, 1864-06-27

of the head, and was about to plunge hi>
bayonet into my heart when l awoke. II
was a horrible dream, uncle, and has made
such an impression on met was so fear
fully true-that cannot think of abiding
longer in the house. 1t was this frightfu
dream that urged me in to see you to-day.
l have not told my sister of it; for it would
put her distracted
James uncle listened patiently, but with
a smile of coutcmptuous incredulity, to the
strange dream of his niece; and, when she
had doue-
"Pho, pho! what stuff" he said
"what absurd stuff! How can you be SC
silly, girl, as even to speak seriously, LEI
alone putting any faith in such nonsense as
this?"
81 cannot help it" interrupted Jane.
"Well, well-perhaps you cannot" con
tinued Davidson; "but it is not the less
ridiculous for that; and, if it were known,
it would certainly get you laughed at
Pay no attention to such trash, Jane. Think
no more of it; bat return to Braehead,
aud proceed with your usual occupations,
and | will come out in day or two, to sec
how you get on" To this he added the
advice which he had already given, and in
nearly the same words; but in vain. Moth
ing could drive the girl from her purpose
from her determination to leave Braehead
Finding this
"Well, then" said her uncle, "at least
remain where you are for day or two
when will come out and assist you in
your arrangements, and in the disposal Of
your effects-yOu cannot manage these mat.
tcrs yourselves"
To this proposal Jane yielded a reluctant
consent; but repeated her determination
to leave the place as soon as possible, and
to come into Glasgow to reside.
On this understanding, then-yiz., that
Jane and her sister should remain at Brae.
head until their uncle came Out-the for
mer returned home, when she told Mary
of all that had passed, excepting what re-
lated to her dream, to which, for the rea-
son which sho herself assigned, she care
fully avoided all allusion. By a very
strange coincidence, however, but, though
strange, by no means unprecedented, the
cOnsiderate caution Of Jane, in the par
ticular just spoken of, was soon after rem
dered unavailing. On the very next morn
ing, the elder sister awoke in an exactly
similar state of perturbation with that in
which Mary had arisen on that preceding,
exclaiming-
40 Jane, Jane: i have, had frightfal
dream" %.
"What was it, Mary?" inquired her sis
ter, in great alarm; recOllecting her own
frightfui vision. g...
40 janet replied the former, still
trembling with terror, 81 dreamt that per-
son in the dress Of soldier broke in at our
back window, and murdered us both. o
God it was horrible! l think / yet see you
on the floor there, struggling with your
murderer, who held naked dagger in his
hand, with which he had already stabbed
you in several places"
"Graeious God protect us" exclaimed
Jane, leaping to the floor in state of
alarm exceeding even that Of her sister,
@This is dreadful!-0h, these are fearful
warningsl II can no longer be doubted
it can no longer be doubted. o Mary,
Mary! | dreamt precisely the same thing
last hight; and it was that, though | did not
tell You, that hurried me in to our uncle
yesterday. told him Of my dream; but
he treated it with contempt. He will surely
now acknowledge that it is warning not to
be sighted"
Before proceeding further with our
story, we would beg the reader to observe
that the circumstances we are now relating
occurred in the year 1850, in the month Of
january. Itwas winter Of great severity
and remarkable for the amazing quantity
Of snow that fell; but one of the widest
days of that Wild season was the 2lst day
Of the month above named, 1t was the
same day in which the scene between the
two sisters which we have just related oc-
CURED.
The storm, bearing huge drifts Of snow
on its wings, which had been raging all day,
increased as night approached; and, when
darkness had fallen upon the earth, it be-
came tremendous. ltwas in truth fearful
night, and such one as no person long ex-
posed to it could possibly have survived.
Dreadful night it was to the lonely traveller,
who was seeking a distant refuge, and
whose urgencies required that he should
do battle with the storm; and many har-
rowing tale was afterwards told Of the shep-
herd and wayfarer who had perished in
the terrible night of the 2lst Of January,
I76O.
1t was only at long intervals that the two
sisters exchanged words on this dreary
night, and then twas little more than q
brief exclamation or remark, excited by
some sudden and violent gust that swept
over their little cottage, or roared amongst
the trees with fury exceeding the general
tenor Of the storm. 10 bed they could
not think Of going. They, therefore, CON
tinued by the Ere, where they sat almOst
without moving for many hours.
1t was now late, perhaps about twelve
o'clock, and the storm was at itsvery height,
when the fears Of the two lonely sisters
were suddenly wrought up to a horrible
climax, by loud rapping at the door,
which again was instantly followed by the
sound Of voice implofing admittance. In
the first moment Of alarm, the women leapt
from their seats and few to different cor
pers Of the apartment, screaming hideouslx
having no doubt that their fatal dream was
now about 10 be realized. From this terror
ho,..ay,..r tbav wore oradually in somo mea,