The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-04-15
A Wonderful Story.

IHc loiloWlHS WONDERFUL STORY appear
ed several years ago, from the pen of al
unknown author:
The other morning, at the breakfas
table, our friend, the Hon. John G. Cal
hOun, seemed very much troubled and on
of spirits. You know he is altogether
venerable man, with hard, stern, Scotcl
Irish face, softened in its expression
around the mouth by sort of sad smile
which wins the hearts of all who converse
with him. His hair is snow white. He
is tall, thin, and angular. He remind,
you much of Old Hickory. That he is
honest, no one doubts he has sacrificed
to his fatalism his brightest hopes of pc.
4 litical advancement-has offered up on
the shrine of that necessity which he wor.
ships, all that can excite ambition-even
the Presidency of the United States.
But to my story. The other morning
at the breakfast table, where happened
to be present, Calhoun was observed to
gaze frequently at his right hand, and
brush it off with the left in hurried and
nervous manner He did this so often
that it excited attention. AT length one
of the persons composing 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 disquietede.
Does your hand pain you ?" he asked
To this Mr.. Calhoun replied, in rath-
er furried manner:
"Pshaw 1t is nothing Only dream
had last night, and which makes me
see perpetually a large black spot-like
an ink blotch-upon the back of my right
hand. An optical illusion, suppose
Of course these words excited the
curiosity of the company, but no one ven
tired ta-bvg the details of this singular
dream, until Toombs asked, quietly
"What was your dream like i? I'm
not very superstitious about dreams, but
sometimes they have great deal of truth
in them.''
"But this was such a peculiarly alb
sured DREAM" said Mr.. Calhoun, again
brushing the back of his right hand how.
ever, if it does not intrude too much on
the time of our friends, / will relate it to
you"
Of course the company were profuse
in their professions of anxiety to know
all about the dream. In his singular,
sweet voice, Mr.. Calhoun related it, as
follows:
eat late hour last night, as l was
sitting in my room engaged in writing, |
was astonished by the entrance of a
visitor, who entered and without a word
took seat opposite me at my table,
This surprised me, as | had given par
ticular orders to the servant that should
on no account be disturbed The manner
in which the intruder, so perfectly self
possessed, took his seat opposite me with
out word, as though my room and all
within it belonged to him, excited in me
as much surprise as indignation. As l
raised my head to look into his features,
over the top of my shaded lamp, l dis
covered that he was wrapt in a thin cloak,
which effectually concealed his face and
features from my view. And as | raised
my head he spoke:
"What are you writing, Senator from
South Carolina I"
81 did not think of his impertinence at
first, but answered him involuntarily-
II am writing a plan of the dissolu-
ton of the American Union (you know
gentlemen, that | am expected to pro-
duce plan of dissolution, in the event
of certain contingencies.
"To this, the INTRUDER replied in the
coolest manner possible:
"Senator from South Carolina, will
you allow me to look at your hand-your
right hand?"
"He rose, the cloak fell, and beheld
his face. Gentlemen, the sight of that
face struck me like thunder clap. 1t
was the face of dead man, whom extra
ordinary events had called back to life.
The features were those of General
George Washington-yes, gentlemen the
intruder was none other than George
Washington. He was dressed in the
Revolutionary costume, such as you see in
the Patent office.
Here Mr.. Calhoun paused, apparently
agitated.
His agitation / need not tell you, was
shared by the company. Toombs at
length broke the embarrassing pause:
"Wcll, we-e-ll, what was the issue of
this scene?"
Mr.. Calhoun resumed:
"The intruder, as have said rose and
asked me to look at my right hand. AS
though | had no power to refuse, l ex-
tended it. The truth is, / felt a strange
thrill pervade me at his touch; he grasp
ed it and held it near the light, affording
a view of every feature. 1t was the face
Of Washington. Gentlemen, / shud