Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-01-30

the Northwest to encourage rebel sympathi
zers, and to buy such men rs he could no
persuade He said things were working to
charm in Indiana that he had bought ove
the Illinois chaps with IS, 900 package each
but had been indiscreet in giving them 10.
much rope-they had hung themselves Ont
editor in Northern Iowa had come in at the
tune of $4,000, and he thought he would
be able to buy several more for $4,000 each
At this last expression he thrust his claw int
the pocket of his blouse and drew out $40,
600 which he threw upon the table, remark
ing to the editor that he appreciated his
services, and would make him a present O
that, and perhaps at some future tune he
would do better by him, at which the editor
nodded his head, and making with his postc
rior rather an ungraceful gesture back
wards, made his obeisance to the author Of
all evil. He had just been writing his edito
rial recommending the North Western States
to cast themselves off from New England and
Join the Confederates Satan thought it was
about time to begin in making such denoue
ment, but at the same time advised great eau.
tomas the thing night xii! itseLf He though,
it would be best to feel Of the public mind
carefully and not strike the blow until all was
ready. He had better hammer on the Ad.
ministration as hard as he could strike, as
Abe Lincoln was doing the Confederates
great mischief by his last proclamation. He
considered Old Abe an old fogy, and thought
he (the editor) was much more competent to
fill the Presidential chair, upon which Flunky
again nodded his head with the usual gesture
of his posterior. Satan thought it would new
er do for the United States to subdue the slaul
po,csr, for it would prove so disastrous to his
sovereignty over the Western Continent, and
was determined it should not be done if it
lay in his power to prevent it. He then al
luded to Douglas, and said it was a good thing
that he died when he did, for if he were
alive he would certainly oppose him in the
work he was now undertaking. cat this al
fusion to the lamented Douglas, had but
had the power to move, would have pitched
into him, king of devils as he was, for it
aroused every feeling of indignation within
me. knew that Douglas was Union man
to the very core, and that when Lincoln was
constitutionally elected, he took hold with
him in sustaining the Government, and did
not, as these turnkey editors are doing, try to
pull it DOWN.
Satan said that he had promised remuner-
alive and prominent offices to some politi-
clans when he found a package wouldn't do.
That he was trying to organize in Iowa a
body of troops to be called the "Casiline
Brigade" of the Northern Grand Division
of the Confederate Army, and that all editors
who made their services worthy of it, should
receive commissions, securing to them the
rank and pay of Colonies Commanding the
regiments of such brigade. He was proud to
say that he stood by Cataline when he at
tempted to subvert the liberties of Rome, and
he intended to stand by the Confederates as
long as there was hope left
At this part in my dream my senses left me.
For moment Satan and the editor seemed to
swim in an impenetrable mist the confused
sound of their voices died on my car and 1
was lost When l returned to consciousness
l stood in the street. A beautiful spring
morning smiled upon the world. Not wave
rippled the surface of the grand old Missis-
sippi, rolling ever onward, and all nature was
so calm, so heavenly, in strange contrast to
the scene of which had been an unwilling
witness. But found that was still in that
peculiar abnormal state, motionless and
nerveless. s.-.t ..
Before me rose an isolated building, from
one of the upper windows of which dangled
iron hook attached to the end of a rope, had
been fastened into the seat of his unmention-
ables, and there he was in that position sus-
pended between the heavens and the earth,
stone dead, while near him in letters of
living fire written upon the wall were the
ominious words The fats Of a Traitor
1 had contemplated the scene but mo-
ment when the old evil one again appeared.
He paused before the dead, and soliloquized
thus, "Well, well, gone up, Ell ~ You
had sold yourself to me body and soul, but
DON'T know as care anything about your
body, I've got your soul all safe, I'll put you
into the same pit with Ananias He then
darted in through the open window, and
soon re-appeared with the $4,000 package
which he had presented to the editor, saying
as he came out, ut ,oiU never do for the
toDn folks to get hold Of these; it aoiu make
too big 6oao ~
He then fixed his glazing eyes on me, and
l instantly felt conscious that my property
of invisibiity was gone. He rushed fiercely
toward me and clutched at me with his
scaley claws as if to thrust me into one of his
huge pockets and thus bear to Dixie l
awoke with start, the cold sweat standing
in drops on my forehead and the tears gush-
ing from my eyes-trembling at the recollec-
ton of the awful scenes had witnessed, and
thankful that they were not reality.
Whether my dream may be considered as
a deadly nightmare, resulting from disturbed
imagination, or prophetic" picture of COM
ing events, the horrors of that dreadful night
will ever be wildly impressed upon my mind.
hath rlyah1 ,icso ha %ho
fore-shadowing of the future or not, from the
utmost depths Of my soul, and before High
Heaven, have sworn eternal allegiance to
my country. My fortune and my life are at
its disposal. And although l did not note
for Abraham Lincoln for President, because
he was not the man Of my choice, I will pray
for him as the chief magistrate of the nation.
I will pray the Almighty to sustain him in
his efforts to save the republic, patriot as I
know him to be. 1t must be saved, and it
toiH be saved. A just God will not let our
institutions perish! Long after the present
generation shall have mouldered into dust,
the Republic will still live, and remain en-
throned upon her granite hills, her far-stretch-
ed priaries, and her golden mountains, like
gem Of beauty, washed by the two oceans, a
shining light to all the nations of the earth.
Wilton, Jan. 22d, 1868.
AN AMUSING INc1DENT.-Rev. j. H. White,
Chaplain of the 37th (Gray- Beard) regiment,
in letter to his family, which is published
in the Home Journal of Mt. Pleasant, relates
the following amusing anecdote, which hap