Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-01-14
vi | 5 C. L. LII An Y.
A TALE OF THE SOUTH.
Nv 4 s0uTuEKN Wan.

In The year l7-p, when the present State
NaSama was comparative wilderness, a
gentleman by the name Of Saunders. came
from a neighbo:ins State into one Of it, cas-
tern counties in quest ola place Of settle
mcu,. lie was well dressed and well noun
ted and Travelled alone.
1t the close ola fatisuing days ride he
stopped at house Of entertainment which
was the nuclcu, or central poiu, Of a .tras-
Cling, backwooIs village, containing somo
dftccu or twenty inhabitants. Tho host was
grim slur ,isascl man, With small. sini.-
tsr looking eyes. which tNinLlrd like burn
ins points beneath the heavy fringe Of tho
prominent eyebrows. Tho tavern building
seemed % have been lcli in an unfinished
condition hy tho workmen, and looked rui.
nous aud OLD ior wan, ot pain, and repairs.
On entering the barroom. which was
dinsy, half lighted apartment, Mr.. Saun-
dcrs found few men very ordinary in both
dress and appearance, engaged in retailing
10 each the gossip and news Of the ncighbor-
hood. lie seated hims'lfin in their midst and
awaited ia silence the announcement, OF sup
Per.
After eating hearty meal, feeling both
latsucl and drowsy he requested to bc con-
duc,cl 20 hi. room. The landlord taking
the lamp in one hand and the saddle bag, Of
the traveller in the other went out OF the
bar room into the yard, requesting Mr..
saunders 70 follow him
At the extreme end Of the tavern bull
dings they ascended a iishi Of rude steps to
ru upper story. Entering a narrow, dark
passage, Mr.. saunders was shown into
small uncomfortable room, furnished with
a b.i one char aud small table, balc his
guest good night and retired.
\. the door Of the room was without
lock or fastening Of any sort, Mr.. Saunders
PLACED the table aud a char against it blew
out the ligh, and lay down. Overcome
with fatigue and drov.iuc,s he soon fell
as'.ep bu, almost Immediately awokc quiv.
crins ia every limb and in state Of extreme
mental perturbation. he lad dreamed
vivid and irish,!ul dream.
In bis vision. be saw man grim and
dark ascending the outer steps to the pas
age which lei to hi. room. he bore a
long, sli,,ering knife in his hand aud came
up the step. with slow aud silent tread.
At tbc sight Of him a feeling OF apprchen.
si1n-a rrcscntimept that danger was nigh
came over the dreamer. H. sprang out Of
ID, opened bis door and stepped out into
'he passage. Opposite to hls room be saw
another door through which be felt inclined
90 seek an escape. Opening IL, he saw a
hole IL the middle Of the il)or beneath. As
be W.. in the act Of siszius this TO le, HIM
ELI down, he awokc aud found that it was
all a dream. lie wa, sull IN bed, aud the
chair and table remained IN the position be
had placed them Gsalnst the door.
After revolving the dream in his mind for
a Ccw moments hi, nerve, became quiet, and
he again cell to sleep, dreamed the identical
dream over awoke, as before trembling and
aarishNi.
lie go, out OF led, removed the chair and
table from hi. door and opening it, saw,
what be had failed to observe before, that
there was another door, close shut, opposite
to hi, room. The full moon had risen, and
liz Up the passage and upper rooms Of the
inn. which were without shutters, with
tae radiance almost OF lay. Curiosity and
the excitement, Of his dream prompting, he
stepped across the passage and gave the op-
pJsite door a gentle push with hls hand. 1t
flew wide open, and displayed to the now
startled traveller, the very objects aud ar
rang,ments be had seen in his dream. In
the middle Of the room there was largS
hole, made by the removal o! short pieces Of
plank across it lay the uncorded timbers Of
a bcis,ead, from which depended a stout
rope tina, reached almost to the floor Of the
room below.
Thoroughly alarmed by this literal and
utterly uneIplicable verifcation of bis dream
Mr. Saunders returned to his own room,
dressed himself in great haste, aud, with
his sadile.bags thrown over his arm, step
ped out mp on the platform at the head OF
the stair.steIs. His intention was to leave
the tavern, and, If possible, set lodgings for
the night at u respectable looking house he
had passed on the outskirts of the village.
The next morning he could send for his
horse aud pay his bill by messenger, and
thus avoided explanations which might not
prove pleasant both to the landlord aud
himself
The shadow Of large tree which stood a
few yard. distant from the end Of the house
fell upon the platform and nearly half OF
the stair-steps, \ brilliant moonlight res.
ted on the yard and on all other objects on
that side of the tavern.