The daily Alaskan., 1907-06-15
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5 What a Dress Was
 3 Responsible For.
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 LOriglnall
 There were music and dancing and feastJug. In a recess sat a couple, as couples have sat from the beginning of the world, first under the prImeyal for est. then In skin covered dwelling and BOW In splendid residences. The man was iu the conventional black, the. woman in a dream of a costume that had just been turned out at the hands of an artist
 Your answer Is GnalE' asked tue man almost with U moan.
 Yes"
 But you have admitted that you could be very happy with me-
 "The happier could be the more miserable would be-
 "WuaJ do you meanf
 "Iu poverty | would suffer iu seeing you suffer"
 But you migu, wait for something better than poverty. At the gold fields l sh0U'-
 "A bird in the hand Is worth two in the bush"
 "WeuT' auNiuusIy.
 "Wllltu a few days l shall be en- gagged to a man whose fortune is not in the bowels uG the earth"
 It was wtOr a sickruing sensation about the heart that be went away trou the place where he had been told that aI he cared to strive for was de- nicd h.m He turned and looked back at the lights. and the music came Co him in moc,s,ry. SAoUl1 be go Go the river and end Il an or carry out his in- teutIm to go r0 tue gold GeId#E The former course was but a m0meutary weakness: the lat.ey would take him far away from the gil who was about to pass to another
 A man with a few srreuks of gray in his hair and hearl pntgred a ballroom. At the farther end a woman stood with her back to him. The moment his eye lighted on her costume he started. Eff teen years before the girl who had worn that dress or its counterpart had refused him and told him that she was about to marry a man whose fortune was real tangible thug, not dream of the future. The figure was the same. and the hair, like hers, was jet black. He advanced and when stll at distance she turned She was like his lost love. too much like her for the interval of years that had passed since he had scan her. He had expected 10 see her look older But it was she. or that he was quite sure.
 Sle walked past him on the arm of au attendant. but gave no haul tD the newcomer who was so much interested In her. He was not surprised tlw. she did not recognize him. If sue had not changed he had. He had been buried m d wilderness and had done nothing but dig in the earth.
 That" he said to a friend pointing .s the suue time to the girl. "is ur was Miss U0wes:'
 "Ycs. Miss Howes."
 "VIeasc present ne Jo her without rDegkluy my name plainly, SD t1al she will uo. helr It"
 The introduction WAS made and "DoaaII King so distorted as ,' sound like another name.
 "Ara vou 8 resident of the u..Ft asked the girl hy way ot introducing conversation
 "I Was 8, oue time. ] nave hren aw-T long time"
 "I thought you must he a stranger since l don't remember ever .N have sccu you before" 'Y0u have known me well
 "I:" She looked at hun searcAilgly. "I must admit that you have passe out of my memory"
 "Tha-s natural. Us years -lu.r We parted. ] might not hHvr recognized you had it not been for something 60 guide he"
 And that isE"
 The orchestra gave the call for a dance. A man came hurryiuE up to Miss IIowes and led her away.
 Donald King laid bis plans 10 make more than casual acquaintance of his former love and kept his idcat.y SD well concealed that he dld mot reyea. himself. He was careful to chat with her only on subjects entirely discon- nected with their past affair and learn ed little more about her life since shen than she knew about hls. lie wished to know why she had not married, as she had intended, but feared to reveal himself by asking. He made rather quick love, but the lady seemed m. cllned to listen.
 Finally be revealed hiu. elf in this wise.
 When l went away you s0td that you considered a bird iD the hand worth two in the bush. Why did you not take the bird in the haudf'
 You speak in riddles"
 "You are the woman loved and the only woman shall ever love. l might not have recognized you on my return had it not been that you wore the same dress as the night before my depar- ture, when you told me 11ere was DO