The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-01-03
The VISION GIRL
BY MILDRED WHITE.

/ He
began. He had gone in his runabout,
to make the usual pretense of medical
visits, for Alan's weil-eQuipped office,
showed as yet no mark of usage.
Upon this particular morning of the
| disastrous auto ride, he was wonder
ing: "How he was going to get his
rent money together" When, at the
| knottiest point of his problem, the
| car was held in deep rut of the coun-
try road, then without further warm
ing, turned turtle, leaving Alan face
| upward on a messy bank.
This was the last he remembered,
| the next development was his wonder
| full dream! With a realizing con-
seriousness of pain, he endeavored to
turn his bandaged head and discovered
that he was lying in great curtain
draped bed of fashion of century
ago. Through the golden brocade of
the draperies, Alan saw the room OF
princely appointment, chandeliers and
wainscoting reminding him of stage
scenery of an historic play.
The young doctor wrinkled his
brows in perplexity, then smiled. 1t
was all an illusion of course.
When he tried to stir the pain was
intense, so he contented himself with
reaching over the satin coverlet to
touch something tangible. Inadver-
tently his finger pressed button on
the mahogany, and around the canopy
over his head flashed a row Of cleo
trio lights. It was not the blow of
the accident, he decided which caused
him to see these strange things, but
some dope a doctor had probably ad-
ministered. When the effect wore off
he would find himself in the usual iron
bed Of hospital.
But now as the dream continued,
resting comfortably in his gold-draped
bed, he saw before him a panel of the
wainscoting slide aside, while in it's
opening appeared a beautiful radiant
creature-a girl who seemed to be
from that same past period of the
luxurious room.
Alan caught his breath as the living
picture moved toward him. Then as
his eyes still gazed into the girls dark
ones, she lifted small heavily-ringed
hand to smooth his hair.
why softly murmured the girl,
Ibid you turn on the reading lights?
Sunshine streams through the win
dow.r
At her touch the electricity was
,o&
what use to talk to vision2
The girl sighed. as she turned from
him, another moment and she had
passed through the panel in the wall.
Restlessly he endeavored to raise him
self as an elderly woman entered the
room.
A man, evidently a physician with
his bag, followed. "Well!" he ex-
claimed cheerfully, looking down at
the injured one, consciousness at last.
You have kept us guessing. How do
you feelY
"Tell me-" Alan asked painfully,
where I am"
"You are carefully housed in the
old Judge Weller estate" the doctor
replied.
"Then it was not all an illusion"
Alan eagerly questioned. He smiled.
'T fancied that a lady in trailing bro
cade came walking through the wall"
The physician laughed. you'll have
no more such fancies,y he said. your
injury is really slight. Judge Weller's
widow died recently, and the only
ones at present in charge are family
servants. They await the settling of
the estate By the judges granddaugh-
ter who is abroad. The place and the
Weller fortune are now hers"
When the doctor had gone, Alan
gazed intently at the wall opposite.
And as he watched, the panel swung
again, and the girl was there.
A smiling, rose-clad figure this
time, as she advanced toward him.
"How do you do?" she asked. Doc
tor tells me you are yourself at last.
He advises that we move you out to
the balcony for a little fresh air."
From the doorway the elderly won,-
an came forward. ''Jake says" she
announced, ''that he won't carry no.
body out to the balcony tonight"
The girlish rose-colored vision
whirled about sharply.
"Tell jake" she said positively,
''that / am mistress here.S It was
bewildering.
Light came suddenly to Alan. This
was the granddaughter, of course, re-
turned unexpectedly from abroad.
Alan's mending was slower than the
doctor had hoped, and Alan was glad.
Days of enchantment like those spent
upon the balcony came but once In
lifetime; his hostess was kind. The
olden time frocks had given place to
those Of newer and simpler fashion.
Back to Alan's heart came the gloom
of that first disastrous morning. Love
had found him, and he must go away
HI 81 to l. A