The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1912-06-13
Dayid'S
Dream Woman
She Materialized Into D
Reality
q. rIAprSSA3 MACKIE
By cLARIssA ,MAcKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1871.

| waiting for q chance TO cross tue
crowded thoroughfare. 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 he 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 a long and busy summers
application to hard work, although he
had always thrived nightly on hard
work. Perhaps it 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 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 u 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 it
travelling companion.
"She will have to come along pretty
soon," he smiled whimsically to him.
self, ''or I'll be too old and intirm
to travel in anything except a wheeled
chair"
Just then the policeman's whistle
sounded and there was 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 recollect
what happened
Suddenly he awoke and tried to sit
up In the white hospital bed, but his
head reeled dizzily. and he sank back
on the pillow.
"Ah," 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 skillfully and quickly,
and by the time David opened his eyes
there was a glass Of stimulant at his
| lips, and as he swallowed it in little
sips his dizziness cleared away. ieav-
ing q 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.
what happened. doc" asked David,
with a wavering smile at the kindly
face of his friend.
"Slip up on the pavement and a
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 skillful fingers touched
the sore spot on the back Of David's
head. He made one or two sugges-
tons to the nurse. who stood in the
background, and, with final laughing
injunction to his patient, the doctor
left. promising to return in a few
| hours.
After that fever set in, and it was
several days before David Wright was
able to sit up once more. weaker, but
| quite free from pain. His private
room in the hospital was pleasant and
sunshiny and so high up that the
noises from the street came up in
subdued, pleasant blur of sound.
At last he lifted his weary eyes and
| looked at the nurse who had SO pa
tiently attended him during his sick
ness. He had always been conscious
of her soothing presence, even when
his fever was at its 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 his 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
were fringed with dark lashes. and
the line of her eyebrows was dark
] and finely arched.
David had known very few women.
and he watched this one with increas-
| ing delight. There was a familiarity
about the poise Of her head. especially
| when she bent 1t low. He somehow
knew that her hair was parted. al
though the little white cap hid the
parting from view. and the lovely
hands looked familiar too.
Had he ever seen her before? He
could not recollect. He did not even
know her name The doctor called
/ hor era an nauiI nAAvaa.oA