mr.. Ashe," and turned to greet an
other guest. All remnants of his
self-possession vanished at the
sound of the names, and interrupt.
ing Miss Gregory's polite express
sions of delight at making his ac
quaintance, Ashe asked abruptly:
'Are you n princess?"
She opened her brown eyes wider
and looked at him in surprise.
"Do-do you believe in telepathy
and astral bodies?" he went on after
n moments pause. "Or are you only
a dream?"
Dear mel" said the girl. "Mrs
Foster said you were so nice, ant
not sta1tling-that no one would
know that you were n poet or any
thing else awe-inspiring, and here yol
have called me three alarming name:
in as many minutes. Is this poetic
license. Mr.. Ashe?"
Did you really mind Cissy Loftus? ?
he asked anXiously. "Iou see She:
my favorite pipe, but she's rathel
old, and I'm afraid she's little to,
strong to be pleasant to strangers
But L didn't expect you, you know
when you came in SO suddenly"
The girls face was gravely puz
zled, but her eyes looked amused
I'm afraid Mrs. Foster has n mis-
taken idea of you," she said with
shake of her head.
"Where do you live?" inquire,
Ashe. "When you are not in dreams
you know-when you are not il
Thurston's library"
WELL said Miss Gregory, I'm re
lieyed. l am glad to find that
can at last take an intelligent in
terest in the conversation. Tn
Thurston's library-isn't it fascI
mating place?'
You wernt in it long enough T.
find out" objected Ashe. And d.
you think it was quite kind of yo
to make me bump my head?"
Long enough! I've spent hours i
Thurstons' library" said the girl i
mock indignation. "And l neve
made you bump your head"
well, perhaps not consciously,
admitted Ashe, 'but it was unde
your spell" Miss Gregory looked a
him with a smile beginning to sho'
at the corners of her mouth.
You are certainly casting n spe
over me-" she said. Really, MI
, Ashe, don't know what you mean
I'm sure / never had anything to d
with your humping your head, bu
I'm not sure that it wouldn't do
good"
Cruel" said Ashe. "Wcll, sine