The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-05-27

mo, Mr.. Ashe, I'm sure that / would
not have forgotten 1t If we had met be-
fore. My home is not in New York,
and l am not here very much. But I
have heard of you often from Mrs.
Foster, and the Thurstons in Norris
town, and of course | have read your
verses"
How time must clamor at your
doors to be killed." said Ashe.
'Ah. now you are unkind to your lit
tie brain children" reproached the
girl.
You have been sufficiently overland
to even up accounts, in mentioning
them at ALL" returned Ashe. There,
you see, can do the proper; now, for
Heavens sake, Miss Gregory, tell me
if l dreamed of you, or saw you that
day at Dick Thurston's?"
The girl drew back.
81 don't understand you," she Said, a
little haughtily, and then she smiled at
his crestfallen face.
ut can't be possibie!" insisted Ashe.
"The Princess Constantia Gregorius-
and l was ass enough to ask of what!
Don't you know Miss Gregory-don't
you realize that you are My Lady of
Dreams?"
'T?' said Miss Gregory-'I your Lady
of-oh, Mr.. Ashe! Remember that |
am not resident-not to the manor
born, as it were. I'm just a country
cousin from Binghamton. Do you
think it's nice to make fun of me?
Constantia Gregorius, indecd!" She
laughed out, a merry little laugh.
'She comes from land nor near nor
far said Ashe, guilty of the banality
of quoting his own verse Miss Greg
DRY surveyed him with amusement.
This is too fine a. frenzy for me-"
she announced. Aren't you hungry,
Mr.. Ashe? Sha'n't we go in and have
something to eat?"
Ashe followed her mechanically
Don't you sometimes wear a cross
on that chain?" he asked.
Sometimes she answered, with
lifted eyebrows.
Weren't you in Morristown at the
Thurstons last September" he pur-
sued.
Eyes. was in Morristown, but only
occasionally at the Thurstons" she re-
turned
Then you did walk into the library
one Sunday afternoon and tell me you
were the Princess Constantia Gregg
RUS" he said positive.
"Mr. Ashe!" she said reprovingly.
Have you twin sister," asked
Ashe, desperately.
Il am all the daughters of my
fathers house." she said lightly but
her eyes were dancing as she gave him
his chocolate.
Don't you remember the painful
taking off of Sapphira?' he inquired
sternly.
"a princess, Constantia Gregorius,
an astral body-let me see! a dream,
and now a liar!' she said "Oh, fie,
Mr. Ashe!"
81 have $50 that belong to you," said
Ashe, irrelevantly
OC6 yOul POluOAs odlu ChO Slll
blankly.
"By rights" asseverated Ashe, with
a nod. Half of what 1 got for that
poem, you know. l calculated that my
thought and labor are good for half,
but you furnished the idea, you see."
For a poet" she said at last, you
are most Unexpectedly practical!"
when I've offered to share my in
come with comparative stranger-a
chimerical, elusive dream-lady at
that?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
I'm not sure about chimeras, but
think they were monsters of some
kind" said the girl. "And your in
come is too small to be alluring, Mr. !
Ashe. II you don't wish any more Of
that chocolate, won't you have some
thing cold? No. Well, then, come
back to Mrs. Foster. I'm afraid you'll |
be borrowing money of me next, to
say nothing of the way in which you |
are straining your poetic fancy to find
fiattering names for me-" She took his |
cup and turned away. Before he could |
follow, he was seized upon and carried |
off in triumph by some fair admirers,
and quick glance back showed him
that fortunate elderly gentleman had
taken possession of her, SO he resigned |
himself to the inevitable, and did not
see her again until just as he was
leaving. He had looked for her to
say good-by, but in vain, and Mrs.
Foster did not know where she had
hidden herself so he was starting off.
when her voice stopped
him with his hand on the door
eau revoir, Mr.. Ashe," she said.