The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-11-30
SAVED BY
A DREAM
A THANKSGIVING Story.

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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 new head
dress, an exquisite diamond bandeau.
Nora brought up the dress nicely fold
ed, and Marie sprang to take 1t from
| its wrappings and lay 1t out on the
bed.
As Marie lifted the dress and shook
Its rich folds a slip of paper fell to the
carpet 1t was madam's bill, and l was
little startled as my eye ran over it
$500! But then the trimmings, a rich
lace and cord d FOR were perfect. 1t was
an expensive dress. but l didn't think
II would be quite that, and MIR. Gordon
had said that money had been getting
tight for some time back. l wouldn't
show him the bill just yet, so thrust 1t
into q 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 moraent / was half
frightened at his pale face and grave
air, but he said: II only stopped for
moment, Mrs. Gordon. to say that l
|
madams 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. 1t was nothing new
for me to attend parties without the
escort of my husband, for somehow he
| was always immersed In business.
neither was 1t new for Mr.. Gordon to
look grave or pale, for he had lost his
| fresh color these late years.
At length / was ready and was
driven to the home Of Nine. Stapleton.
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 1t was
long after the midnight chimes had
rung that 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 deiciously warm In contrast with
the temperature of the sharp Novem-
Der night without. 1t was pleasant to
| sit there with my dainty sippered feet
over the register and the waves OF
lustrous silk bathing the carpet and
| reflect that ] swan on the topmost
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 / sat thinking, from
the dim corners of the drawing room
seemed to glide out a train OF figures.
| each dressed in questionable gar
| ments of bygone days, and yet, strange
| to say, each garment was recognized
| by me as something that had worn In
those days, and in the face of each fig
| ure turned toward me ] beheld my own.
| hn then
seated themselves on the opposite side
| of the apartment, each looking at me
steadily and with my own dark eyes.
Gradually the figure nearest my right
seemed to invest itself with the acces-
sories of picture, and thin mist hid
the others from my sight.
| A child Of 10 summers stood in the
| ward of an old broken farmhouse, with
the westering light Of the sunset
streaming over the building and bath
ing her tiny fingers in flood Of gold.
did not speak even in whisper
while the picture of my entire child
| hood was unrolled before me, but
brain: Was once that happy heart
ed, wild, romping child whose greatest
care was to please her parents and
whose greatest grief the loss Of some
| woodland pet?"'
Even while I sat gazing the scene
| slowly faded, and out from the dim
mists that had infolded the figure near
est tho child rose fair and clear the
| second picture before me.
| A slender beautiful maiden stood In
| the moonlight beneath the rustic porch
| draped with honeysuckles that climbed
| over the farmhouse door. 1t was Daisy,
but a child no longer. She wore a neat
| but simple dress Of pale pink muslin,
| and q single white rose pluckeG from
| the bush beside the doorstep adorned
her hair. Suddenly a firm step came
up the walk leading to the farmhouse.
| It was a young and frank faced man
| who Joined her, and Daisy blushed, and
they went in and eat down together In
the moonlight by the west room win
| dow. Eloquence was not necessary to
| love in those days. and Daisy and
Charles Gordon sat long in the MOON
| light And talked together. Charles al
ways thought he must leave at 8. but
he In In no haste tonight Ten, half
past IL. II goes by, and there they
stand In the moonlight. When they
part, q tender kiss burns on Daisy's
cheeks and a slender gold ring CLEANS
on her finger, and she goes to her cham
Der to sleep the first dream Of a happy
plighted love.
For a moment 1 stretch out my
hands toward the maiden In the farm
house, but the scene grows dim, the
| figures fade and another picture I'M
folds before my view.
| 1t was a bridal scene. Charles had
grown more grave looking, for he was
q business man now, and three years
had added luster to Daisy's fuller fg-
urs Both were trusting and beloved