The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1907-10-23

I asRed. AS it -. 1 dream, ana my
dream makes a book, and the book
brings some dollars. and the dollars
make several things. possible. II |
were a hodcarrier 1t would mean sim
ply dollars, though perhaps fewer OF
them. SO the result Is approximately
the same. and you have no idea how
much pleasanter 1t is to dream than
to carry bricks"
"You are a triner," she declared.
'You ought to write a book which will
make the world better"
81 am quite sure my books never hurt
anybody's morals or manners" I In
sisted gently.
"Only a negative virtue" she re-
sponded. THE man I marry must be
positive. He must look
She hesltated. gazing down at her
Lady Washington flowers. which she
had taken from her belt
"How?" I asked. with some interest
~ don't deny that should be will
ing that be should look like you" she
admitted. a fine color coming into her
cheeks. "Tt only you would do some
thing to make the world betterp'
MY mood had changed would
plead no longer with this child. My
mind went to the packet OF letters l
counted as among my treasures. They
had come from different parts OF the
country after my first book had been
launched. According to these. my mis-
sion was not a failure-my book,
though a simple one. had made better
at least a part Of the world, but |
would not tell Muriel this. I would not
try to influence her in the least. l
arose and held out my hand. In the
distance the train was whistling.
"One thing remember, dear child" I
said gravely, "and that il that love
blazes its own paths and cuts its own
channels. II 1t be written that you are
for me you will marry me in good
time. Love brooks no interference in
his realm"
Her cheeks stormed into color as l
helped her to her feet.
do you see this Lady Washington p
she demanded, holding the pelargoni-
UNI before me. See, l lay it in the
hollow OF this little big tree. There is
dirt in the hollow, and the pelargoni-
um may grow. Coming again, may
ind that 1t has taken root. So may
become your wife. The one is as pos
sible as the other"
So Muriel went back to the east with
her schemes OF philanthropy, and
stayed in my west to dream and then
to write, but l found that dreaming
had grown to be a weary task when
the most beauteous one Of them all
was a forbidden one, for l had lost
faith in my own brave avowal of loves
omnipotence.
Nearly a year had gone before
visited the Big Tree grove again.
went alone and took my solitary way
to the river where | had said goodby
to my dream Of dreams. A furious
storm had wrought some havoc there.
Two or three of the lesser trees had
fallen and the swinging bridge had
upon the bank, while the swollen river
ragged angrily by it,
At last | turned away from my sad
retrospection. My eyes caught a
glimpse of blue in the distance. and
somehow l thought of Muriel's dress
as it looked on that other day when
she had not been kind. But just then
was Joined by the guide, who was
quite a friend of mine. He had discOy-
cred a new plant and was naturally
quite enthusiastic over 1t. so | went
into the inner grove to view the dis
covery. After | had left him ! still
had a half hour before train time, so
went back to the broken bridge.
Again were my eyes caught by the
glimpse of blue. and saw that wo-
man was kneeling before one Of the
little big trees.
Each to her oak the bashful dryads
shrink" murmured. "If oaks could
have dryads. why not redwoodsT l
asked myself. But when she turned
her head and looked at me | started to-
ward her. %
"AIuriel!' | cried, yet still half be-
lieving that it was beautiful vision.
But she sprang to her feet, her white
face going pink and her tear wet eyes
holding a sweetness 1 had never seen
there before. She pointed toward the
hollow of the tree.
Look. Armand. the miracle Of the
pelargonium!'
There, in the little sitting OF dirt,
Rrew tc= GaSJ Washington. not very