Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-01-30
A WONDERFUL STORY.

:
YOU all.
A WONDERFUL STORY.
The following wonderful story appeared sew
eral years ago, from the pen Of an unknown
author:-The other morning at the breakfast
table, our friend, the Hon John c. Calhoun,
seemed very much troubled and out of spirits.
You know he is altogether a.venerable man,
with hard stern. Scotch Irish face, sOftened in
its expression around the mouth by a sort Of
sad smile which wins the hearts of all who colt
verse with him. His hair is snow white He is
tall, thin and angular. He reminds you very
much of Old Hickory. That he is honest no one
doubts he has sacrificed to his tatalism his
brightest hopes of political adyancement-has
offered up on the shrine of that necessity which
he worships all that can excite ambition--even
the Presidency of the United States.
But to my story. The other morning at the
breakfast table, where /, an unobserved specta-
tor happened to be present, Calhoun was Oh
served to gaze frequently at his right hand and
brush it with his left in a hurried and nervous
manner. He did this so often that it excited
attention. At length one of the persons com
posing the breakfast party-his name think is
Toombs, and he is member of Congress from
Georgia-took upon himself to ask the occasion
Of Mr.. Calhoun's disquietudc.
DoeS your manu- pam you: ne asked Oh Mt.
Calhoun.
To this, Mr. Calhoun replied, in rather fur
ried manner:
"Pshaw its nothing only dream had last
night, and which makes me see perpetually a
large black spot-like an inkbioch-upon the
back of my right hand. An optical illusion, l
suppose.
Of course these words excited the curiosity
of the company, but no one ventured to beg
the details Of this singular dream, until Toombs
asked-quietly, %.
''What was your dream like? I'm not very
superstitious about dreams; but sometimes they
have great deal of truth in them"
But this was such peculiarly absurd
dream" said Mr.. Calhoun, again brushing the
back of his right hand; "however, if it does
| not intrudc too much ON the time of our friends
will relate it to you"
OF course the company were profuSe in their
expressions of anxiety to know about the
dream. In his sngularly sweet voice, Mr. Cal
houn relatedi it: "--
At IL late hour last night as was sitting in
my room engaged in writing, l was astonished
by the entrance of a visitor, who entered and
without word took a seat opposite me at the
table. This surprised me, as 1 had given partic
ular orders to the servant that should on no
| account be disturbed. The manner in which
| the intruder entered, so perfectly selfpossesscd
taking his seat opposite me, without word, as
though my room and all within belonged to
him, excited in me much surprise as ndigna-
| ton. As raised my head to look into his tea-
ture', over the top Of my shaded lamp, dis
| covered that he wrapt in thin cloak
| which effectuallv concealed his face and fea-
| lures from my view. As raised my head he
| spoke:
"What are you writing, Senator from South
Carolina ?" ..... ..
II did not think of his impcrtinence at first
but answered him voluntarily
| 81 am writing plan for the dissolution oft he
American Union, {you know gentlemen, that
am expected to produce plan of dissolution in
| the event of certain contingencics.w
To this the intruder replied, in the coolest
manner possible:
Senator from South Carolina, will you allow
me to look at your hard-your right hand?"
"Hc rose, the cloak fell, and behed his face.
Gentlemen, the sight of that face struck me
| like thunder clap. 1t was the face of dead
man, whom extraordinary events had called back
to life. The features were those Of General
George Washington. He was dressed in the
| Revolutionary custom, such as you see in the
Patent office"
Here Mr.. Calhoun paused apparently agita-
ted. His agitation need not tell you, was
shared by the company. Toombs at length
broke the embarrassing pause:
''Well, Well, what was the issue OF this
| scenes"
Mr.. Calhoun resumed.
The intruder, as l have said, rose and asked
to look at my right hand. As though had not
the power to refuse, extended it. The truth
is felt strange thrill pervade me at his touch;
he graSped it and held it near the light, thus
| atfording me full time to examine every feature.
1t was the face of Washington. Gentlemen,
shuddered as | beheld the horribly dead alive
look of that visage. After holding my hand for
| a moment he looked at me steadily, and said in
quiet way:
And with this right hand, Senator from
South Carolina, you would sign yonr name to a
paper declaring the Union dssolved."
Il answered in the affirmative. Yes" I
said, if certain contingency arises l will sign
my name to the Declaration of Dissolution.
But at that moment black blotch appeared on
the back of my hand, an inky blotch which
seem to see now ..- .i 81
"What is that? ~ said l, alarmed, l know not
why, at the blotch on my hand. .4t.s
THAT" said he dropping my hand, ais the
mark by which Benedict Arnold is known in the
next world"
He said no more, gentlemen, but drew from
beneath his cloak an object which he laid upon
the table-laid it upon the very paper on which
was writing. The object, gentlemen, was
skeleton. ssa=.f --a
There" said he, 'there are the bones of
Isaac Hayne, who was hung at Charleston by
the British. He gave his life in order to estab-
lish the Union. When you pu, your name to a
Declaration of Dissolution, why you may well
have the bones Of Isaac Havne before you; he
was South Carolinian, and are you. But
there was no bletch on his right hand"
With these words the intruder left the room.
| started back from the contact with the dead
mans bones, and-awoke. Overworn by labor,
had fallen asleep and had been dreaming
Was it not singular dream:n
All the company answered in the affirmative,
and Toombs mnttered, Singular, very singular"
and at the same time looking curiously at the
back of his right hand, while Mr. Calhoun
placed his head between his hands and seemed
buried in thought.