New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-08-18
A REMARKABLE DREAM.
What Ought to Have Been Done in the
Casee

Casee
Old Mr.. S, a man Of mark in his
neighborhood, and noted for his general
good sense, was long troubled with recol-
lection Of the following dream:
He fancied himself on horseback, riding
toward his county town, when suddenly
he saw what was evidently spectre, stand
ing near the roadside, reckoning earnestly
to him to approach.
Educated to have no faith in ghosts, but
rather feeling Of pity for those who were
so weak as to believe in them, he was
shocked to have his creed so rudely and II
resistibIy assailed and his blood ran cold
at the sight. Having, however, "a good
conscience both toward God and toward
man." he responded without hesitation 10
the almost imperative summons.
"WhO are you, and what do you wish!'
he inquired.
Il am the spirit of a murdered man"
said the shadOwy being, speaking in a soft,
sad tone. MY murderer is at large and
unsUspected; nor will he ever be made
known, unless yOu-yes you, John S, will
use the means point out. You are asleep,
and you know it; but will you promise that
when awake you will carry out the plan
now give you.'
He promised, and the spectre, after Civ
ing him the plan of procedure, as magis-
trate, which seemed to him reasonable
enough, slowly disappeared. On awaken
ing he began to muse:
This is very unusual dream. ac-
znowledged myself to be asleep, and with
that knowledge promised that, on awaking,
l would, as a magistrate, carry out GER
tain plan OF operations. Now, shall keep
the promise ?" He unused again Il am
bound bv spirit bound by a dream. That
is the extent Of my obligation! Does it
amount to anything! PFhaw | wonder
at having allowed myself to be troubled for
one moment. But certainly, it was a re-
markable dream
With these reflections, he turned on his
pillow, and again went to sleep. Scarcely,
however, had he made his second entry
into lreamland before he was on hOTseb back
as before, travelling along the Same road
and approaching the same haunted spot.
And there, too, stood the spirit watching
his movements, and reckoning him again to
come near Confident in his integrity of
purpose, he went forward with all the
bOlduess he could command, but with some
uucasiuess Of conscience, and with some
disquet, too, at discovering in the spirits
face an expression that he did not alto
gether ike.
John s." exclaimed that being, "you
have broken YOUR word You promised
that, when awake, you would carry out the
course that prescribed; but as soon as you
awoke you decided not to do it. VIII you
promise AGAIN.
He made the promise a second time and
soon after awOIe. For some minutes he
lay rejecting seriously upon his responsible
ity in the case as man, as magistrate
and as a Christian; and seeing no course
which his Judgment would approve except
what had been before resolved upon, he
awoke his wife, and told her the dream,
without however, detailing the particulars
of the course to be pursued. Being q strong
minded and practical woman, she promptly
replied as he expected.
1.-THE dream was certainly a singular
one But would it not look very strange
that YOU, a deacon IN the church and a
magistrate, should be influenced by
dream of having made promise to
spirit | would think Of it no more
Scarcely one woman IN a hundred, if one
in a thousand, would have given such cool
philosophical advice. 1t satisfied him; but
it was far from satisfying the eager spirit OF
the murdered man.
Husband and wife had scarcely composed
themselves to sleep before Mrs. S heard
a groan OF terror from her husband, and
saw him leap fraDticalIy from bed. He had
dreamed Of being again on horseback, again
passing that dreaded spot and again seeing
the spirit there. It's cOUntenance, however,
was no longer mild but wrathful-more
demon-like than angelic; it seemed actually
10 ul=Q IRE.
1t continued to beckon as before, but Mr..
s. dared not now approach Conscience
stricken at the recollection OF having twice
violated his word, he put whip and spur to.
his horse and eudeavored to dash by at full
speed. But it was all in vain, both man
and horse We're under a spell, while that
terJible-lOokiug spectre was moving after
him like a bird through the air. II mo-
ment it had leaped upon the crupper of the
horse, and was twining its pale arms around
his waist. Mr., S gave a cry of horror,
and leaped, as he supposed, from his horse
but awaked to find himself in the middle of
his room, and his wife calling to him anx
iousIy to know what was the matter.
A curious part of the history, he said,
was the fact that although the course of
procedure prescribed by the spirit was at
the time of his promise, or rather, seemed
to hlm to be. plain as A 3 c. is vanished so
perfectly with the close Of the dream, that
not trace Of it remained in memory.
Until the dav OF his death-forthjs is
veritable history-the question would recur
at times with painful interest, "Was not
under obligation l promised in my sleep,
knowing that l was ASLEEP. '-OHr Monthly