Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-06-06
wAsIIlNGTON's VISION.
pY WESLEY BRADSHAW.

u 81
ty-nine and becoming very feeble; out tno
so old, his dimming eyes rekindicd as nc
pazed upon Independence Han, whicn ne
had come to gaze upon once more before
lie was gathered home
" What time is it?' said he, raising
his trembling eyes to the clock in the
.,ccnle. and endoavoring TO shade the
former with q shaking hanl, "what time
;s ;t9" | can't see so we'll as l used TO"
"lIalf-past three"
+" Come, then" he continued "lct us
90 into the HALL want to tell you an
incident of Washington's life, of which
no one alive Knows of except myself; and
if you live, You will before long sec it
VERIFIED Mark tile prediction, go" wiH
see Il VerifedP'
Reaching the visitors room, in which
the sacred relics of our carly days are pre-
served we sat down upon one of the old
fashioned wooden benches, and my vener-
able companion related to me the fol-
lowing singular narrative, which from the
regularity Of our national affairs at the
present time, have been induced to give
10 the world. | givo it as near as
possible in his own words.
When the bold action Of our Congress,
in asserting the independence of the col
onies, became known in the old world
we were laughed and scoflcd at as silly.
presumptuous rebels whom British gren-
adicrs would very soon tame into submis-
sion; but undauntcdly we prepared to
ma good what we had said. The keen
encounter came, and the world knows the
result. 1t is easy and pleasant for those
of the present generation to talk and write
of the days of '76, but they little know,
neither can they imagine, the trials and
suffering Of those fearful days. And there
is one thing that | much fear, and that
is the American people do not properly
appreciate the boon of freedom. Party
spirit is yearly becoming stronger and
stronger, and without il is checked, will
Mt no distant day, undermine and tumble
into ruins the noblo structure Of the Re-
public But let me hasten to my mar
rative.
"From the opening Of the Revolution
we experienced all phases of fortune now
good and now ill., one time victorious ant
another conquered. The darkest periot
we have had yet, was think, whel
Washington, after several rcvcrses, ,retrea
ted 20 Valley Forge, where he resolved t.
pass the winter of II. All! ! have oitcI
seen the tears coursng down our dear ole
commanders caro-worn cheeks, as h
would be conversing with confdentia
officer about the condition Of his 700
soldiers. You have doubtless heard til
story Of Washington going to the thicke
TO pray; well, it is not only true, but Ii
used often to pray in secret for aid an
comfort from that'God, the intcrpositio
of whose divine providence alone brough
us safely through those dark days of trib
uation.
"One day, / remember it we'll tn
chilly winds whistled through the leailes
trees though the sky was cloudless anC
the sun shining brightly--ho remained il
his quarters nearly all the afternoon alone
When he came out noticed that his fac
was a shade paler than usual, and tina
there seemed to be something upon hi
mind Of moro than ordinary importance
Returning just after dusk, he dispatchc
an orderly to the quarters Of the office
l mentioned, who was presently in after
dcnce. After a prciminry convcrsatio
which lasted some half an hour Washing
ton gazing upon his companion with th
strange look OF dignity which he alor
could command said to the latter;
81 do not know whether it is owing
tho anxiety OF my mind, or what. bu
this afternoon, as | was sitting at tn
very table engaged in preparing a dispatc
something in the apartment seemed
disturb me. Looking up, bcheld, stan,
ing opposite to me, n singularly bolutif
female. SO astonshcd was | for ] hi
given strict orders not to be disturbe
that it was some moments before four
language to inquire the causc of her pre-
once. A second, third, and even
fourth time did repeat the question, b,
received no answer from my mystcriol
visitor, except slight raising of the eye
BY this time ! felt strange sensation
spreading through me. would ha>
risen, but the riveted gaze Of the boin
before me rendered volition impossibl
] essaycd once more to address her. b'
my tongue had become powcrless. Eve
thought itself suddenly became paral yze
A new influence, mysterious, potent, ir
fistible, took possession of me. All
could do was gaze, gaze steadily, vacan
ly at my unknown visitant, Graduall
the surrounding atmosphere seemed 4
though becoming filled with sensations
and grew luminous. Everything fabo,
Inc seemed to rarity, the mystcriou
visitor herself becoming more airy an
yet even more distinct to my sight tina
before. now began TO feel rs or
dying, or rather to experience tho sens
ntions which | have somctimcsimagin
ed accompanying dissolution.
! did not think, | did not reason, di
not move all were alike impossible -.
was only conscious of gazing iixodlN
vacantly at my companion.
Presently heard voice saying :
''Son Of the Republic, look and learn,
while at the same time my visitor cNtci
ded her arm eastwordly. now bchol
heavy white vapor at some distnnc
raising fold upon fold this gradually di
sipatcd and ] looked upon a stran,
scene. Before mo lay spread out in OF
vast plane at the countries of the worl
Europe, Asia, Africa, and America,
saw rolling and tossing between Euro
and America, the pillows of the Atlant