The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1860-01-05
9 Strange STORY.
Lrrom Blnckvooi's Magazine
A DREAM OF THE DEAD.

Conclusion.
I now came into a desolate banquet.
hail. in the midst was an immense Ia
bic, and several thousand persons we're
sitting down to a feast. I observed or
naments of plate on the table, and
great profusiOn Of wine. approached;
The table was FULL there was no room
for me- And, indeed, though still hun
Igry, had no desire to join the ban
queters. felt as if were not Of them:
no social sentiment bound me to them.
But now, for the first time perceived
women-women at the table. That
Isight gave me pleasure. I began to
count them. At first I only distin-
Iguishod one or two; gradually the num-
Der greW-sO many that l ceased to
count. "Well," " I said, "now I shall
see something like gallantry, and gaye-
ty, and affection amongst The Dead. ~
was soon undeceived; people ate and
drank as on earth, but without mirth or
talk-each helped himself. The men
had no care for the women, the women
had no care for the men. A dreary
consciousness that love existed not
amongst the Dead came over me, and I
left the banquet hall I now came into
another corridor, at the end of which,
to my great joy, l deserted what seemed
more open space. 1 caught a glimpse
of green trees. A great throng was
hurrying towards this space. I pressed
forward in advance of the throng, and
entered first; but I was disappointed;
the space was still within the building,
the walls round it; only it rosembled
what the French call a Place darnJes
The trees, planted in a formal row on
either side, as they are in a Place d'dr-
mes, were small, stunted, and the foliage
clipped Looking more narrowly, I
perceived that they were not real trees
but of some painted metal; and ]
thought of the words: "There is nc
nature here"
While l was thus gazing on the trees
the lower end Of this court had become
filled with the crowd; and suddenly
from the opening opposite to that by
which l and the crowd had entered, ]
heard a regular tramp as of the quick
march of soldiers, and presently, a de.
file of armed men came into the Place
so quickly that had only time to draw
on one side to escape being trodder
down. They fastened to the upper
part of the Place. and formed them
selves at the word Of command. Then
indeed, for the first time, felt fear
for these soldiers did not seem to me Sc
human as all had hithertoseen. There
was something preter-human and ghast
lly in their aspect and their movements
They were armed with muskets. In
another moment, to my incOnceivable
surprise and horror, they fired upon the
crowd at the far end, and then charged
with the bayonet They came so close
by me, that 1 felt one Of the soldiers
Craze me. But 1 did not recede, on
the contrary, put myself somewhat in
the way of the charge. For my pre-
dominant sentiment throughout all this
dream was curiosity, and l wished to
know if l could bear bodily wound or
bodily pain. But the soldiers spared
me, and charged only on the crowd
In an instant the ground was covered
with victims-bruised, wounded, groan-
ling, shrieking. This exploit performed,
the soldiers departed down the passage
they had entered as rapidly as they had
marched in.
1t seemed to me that felt no pity
for the crowd and no resentment against
the soldiers, I only felt an exceeding
surprise. However, 1 approached the
sufferers and said, "But are you sensi.
bic Of wounds, being already dead2"-
| A man, mangled and lacerated, ans
lwered, "Yes, yes-of course"
"But still, being dead, you cannot be
killed, and that is some comfort"
got no answer to this remark. The
sufferers gathered themselves up, no one
helping the other; limping and groan-
ing, dispersed I then addressed a man
who was among the few who we're un-
hurt He was taller, Of better mien,
and with a less busy and anxious ex-
Ipression Of countenance than those
had hitherto questioned He gave me
the idea of a person Of rank.
"Sir, said l, insinuating into my
manner all the polite respect could
conyey to it, "tho appearance Of sol
diers here has startled me; for where
there are soldiers there must be law and
government Hitherto 1 have seen no
trace Of either. Is there, then, gov
ernment to this place? Where can one
see it2 Where does it reside? What
are the laws? How can one avoid dis
pleasing them?"
"Find out" answered the man, in
the same form Of words which had so
chilled my question, but in a milder
voice.
"At all events, then, thcre is law
Of brute force that prevails here as on
earth" J. said in extreme wonder.
eyes; but on earth it is understood.
! Here nothing is explained"
"Can 1 know even why that crowd
was punished; whence the soldiers came;
whittier they have now gomez"
"Searoh-this is infnity. You have
leisure enough before you; you are in
eternity"
The man was gone. passed very
timorously and very wistfully along the
passage from which the soldiers had
lemerged.
| fUI,. ,ls..n . r. .-..- -....s -. 81.