Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1910 — DELIA'S DREAM AND MINE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DELIA'S DREAM AND MINE

“Do you know, I had Buch an extraordlnsry dream last night,” said Della, •• she poured out my first cup of tea at breakfast. “A delightful dream it was. Instead of those horrid things one generally dreams about —falling down precipices, and bulls, and trying to eatch trains, and all that; this was quite different” She had handed me my cup, and now, forgetting her own, sat with her albows on the table and an absent look In her eyes. Della came back from dreamland with a sigh, and stirred her tea. “It wasn’t so much what it was," she explained, cryptically, “as the feeling at It" “What sort of feelingT Rapture?" I hazarded. “Yes, that’s Just it," assented Delia. “I thought I was on the golf-links, playing, you know” (Delia knows as much of golf as she knows of Coptic), “and I had what you call (you know) a stymie in my hand, and I made a splendid shot with it, and a man there was awfully nice." She drew breath. “He was the most delightful man you erer saw.” “I didn't see him,” I interjected, but Delia paid no heed. “And somehow or other I knew we were engaged, and " “What?” I said, sitting up. “Oh, it was only a dream, you know, •f course,” said Delia deprecatingly. “He had untold thousands a year, and • lovely country place, and several motors, and a beautiful collection of pictures, because I went over it afterwards." “I should like,” said I, laying down my knife and fork, “tt* know exactly when you went over this place.” “In my dream, silly," said Della, impatiently, “and there was the loveliest lot of Jewels you ever saw ” “I never ” I began, but Della continued, with a rapt and almost ecstatic look on her face. "There were two ropes of pearls, unit plenty of diamonds, and a tiara much better than Mrs. Stuyvesant's.” She drew a long, deep, sighing breath, and went on. “And we were going to be married the day after.” "After you played golf?" I inquired severely.

“Ye —no —o, I don’t know, I suppose so,” said Delia, who was obviously not interested in a paltry question of date. “And then I found out he was a steel magnate.” “Good gracious!" I exclaimed. “Not till after you were engaged! Do you mean to say you didn’t know his name when ” “His name was Apeschill. Don’t you think it’s a nice name?” asked Delia dreamily. “I think it’s a most ugly name,” I declared. “It sounds something between • monkey and an illness." “Walter was his first name,” purred Bella softly. “Look here,” said I, firmly, “I should Kke to know one thing before we go aoy farther. Where did I come in?" “Oh, you come in," said Delia, sweetly. “You were—what do you call the person who runs and picks up the Balls in golf?” I have explained that Delia does not know very much about golf. She probably meant caddie. “Oh!” I threw as much sarcasm and irony and wit into this remark as was practicable in the close space. Delia sighed reminiscently, and took some JfcHy. “I woke up Just as we were going to be married.” she said sadly. "And high time, too," I said infiigaantly. “Where on earth we should have got to if I think I prefer those dreams of yours when you fall off precipices, though you call out so, or "Don’t be horrid, George!” said Delia severely. “You can’t help your dreams.” “No, but you can help gloating over them." I said. “I think you’re very absurd,” said Bella, with dignity. “Here you were engaged to some bar-ioi's-block Billionaire, and you could ooly conceive of me as a miserable caddie. I would have refused to pick op balls for you.” "You can’t help dreams, as I have ■aid,” said Delia, with chilling superiority. "and if it comes to that,” she added,“you never dream of me st all." “Oh, yes, I do," 1 declared; “not often, of course, for I’nj a profound sleeper as a rule. But Ido sometimes; 1 did the other night.” i stared meditatively through the

window to the sunlit lawn and the daffodils shaking in the spring breeze. “It was rather an odd, attractive sort of dream.” “Tell me,” said Della eagerly, "was it all about me?” “Well, not —not quite," I confessed. "But you were in it in a Bort of a way.” “Whom was it about” asked Della quickly. “Well, it was really mostly about someone I didn’t know—not a real person, you know,” I explained. “She—” “She?" Delia pricked up her ears. “She was, in her way, a remarkably beautiful woman,” I went on musingly. “Quite young, and with that very lovely blond cendre hair, don’t you know.” “It’s only worn by second rate actresses,” said Delia curtly. "With a wave in it;-, you know—a natural wave, not,like rijost people’s." My eye roamed over Delia’s head, quite unconsciously, of course. “You needn’t be Insulting,” she snapped. \ ‘My dear,” I declared, opening my eyes, “I’m only Just telling you what happened in my dream.” “No, you weren’t,” said Della, crossly. “What did happen?” “Of course, I wasn't engaged to the girl,” I went on hastily. “I merely admired her very much, as—as, well, as no one could have helped admiring her. We were in the conservatory alone together at a dance, and I could hear the distant music of the band " Indeed! ” said Delia in a distinctly chilly voice. "Then it all changed,” I hurried on. "You know what dreams are. Somehow or other we were walking in a field, and there was a pool of water, and ’’ “Do go on; don’t take all morning over It," said Delia, irritably. “Well, it changed again,” I rushed least, I mean, somehow or other she was in the water, struggling for life." “Ah!" Della’s eyes gleamed. “I made a plunge in. seized her, and dragged her from the pool, dripping with water. I carried her in my arms to the bank and laid her down; her beautiful hair had come down and was hanging over my shoulder. Its perfume came up to me. I could feel the beat of her heart very fast; and then, I don’t know what made me do it, but as I bent over her she looked so sweet and helpless ’’ Della had been ominously quiet, and I had not dared to meet her eyes. "What did you dor she asked in a hard, metallic voice. I did meet her eyes then, and I wavered. Delia can look \ery awe-inspiring “I —I rolled her back into the water," I said. There was a moment’s pause and then Delia exclaimed in another tone, “How perfectly horrid of you, Georgel’ How could you?” “I don’t know why I did it. You know what dreams are!” I murmured. “Oh, yes, aren’t they funny things V said Delia lightly. “Some more Jelly, dear?” —Pennsylvania Grit.