The Red Cloud chief., 1912-06-20
The
Dream
Child
BY A. H. Cunter

Copyright. 1912, by Associated Literary
Press)
There was q streak OF paint on
Aiice's nose, which made her feel
strangely cross-eyed. her hair had fall.
en- about her shoulders, and her back
was aching. David's letter lay un-
opened In her lap. and that was queer.
Ior David was Ill at an out.of.town
sahitarium, and girl Ia supposed TO
Iake some interest in her fance's
health. But Alice believed in art for
arts sake. and David could wait To-
morrow the entries would begin ior
the Worton art exhibit and she must
put the finishing touches to her pic.
ture.
The room was bare and ugly. since
art for arts sake ia not always profit.
able. but now that the huge canvas
was there, to enter was like coming
from the filth and din Of the streets
INTO still midsummer woods. into
haunted forest Beneath a moss.hung
oak, knee-deep IN tangle OF bracken
ana fern. stood little girl. with wide
eyes and expectant face. She was
looking for the fairies. that child. and
she would surely find them. for she
knew that fairies really lived. You
felt that they would peep out at her
the moment your back was turned
Henry Blaine. the portrait painter.
tried to catch them at II by turning
away ever so carelessly and then
whtrling suddenly back They we're
not to be tricked by a grown.up like
that; they whisked out Of sight in a
second. but Blaine declared that he
could see the grasses CULVER He
shook bis finger at the little dream
child. Il caught them. didn't r. he
asked. but she would not tell on the
fairies. not she.
Every student In the building prais
ed II, and they were frank and unspar
ing critics. Even Billy Goldsby held
his glib tongue for fully five minutes
when he saw the picture. Billy had
been raised on the streets Of New
York. and he had never had a child
hood. nor wanted one. but for Ave
minutes he felt with vague resent
ment. that. as he himself put II. he
had been done out Of something"
Goldsby represented a large adver
tising firm. and he was always hang
ing around the studios in search OF
novelties. Being entirely commonplace
himself. he had wonderful faculty
for choosing pictures that would an
peal to the average person. and
though he could not have explained
that in this painting Alice had en-
shared the universal heart OF child
hood. he did know that the Dream
Child would attract attention any
where.
Say. Miss Wade" he announced
approvingly. the kids a regular hold
up, The blind man couldn't pass he,
without looking back. I'll give you
5000 down for the picture"
Alice continued to slap on the paint
with loving strokes. Sell the Dream
Child?" she repeated in horror. "Why
I wouldn't sell her for anything in the
world She's my life. my heart. my
soul"
When he was gone she climbed
down and surveyed her picture con
tentedly. 1t was good work. and she
knew It. and hoped that It would take
the Daneleigh medal. That high goal
Of artistic ambitions was awarded ev
cry hve years. and Alice had set hel
heart on winning It. She had been
savagely selfish for her art. she knew
had sacrificed everything to II and a,
last II seemed about to reward her.
David Arden was one of the things
that she had sacrificed. and now she
opened his letter absently. II was
cheerful throughout. for sickness
could not cloud Davids brave spirit
but toward the end there was a para
graph that startled her: II am get
ting well rapidly here" he wrote. but
don't know whether ] can stay. This
place eats up money like taxicab
But don't worry. little girl. for I'll soon
be on my feet"
Alice read that paragraph over and
over again, with growing anxiety
David had heen a successful illustra
tor. and II had not occurred to her
that he could be In want. yet the lone
illness must have cost him a great
deal Of money. II he was improving
Of course David must stay where hc
was. but when she tried to think
where the money was to come from
Alice grew panicky Her own re-
sources had dwindled most painfully
while she was working on the Dream
Child. She looked about her room for
something to pawn or sell. but Il was
practically bare. There was nothine
Of any value In II. except the picture
OF the little girl-the Dream Child
Goldsby had said that he would give
her $500 for the Dream Child
Alice covered her face with her
hands and tried to fight OF that hor
rible thought She could not, would
not sell the Dream Child, 1t would be
more than the ruin OF her ambitions
II would be like selling part OF hel
own soul. She had planned the pic