Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 153, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 June 1915 — A VISION SPLENDID [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A VISION SPLENDID

By MARY CARTER BLAKE.

(Copyright, 1916. by W. G. Chapman.) Once Abel Day had a dream that he never forgot. From that hour he was a changed man. He did not tell of Ms dream to wife, son or neighbors, but he cherished its details until there was a secret chamber in his mind to which he could repair when fancy so inclined, and revel in its idealism as might a poet, or a painter, or a pure, innocent girl in her first rapt love visions. Abel was a carpenter, earning only a fair living, getting old and only a part of the building contracts going. His son, Alton, he had managed to educate and Alton was cut out for an engineering career. Abel sighed and looked longingly whenever he viewed the spot they called home. Never was there such a site. By rare good fortune he had been able years ago to secure a twenty-acre plat of ground just at the edge of the town. It included a little lake, some timber, a rocky glen, and its highest point overlooked the landscape for ten miles. A more picturesque and commanding spot the whole countryside did not contain. It became the dream .of his life to soine day erect a. house worthy of those magnificent surroundings, a house big enough to take in the poor widowed sister of his wife with her seven little ones, to spend his later years amid the rarest beauties of nature, and this ideal was his .promised land. But the years passed by and the >Old ramshackle cottage remained as it was. Abel got poorer and poorer. His plans for old age began to fade. To keep going he had to raise a few extra vegetables for sale. He book

charge of the tow® opera house to secure an added stipend. Thence, in fact, came his “splendid vision.” Perhaps conditions exactly united to arouse his Imagination upon that special evening. As the manager of the country opera house, he bad to see that it was opened and closed. An opera was being given. It was a brilliant picturesque composition, well delivered and the star, a Miss Amie Winthrop, was the principal Binger. It had been restful and delightful to the old man to listen to her beautiful singing. The company had brought with them some attractive scenery. There was the glamour of vernal beauty combined With palatial magnificence. When the entertainment waß over, old Abel sat down on the stage to rest a bit before turning out the last light. The glare and glitter had made Abel dreamy. He slept There came a vivid vision. It was of the old homestead, replaced by a roomy mansion. There were broad porches, an observation tower. There was a lovely hedge, swings, a tennis court He dreamed that he sat in a „ comfortable hammock, while his little nephews and nieces disported on the lawn. Supreme contentment was his lot Then, suddenly, shrilly, there rang out the appalling scream of—- “ Fire!" The shout aroused him. He ran outside to see the hotel with which the theater connected going up in smoke. Someone spoke of victims Imprisoned on the upper floor. The brave old man breasted the dense smoke to reach the second floor. There he waa driven back by belching flame. He staggered, choked, blinded, to stumble over a senseless-form lying across the landing. It was that of a woman. He had just sufficient strength to lift her and bear her to the street. “The singer—Miss Winthrop!” breathed a bystander and she aroused to wince with pain. Her ankle had ■ been broken in a fall down the thirdstory stairs. She could not walk. The hotel was doomed. “Get a conveyance of some kind,” ordered Abel, still supporting her. “She must have shelter and she is welcome to my poor home, if it’s good enough for her.” "...l-V--:-.■ So, Highlands had a guest Mrs. Day tended the stricken singer as would a mother. Alton, home twice a week, saw her and loved, but silently. The delight of old Mr. Day was to sit evenings and hear the par , tient-singer. She had to cancel her engagement for the season and remained at Highlands for six weeks. , Her bright sympathetic nature won

.to'Sa.'um wit oSS The day she left. Mrs. Day cried over her os though an own daughter were going away. Alton was there. She looked once into his eyes. She read their secret and lowered her own. Then she flung her arms about the old man’s neck. - <vv i “Dear, dear friend!” she said fervently, “I shall never forget you.” And then, between kisses, she whispered in his ear:

“The vision splendid—wait, hope! It shall come true!” and was gone, and with her sunshine seemed to depart from the lonely house. One year went—two years. Alton had secured work with a construction firm, but liberal compensation and a permanent establishment were a long way ahead. He never forgot the beautiful songstress. Mrs. Day mourned for her. The old man recalled her bonny face with love and longing. One stormy day a great cyclone swept through the district The Day family chanced to be in town. When they returned home they found the old house a heap of ruins. Then the old man and his wife sought a temporary home with the widowed sister of Mrs. Day. They were made dearly, welcome, though the flour barrel, was not always fulL It was four months later when an automobile halted outside the lowly home where the old couple fretted and pined to get once more upon an independent domestic footing. A flashing form leaped from the machine. “Father Day!” she cried, “dear, dear mother of mine, the only one I can remember, I am back to you! You are to come —come —come! Oh! the joy of this moment!” Amie Winthrop was so excited she was incoherent. She had won wealth and fame. She bad arranged for a new home for her dear old friends, she said, back in their native village. They must come and see it. As they neared old familiar scenes the eyes of Mr. Day became misty. Then, as they turned past a dense grove, there was Highlands. “Look, oh, my cherished dear!’* cried the exultant Amie.

“The splendid vision!” gasped the old man, spellbound. Yes, there, upon the old site, was the mansion he had dreamed of — porches, hedges,' swings, tennis court —all ready for the children! Money had done wonders in the way of speedy construction. “It is your home —yours!” spoke Amie, “and enough behind it to make your last years the best years of your life.” He could scarcely comprehend it all. He could not realize the deep love and devotion of this peerless friend, who had devoted her life to reward him for all he had done for her. The days went by, the children came, then Alton. Amie lingered. She was waiting—waiting for the man she had worshiped for over two years, to tell her that she was to him the one star in his firmament of love!

The Shout Aroused Him.