Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-10-23


without being able to reach even single
noblc--but compelled to toll throughout
his whole life for miserable pittance of a
few shillings a week. One winters night
having retired to bed full of these melan-
choly thouglils ne fell into deep sleep
and dreamed that a sober, business look
ing man, with ledger under his arm and
q. pen behind his car, appeared at his bed
side, and after giving him solemn and n
scpulchral look, such as beseemed mes
senger from the tomb, delivered portcn-
tious injunction to the following effect
Christopher Hobson was commanded to
depart immediately for london, and when
arrived there, was ordered to walk back
wards and forwards over London bridge
/ TOR an hour on three successive nights,
immediately after dark, during which he
would hear of some very important event
that materially concerned himself and
family. M
This vision was so much more vivid,
consistent and striking than an ordinary
dream, that it left very deep impression
ON Kester's mind, and he thought of little
else the whole of the following day. But
though sufficiently supeistitious, yet the
expense and trouble of Journey to Lon
don was at that time matter of such ses
rious import, that he could not bring him
sell to resolve on so perilous an undcrta-,
KING on grounds which he could not help
feeling to be rather cquivocal. Thencxt
night, however, the same visitation was re-
peated, and in terms aud manner still more
! awful and perempto,y Ills mind now be-
came quite bcwildcrcd, and he began to
think seriously that an admonition, thus
solemnly repeated, could not with safety
be disrcgarded. But OH the third night
the spectre again appeared, and delivered
the same injunction with such an alarming
and mcnacing aspect, that on awakening
the next morning, christopher hcsitatcd
no longer, but began Instantly to make pro
paratons for his journey, lie told his fani-
ny that an affair of Importance, which ho
could not then explain, required his imme-
diatc presence in London; and begged
them to defer asking any questions till his
| return.
lie next applied to an old friend, q neigh
boring farmer, and tenant of his master
for thc loan ola steady old horse, which
| he had sometimes borrowed for short ioilr-
neys; assuring him with mysterious air.
that he was going on an affair of great i'm
portancc, in which, if he succeeded, the
favor he was now asking should be amply
compensated. He then took out from a
small secret store which had long been ac-
cumulatlng, sum which he thought sufii-
clent for the journey; and thus equipped
and provided, he boldly set out for the me-
tropolis
Though the autumn was far advanced
ana the roads consequently very bad, he
| arrived IN town without any accident, and
put up ut q small inn in the borough, to
which he had been recommended. Tho
he had never been in London before, he
resolved to lose no time, but proceeded i'm
mcdiately to business The night after
his arrival, therefore, lie bctook himself to
the foot of London bridge and as soon as
he heard st. Paul's clock strike seven, by
which time it. twas quite dark, he commcn.
ced his walk, backwards and forwards, over
the bridge. He continued this exercise
till he heard the same clock strike eight
when, having observed nothing more re-
markable than the coming and going mass
es OF a busy crowd ofpassengcrs, he return
| ed to his hotel. He was not much disap-
pointed aU tue iii succuss of MS fisS essay,
as two more nights still remained. The
second night passed exactly like the first,
and ne began to be little dishcartencd.-
he commenced however, the labors of the
third night with renovated hope; but when
ne heard the deep-mouthed bell again toll
eight o'clock, his spirit sunk within him.
With a heavy heart he prepared to quit the
bridge, inwardly cursing his own credulity,
and the devices of Satan, who, he doubted
not, had lurcd him on to this ill-fated OK
pedition.
1t may be necessary to remind some of
our readers, that at the period we are speak
ing of, tho entire length of London bridge
was ilanked by two rows of houses and
shops, and great retail business was car
ried on IN thlsfipgular situation. On one
OF these shops, decorated by the sign ofa
negro boy with apipe in his mouth, Kcs-
ter Hobson happened 20 cast his eye as he
was about TO quit the bridge and it remind-
ed him that his tobacco box was cmpty;
for the necessities of established habit will
daly recur, even amidst our sorrows and
disappointmeats. lie entered the shop
therefore, with aview of purchasing small
supplyj md found behind the counter an
elderly, sedate looking Quaker, whose con-
tented and well-fcd person indicated the
prosperity ofbis calling. Whilst weighing
tho tobacco he surveyed our Yorkshire man
with some earncssness, and then in 4 tone
which expressed a sort Of good.patured GU
rlosity, uccosted him as follows-.-ssI have
observed, friend, with SOME surprise, that