NED'S WONDERFUL DREAM

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 98, 27 April 1935, Page 20

NED'S WONDERFUL DREAM

(Original, by "Maid of Sheiwood,'M3, Petonc.) IT was an autumn evening, but was no different from any other time >of the year to Ned. As he stood gazing into a shop window of delicious1 cakes and plum puddings he thought of the dull, cheerless Christmas he would have. "Wouldn't I just love a slice of one of those puddings," he said to himself. He stood gazing longingly at them for a while, but at last turned away with a sigh and set off for his cold, dreary home (it it could, indeed, be called a home). Ned's parents were supposed to have been drowned in a shipwreck, and Ned had been left to the care of his cruel old aunt, who often whipped iliim and sent him supperless to bed. His aunt lived in a dirty old house in sne of the poorest suburbs of Londorii She was very mean and even begrudged him the rags he wore and the dry crusts he ate. As Ned trudged along the crowded London streets he shivered in his thin, old rags which could hardly be called clothes. As well as being cold, he -was also very hungry, and cheered by the thought that he might get a crust to eat when he arrived at his aunt's he hurried on his way. When, at last, he reached home his aunt gave him a hunk of dry bread and a bowl of half-cold broth and" then sent him to bed. After finishing his scanty meal Ned'fell asleep on a pile of straw, which was the only bed he had ever known. During his slumbers he had a marvellous dream which he vowed he should never forget. This was his .dream. '■■ Ned had received an invitation to a party, which was for all the waifs of London. When he arrived at the building he saw a large number of Children standing outside waiting to be let in. At last the door was opened by a kindfaced man who bade them come in. With light hearts the children swarmed in arid seated themselves on some forms. After a while they were given paper hats and handed sandwiches,'cakes, buns, scones, plum pudding, iced cakesj and many other delicious eatables. Ned felt that he had never been so happy. A sweet-faced lady handed round the eatables and Ned thought that • she \vas remarkably like himself. However, he dismissed the thought from his mind as a beautiful tree was brought in, ladened with beautiful toys. The children stared in wonder and delight at it. Ned had never seen anything so beautiful. One by one_the children went up to the tree and received*a gift from it. Ned got a beautiful, big, red engine which made him almost jump for sheer joy. Then it was time to go, and just as Ned got outside he awoke and found himself in his cold attic on his pile of straw; Suddenly he recalled his dream. "Oh!" he cried, Tubbing his eyes sleepily. "What alovely dream. I wish it could come'true." : . ' ..-..'■ Little did Ned dream Of the unforeseen adventure that was awaiting him Next day when Ned was walking along the street, he came .upon a young lady, who was handing tickets to a crowd of ragged little street waifs. He went up and joined them* and the lady gave. : him : a ticket, too, but Ned did not s6 much as glance at it. He was staring fixedly at the lady's face, for it was the face of the lady in his dream who had served the. eatables at the partyi • :.■- ; -■ ' : /; ■ ,'■'.''■- ' '■-'■' '/'■'> '"■"''- ■■■"■■*<■■■'■■■■■. ■ .■ . ■'■>'■■ Ned could speak she had finished;giving; out the tickets and vanished along the street. Only then did "Ned remember the ticket. He glanced at it and his heart gave a bound of amazement. For it was an invitation to a party to be held that afternoon; It all turned out like; Ned's •dream except for one thing- When Ned -was at the party the sweet-faced lady^whom he thought was so like himself^ looked at him , curiously and then told himto wait behind after the others had gone. . : ' \ He did as she bade him, arid.the lady came up to him and asked him his . name. ."...'■'■■'"'• - . ■ ' . ■':"''',■ ■ : . . ■ "Ned Brighton," he told her. ... "Brighton?" she repeated. "Why, that is my name," she said out loud. "Is it possible?" she added. . ...■ .\ ; -...-..,•.•,. , Ned could not understand her. She looked at him closely and then called out to her husband who was there. " < ' , . "Harry,'' she said, "look at that boy. Doesn't he look likp our lost sort,?"' Then it all came out- These two were Ned's parents who had escaped , from the shipwreck in a rowing boat. Ned had been left to the; care of a friend of his mother's, but one day a servant had kidnapped him; .He had j thought she was his aunt, and he had lived with her ever since.."...,■ V , She was then taken to prison and Ned went to live with his parents in a beautiful mansion for they were very rich. That night when his mother tucked him in, a bed such as he had.never known before, he told her of his wonderful dream that came true. And Ned;, was never in want of food or clothes again.*; ■.''.. '■".''- (The End.) ' . -.'■'■' . '■; ■ ;