Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-09-11

knife. The doctor came again In the
morning and looked graver than yes
terday. Before he left he told the
man and wife to be prepared for the
worst.
In the night change came Two
alternatives arose before the dream
one that the woman came out of the
sickroom with blighted look on her
face, saying, TITS all over" He groan-
ed and shut the vision out by closing
his eyes. When he opened them the
other alternative was before him.
Ned, there is change. He Is sleep
ing quietly, and his skin is moist" He
went to the sickroom and put his hand
on the child's cheek, then turned and,
clasping the mother in his arms said
fervently, "Thank Godp'
Day dreams as well as those that
come in sleep shift quickly. Ned saw
himself prosperous, rich. He sat at
one end OF a dining table, his wife at
the other. with children of all ages on
either hand. Tho Oldest was now n
sturdy collegian, who had carried all
the honors of his class; the next, girl
of nineteen, just engaged to one of her
brothers classmates, while the others,
boys and girls, ratified their knives and
forks, making a greater clatter by all
talking at once
do you remember, dear" he said
that smoking case you made of some
wooden stuff despatched with bow
knots2 That was the stupidest thing
you ever did In your life. can't
imagine anything more ridiculous.
Ha, hap'
Ned Barnes had gradually been sue
cumbing to the quietlng influences of
tobacco, and when he spoke these
words he was dreaming In slumber.
His loud "Ha, haW awakened him.
by Jove," he exclaimed, yawning;
my dream must have been part while
awake and part sleepingl I'd like to
dream 1t all over again No; not that
part about the child dyingl No, mol"
He shuddered and gave Il quick pull
ut his pipe, But no smoke came. II
had gone out Laying II aside, he
arose, undressed and went to bed.
But before going to sleep he made II
resolution with view Of turning his
dream into II reality, and the next day
he put 1t into practice.
Can you tell me-" he said to the
manager of the womans exchange,
"who made the smoking case bought
here the other dayT
The woman hesitated, asked why he
wished to know, consulted with anoth-
er woman, then said that the article
had been made by young girl whose
necessities were considerable. If CIV
ing her address would be of any bene-
1T to her 1t would be given. Barnes
said that II would. He had been 10
pleased with the article she had made
that he would like dozen OF them
To this the lady replied that he could
order dozen through her but he said
In so large an order he would prefer
to deal directly with the manufa cturer
After much delay he finally got the
address.
Ned was tempted to write the girl
that he had purchased her smoking
case and had received her misslve;
but deeming this incautous. he set
about finding some one who would
give him an Introduction to her. He
at length succeeded In this and found
In the girl he sought one whose family
had in former days been prominent
but whose property Ind melted away
She had never known anything but
adversely, though she had inherited
from her mother the manner of n lady,
She was rather pretty and generally
attractive. Barnes, under the influence
Of the episode of which she was lgno
rant, took quite fancy to her. He
followed up the acquaintance. and
gradually It appeared to him that.
though she was stupid on the surface.
beneath was a deep current Of common
sense.
Since she was the only girl he knew
with whom he could begin married life
on practical principles, he resolved to
ask her to marry him. He preceded
his proposition by taking from his
pocket the misslye he had found In the
smoking case and handed 1t to her.
She read 1t and looked up Mt him with
cheeks nfiame.
"Where did you get itf' she asked.
~ bought the smoking case you sold
through the woman's exchange. You
ask In the note II don't think You
struck bright iden In making the
smoking case | certainly do. re-
ciprocate all the rest you said and pro
pose TO end our mutual loneliness by n
union. VIII you marry meY
That was dozen or fifteen years
ago. Mrs. Barnes proved mn admlra
BILE manager, thus giving her husband
n great advantage In milking n living
as well as laying up competence
Besides this, as n family man he gain
ed TINT concentration which he had
lacked before his marriage Thirdly.
as soon as he had n wife and children
TO take care OF all his friends were
disposed to help him. The conse-
quence IL that today the substance OF
his dream has come 10 pass he IN
prosperous and happy. with loving
family.
The smoking case II treasured In the
Barnes fnmily. When the children ask
what It Is their father facetiously tells
them that II Is monument OF nam
mas genius, but when they ask how
II is 80 and a girl asks the question
he tells her that he hopes she will show
MS much talent for getting husband
ns her mother II one Of his sons
makes inquiries about II the father
simply tells him that It IL an evidence
OF women's understanding OF the re-
qulrements Of men.