The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-23
Euening Story
His Dream Girl.
BY H. LOUIS RAYBoLI

at ali the customary appetite.
| Il say, Saunders he halted the
man ENORMOUSLY. did either of my
nurses have big gray eyes and hair
isort of-well. erinkly and sunshiny, and
did she year a little hat with a blue
Saunders had stopped abruptly, tray
poised. NO, sir" he said. mo. sir,
l should say not, sir"
| 'tAll right" replied Stanford wearily,
and Saunders went out.
| Its queer" went on the young man
Ito himself every time shut my eyes
1 see her, and when sleep dream about
her. Must be a vision caused by my
Illness, but as long as she isn't real,
why, 1 wish she'd keep out of it, keep
Tout of my dreams!' he hummed whim-
sieally. ~
When young weston's father had
died, the son had shut up the big
house. With Saunders, he had taken
rooms where he might be near his
friend Jack Darling, who was expected
back from a Photographic expedition
lin Chile. Before Jacks return, he was
stricken with typhoid fever.
| Now he was slowly getting well, but
the days seemed long ana even Saun-
lders's faithful presence at times irri-
tated the invalid On such occasions,
| he took refuge with his Dream Girl,
as he had named her.
| Big gray eyes. and crinkly, sunshiny
hair-the description exactly fitted
Persis Meredith, who at the very in
slant Stanford was putting his ques-
tons to Saunders was sitting in her
small bare room, gazing discensoiately
at picture in her hand.
'sWeli, it's back to Milton for me
and all my dreams over. Back to
uncle and aunt, and, 1 suppose, back
| to you, John. You sneered at my
wanting to try my wings in the city,
and I guess you were right But who'd
ever think 1 would have fallen in love
with a married mani" and Persls
crumpled up the picture of plain
featured youth and threw it in the
| basket.
Then, after hopping her eyes with
her handkerchief and dabbing her
pretty nose with a bit of powder. she
put on shabby jacket, mended
| feather.
Just as Persis was passing young
| Weston's apartment, the door opened
and Saunders came out leaving the
door just enough ajar for a pair of
! listless eyes gazing from the inner
feather of his dreams.
With a sudden strength in his voice,
Stanford shouted, Hi. there, Saunders,
won't you ask Miss Blue Feather to
humor an invalid and call on him a
moment"
Persis had stopped short at the
first words, and a flush of ealor dyed
her cheeks. ooh Saunders" she
whispered. ''Does he know I came
| to see him when he was so sick?'
mo, miss" said Saunders. Least
| ways, he speaks of some one that looks
like you, but he sort of thinks it was
| one of the nurses 1 didn't forget you
| made me promise not to tell"
"Oh, what shall I do now?" asked
| Persis.
advise, miss, he's awfully down-and
| it couldn't do any harm
No cried Persis with sudden
resolution. .'it won't do any harm for
I am going away for good"
I'm sorry to hear that, miss said
Saunders I'll tell him you're COM
When. a few minutes later. Persis
| found herself seated beside the boy
| ish figure of the man whose brow
she had gently touched when he was
calling in deiirium, she was at a loss.
Would he remember her?
| Evidently not, she thought, as she
| listened to his first words.
I hope you'll excuse my imperti-
hence Miss
Meredith" supplied Persis.
"Meredith, but either I must have
known you before or somebody mar
veleusly like you. I was afraid would
L H.
mo. you wouldn't have. Mr. Wes-
ton, for I am going away" replied
Persis, note of sadness creeping into
her voice as she thought how happy
she had been. even if she was only
making just enough with her draw
| ings to pay her way
Stanford's face fell To long inces-
sanity for the Girl of his Dreams to
have her naaterialize miraeulouslx, ana
then to lose heri Impossible But he
only said. DULY. "Must you?"
Yes" answered Persis. smoothing
out one OF her worn gloves. 1--WE got
And is there somebody back
homer" he asked. the sudden flare of
jealousy which seized him making
him forget how little right he had to
ask such a questiene
fes-in7 q way there is, a some
body who doesn't altogether approve
OF me. But enough about me. Are
you better?"
| Slowly in Stanford's mind was grow
| ing the realization of where he had
seen this girl. ignoring her question
in his eagerness, Aren't yeu the per-
ison who sent me stuff to eat and sat
| by me sometimes?" he demanded
Taken unawares, Persis could only
blush and drop her eyes Then she
murmured, But any one would have
done the same. I am sure. You
seemed So alone-and one day I heard
| you calling for some one and I knew
you were delirious and might think 1
were she-the one you were calling
The likable face of the youth op-
posite grew tender. DO you know
he said, II think you made me we'll
But since you've stopped coming. 7
haven't wanted TO get better. 1 thought
YOU were a Dream Girl and I spent all
| my time thinking of my dream. 1
know it can't seem to you as If we
were anything more than strangers,
bdt--oh, don't go home just yet Stay
and let nae see you OCCASIONALLY. Let
me teach you to-like me little, SO
that some day you might become in
very truth my-my Dream Gir1i'
But Persis had risen and stood fac
ing him indignantly. why. you're
married, Mr.. -WestenI"- she said, with
emphasis.
Stanford locked at her in amaze
ment. What in thunder makes you
think that21 he asked.
Why" said Persis. when you were
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