Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1912-03-07

Dayid'S
Dream W oman
She Materinlixed Into o
Reality
By CLhRISSA MhCKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.
By cLARIssA mACKIE


waiting for chance to cross the
crowded tboroughfara. 1t was late
afternoon, and lower Broadway was
teeming with pedestrians and vehicles.
Above the corner where he waited tow
cred the eighteen stories Of the tall
building where his Offices were situa-
ted. He had just left them for the day,
and be had gladly closed the door on
their subdued hum and hustle.
Life seemed very stale and dull TO
David Wright today Perhaps he was
tired from long and busy summers
application to hard work, although he
had always thrived nightly on hard
work. Perhaps 1t was the rather lone
| ly life he led in his handsome bachelor
| quarters, for he was without any near
relatives Indeed, he had never known
| the real meaning Of a home, for he had
| been orphaned while he was a mere
child and had spent most Of his youth
in boarding schools and other places Of
| learning.
Now that his business was a success,
| he had no need to make more money.
He could not spend his income by half.
and he thought wistfully of travelling,
| but somehow, back within his inner
| consciousness, he had a haZy mental
| picture of himself travelling about the
world in a leisurely fashion, but he
was never alone. Always beside him
| there stood a woman's form. She was
always small and dainty, and she was
! gowned In gray. But who she was he
never knew She had no identity but
he felt that she must be the woman
who was to be his wife-some day SO
he delayed a trip to Europe or the far
east. secretly, though half denying 1t
to his abashed self, waiting for his
travelling companion.
"She win have to come along pretty
soon" he smiled whimsieally to him
self, "or III be too old and infrm
to travel in anything except a wheeled
chair"
Just then the pollcemau's whistle
sounded and there was a way clear to
| Broadway David Wright took one
| step forward to the street. then an
other slipped and fell the back of his
head striking the sharp edge Of the
curbstone
After that he could not recoIlect
what happened
Suddenly he uwoke and tried to sit
up in the white hospital bed, but his
head recled dizzily. and he sank back
on the pillow.
All breathed the nurses soft voice
close beside him, and he felt an arm
beneath his shoulders and he was half
supported TO sitting posture Then
somebody sat down on the edge Of his
bed, and his head was supported in an
outstretched hand
1t was all done sllillfully and quickly,
and by the time David opened his eyes
there was glass Of stimuant at his
lips. and as he swallowed it in little
sips his dizziness cleared away, leav-
ing a sickening pain in its wake.
Leaning over the low railing at the
foot of the bed was his own physician.
watching him with relieved eyes.
with a wayering smile at the kindly
face OF his friend.
slip up on the pavement and q
crack on the back Of your head" re-
turned DR.. Lawton, coming around
and relieving David's prop. "a good
rest up here won't do you any harm,
Wright" His sdIlful fingers touched
the sore spot on the back of Davids
head He made one or two suggss-
tons to the nurse. who stood in the
background, and, with q final laughing
injunction to his patient, the doctor
left, promising to retgrn I'm a few
hoursN
After that fever set ir and It was
several days before David Wright was
able 10 sit up once more. weaker. but
quite free from pain. Ills private
room in the hospital was easant and
sunshiny and so high vi that the
noises from the street came ND in
subdued, pleasant blur Of sound.
AT last he lifted his weary eyes aud
looked at the nurse who had so pa
hently attended him during his sick.
ness. He had always been conscious
OF her soothing presence, even when
his fever was at it's height. and she
had become confused in his mind with
the dream woman who was his trav.
cling companion in those day dreams
that had been his for several years.
He watched her now as she busted
herself In the sunny window. quite
unconscious Of bis scrutiny. She was
small and fair and exquisitely colored.
with dainty features crowned with
soft masses of waving golden hair
pale gold shot with deeper tints. Her
eyes were hazel and the white lids
We're trinred with dark lashes, and
the line o. Der eyebrows was dark
and finely arched
David had known very few women.
and he watched this one with inrrpas.
Ing delight There was a familiarity
about the polse Of her head. especially
when she bent II low He somehow
knew that her hair was parted. III
though the little white cap hid the
parting from view. and the lovely
hands looked familiar too.
Had be ever seen her before7 He
7p1f "a nnF rag4alfn-e