The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-11-27
'.1.'s
SAVED BY
A DREAM
A THANKSGIVING Story.

L vac lolC liilihoSlNi ' "f
my ball dress was sent home, and
Marie, my dainty fingered French
maid, had finished braiding my heavy
black hair and adjusted my new head
dress, an exquisite diamond bandeau.
Nora brought up the dress nicely fold
ed. and Marie sprang to take 1T from
it's Wrappings n lay 1t out on the
bed.
AS Marie lifted the dress emo shook
its rich folds a slip Of paper fell to the
carpet. 1t was madam's bill, and was
q little startled as my eye ran over 1t
5000! But then the trimmings, q ricf
lace and cord dor were perfect. 1t Yves
an expensive dress, but I didn't think
it would be quite that, and Mr.. Gordon
had said that money had been getting
tight for some time back. l wouldn't
show him the bill just yet, so l thrust 1t
into a drawer Of my dresser and turned
to Marie, who stood waiting to dress
me.
I was contemplating my reflection in
the mirror with much complacency
when the door opened and Mr.. Gordon
came in. For a moment / was half
frightened at his pale face and grave
air, but he said: II only stopped for a
moment. Mrs. Gordon, to say that |
shall not be able to Join you at
madam's tonight. Business affairs
will keep me down town late"
Before I could ask III what he
thought Of my dress he passed out Of
the room, and presently / heard the
, street door close. 1t was nothing new
for me to attend parties without the
escort Of my husband, for somehow ne
was always immersed in business;
neither was it new for Mr.. Gordon to
look grave or pale, for he had lost his
fresh color these late years.
AT length 1 was ready and was
driven to the home of Nine. Stapleton.
J One ball is so similar to another in
the world Of fashion that to recount
how the hours passed in madam's
drawing rooms would be to tax your
patience. Sufficient to say that it was
long after the midnight chimes had
rung thai was handed from my car
riage to my own door by the most dis
' tinguished gentleman Of my set.
] The atmosphere in the drawing room
was deliciously warm IN contrast with
the temperature of the sharp Novem-
Der night without. 1t was pleasant to
sit there with my dainty slippered feet
; over the register and the waves OF
q lustrous silk bathing the carpet and
:. reflect that l swan on the topmost
wave of the sea of fashion in the city
o around me, and the warm air stealing
: up from the register soothed my senses
to delicious calmneSS.
Suddenly, while / sat thinking, from
the dim corners of the drawing room
J seemed to glide out a train Of figures
! each dressed in questionable gar
!. ments of bygone days, and yet, strange
J. to say, each garment was recognized
q by me as something that l had worn ir
q those days, and in the face of each fig
ure turned toward me I beheld my w
i, The figures glided around me, ther
seated themselves on the opposite side
Of the apartment, each looking at me
y STEADILY and with my own dark eyes
Gradually the figure nearest my right
n seemed to invest itself with the acces
) soiies Of a picture, and b thin mist hic
v the others from my sight.
A child of 10 stood in the
yard Of an old broken farmhouse, will
- the westering light of the sunse'
y streaming over the ,Ailding and bath
8 ing her tiny fingers 10 a flood of gold
d did not speak ever in a whisper
d while the picture of my entire child.
hood was unrolled before me, bu
h thoughts like these glided athwart my
brain: Was / once that happy heart
,s ed, wild, romping child whose creates
care was to please her parents anc
whose greatest grief the loss of som'
woodland pet?'
. Even while 1 sat gazing the seem
mlsts that had infolded the figure neal
est the child rose fair and clear thu
second picture before me.
A slender, beautiful maiden stood IL
tie moonlight beneath the rustic porcl
draped with honeysuckles hat climbed
IN over the farmhouse door. 1t was Daisy
but a child no longer. She wore a nea
but simple dress Of pale pink muslin
and a single white rose plucked from
the bush beside the doorstep adorned
. her hair. Suddenly q firm step cam
up the walk leading to the farmhouse
1t was a young and rank faced maj
who Joined her, and Daisy blushed, an,
they went in and eat down together j
the moonlight by the west room. VIII
dow Eloquence was not necessary t.
he love in those days, and Daisy am
to Charles Gordon sat long in the moon
70 light and talked together. Charles al
d ways thought he must leave at 8, blu
he is in no haste tonight. Ten. hal
past 10. IL goes by, and there the.
stand in the moonlight. When the,
part, a tender kiss burns on Daisy
!, cheeks and a slender gold ring CLEAN
i on her finger. n she goes to her cham
e. Der to sleep the first dream of a happ,
&c plighted love.
CT For a moment I stretch out m,
xt hands toward the maiden In the farm
n. house, but the scene grows dim, tn
~ figures fade and another picture un
a. folds before my view.
1t was a bridal scene. Charles ha
grown more grave looking, for he wa
-, a business man now, and three year
had added luSter tn DaisV'S fuller 40