The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-11-20
SAVED BY
A DREAM
A Thanksgiving Story.

n iHdHRS9rOsH9 oIOry. Z
1T was late Thanksgiving eve when
my ball dress was sent home, and
Marie, my dainty fingered French
maid, had finished braiding my heavy
black hair and adjusted my anew head
dress, an exquisite diamond bandeau.
Nora brought up the dress nicely fold
cd, and Marie sprang to take it from
it's wrappings n lay it out on the
bed.
AS Marie lifted the dress and shook
it's rich folds a slip Of paper fell to the
carpet. 1t was madam's bill, and I was
a little startled as my eye ran over It
5000! But then the trimmings, a rich
lace and cord dor were perfect. 1t was
an expensive dress, but I didn't think
it would be quite that, and MT. Gordon
had said that money had been getting
tight for some time back. l wouldn't
show him the bill just yet, so l hrust it
into a drawer Of my dresser and turned
to Marie, who stood waiting to dress
me.
| was contemplating my reflection in
the mirror with much complacency
when the door opened and Mr.. Gordon
came in. For a moment l was half
frightened at his pale face and grave
air, but he said: Il only stopped for a
moment, Mrs. Gordon. to say that I
SiiIi lioI' PS ~ W JOiA Soo ~
madam's tonight. Business affairs
will keep me down town late"
Before I could ask him what he
thought of my dress he passed out of
the room, and presently | heard the
street door close. It was nothing new
for me to attend parties without he
escort of my husband, for somehow he
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 I vas ready and was
driven to the home of Nine. Stapleton.
One ball is so similar to another in
the world o. fashion that to recount
how the hours passed in madam's
drawing rooms would be to tax your
patience. Sufficient to say that 1t was
long after the midnight chimes had
rung HI a 1 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 witt
the temperature Of the sharp Novem-
Der night without. 1t was pleasant l6
sit there with my dainty slippered fee1
over the register and The waves OF
lustrous silk bathing the carpet anc
reflect hat I swan on the topmos'
wave of the sea of fashion in the city
around me. and the warm air stealing
up from the register soothed my senses
to delicious calmnesS.
Suddenly, While T sat thinking, from
the dim corners Of the drawing room
seemed to glide out a train or hgures
each dressed in questionable gar
ments Of bygone days, n yet, strang'
to say, each garment was
by me as something h q had worn II
those days, n in the face or each fg
ure turned toward me I beheld my own
The figures glided around me, the
- thn .HnnnCifn Cif
of the apartment, each looking at m
STEADILY and with my W dark eyes
Gradually the figure nearest my RICH
seemed to invest itself with the acces
series of a picture, n q thin mist hi
the others from my sight.
A child of 10 summers stood in tn
ward of an old broken farmhouse, wit
the westering light of the sunse
streaming over the Aiding and bath
ing her tiny fingers Il a flood of golc
I did not speak even in a Whlspe
while the picture Of my entire chic
hood was unrolled before me, Du
thoughts like these glided athwart m
brain: Was l once that happy heart
ed, wild, romping hill whose creates
care was to please her parents an
whose greatest grief the loss OF som
woodland PETE"
Even while I sat gazing the seer
slowly faded, and out from the Oil
mlStS that haQ 1nIOlQeu Tie liSuIS AiSdi
est the child rose fair and clear tE
second picture before me.
A slender, beautiful maiden stood
the moonlight eneat the rustic pore
draped with honeysuckles that climbe
over the farmhouse door. 1t was Dals.
but a child no longer. She wore a nee
but simple dress of pale pink musll1
and a single white rose piucked frol
the bush beside the doorstep adorne
her hair. Suddenly a firm step can
up the walk leading to the farmhous
1t was a young and frank faced ma
who joined her, and Daisy blushed, an
they went in and sat down together
the moonlight by the west room VII
dow. E~loquence was not necessary
love in those days, and DAISY al
Charles Gordon sat long in the moor
light and talked together. Challes a
way thought he must leave at y, pl
he is in no haste tonight. Ten. ma
past 10. II goes by, II there the
stand in the moonlight. When the
part, a tender kiss burns on Daisy
cheeks and a end gold i glean
on her finger, and she goes to her chah
Der to sleep the first dream or a happ
plighted love.
For a moment I stretch out m
hands toward the maiden in the a
house, but the scene grows dim. tt
figures fade and another picture ur
folds before my view.
1t was a bridal scene. Charles ha
grown more grave looking, for he wa
a business man now, and three yeal
had added luster to Daisy's fuller fig
IRE. Both were trusting n believe