Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-05-09

fellow-traveler example ana take
dcze. 1 wish heartily that had not
done so.
"First of all, 1 had singularly un-
pleasant dream for dreamt that on
arriving at home, found the street
door open, and on going in, saw stair
cases in all directions. went up the
one fancied led to my rooms; but it
seemed as if I should never get there |
flight after flight 1 went up, and
thought the stairs would never come to
an end. Then suddenly found my
self in the drawing room, and was struck
by the cheerless look of everything
there was fire in the erate, and bhe
room was so dimly lighted that at first
1 did not see Lizzie. Then l became
aware that she was leaning back in the
arm chair, with the child lying in her
lap her eyes were closed, and her face
was deadly pale. I cried out her name,
but she did not move. With an unde-
fined dread that seemed to make my
heart contract, I rushed across the
room to her; the floor heaved and
swayed with my weight; flung my
self down by Lizzie's side, and had
seized her hand, when the chair over
turned with crash, and she seemed to
fall heavily into my arms
81 awoke with cry of terror. The
train had run nearly off some facing
points, and the tremendous jolt had
thrown my fellow traveller across my
knees. lifted him half up, but he
made no effort to help himself. With
difficulty I replaced him on the seat.
The head dropped back into the old
position, and as the light now fell on
the face, I saw to my horror that the
man was dead
"I fell back into my seat, gasping for
breath but the next instant I started
up, and went to the farther side of the
carriage. 'Dead?' said I to myself.
NO, it's impossible, he cannot be
dead ; and turning hurriedly towards
the old gentleman, endeavored TO
stammer out possible hope that the
fall had not hurt him. 1t would not do !;
the words died away on my lips. felt
the fact of his death was but too true,
and the folly of asking corpse if a
fall had hurt it crossed my mind, and
gave me an absurd inclination to laugh,
though I never felt less merry in my
life.
"Then a terrible curiosity drew me
back, almost against my will, to look
again at the lifeless man. The blue
glazed eyes were wide open the jaw
slightly dropped the once ruddy color
had settled in patches of dark purple
in the cheeks. He was tall, stout man,
apparently about sixty-fve, and must
have been handsome when alive; in,
deed, the face would have been hand
some still, but that the half-open mouth
and sightless stare gave him such a
CHASTITY appearance.
"The bad dream had had, the sud
den startling awakening, and the hor-
rid certainty that had been travelling
all the way with corpse, utterly un-
nerved me, and vainly endeavored to
regain my composure. I could only
gaze on the dead face before me with
vague feelings of wonder and distress.
"Well, Charlie, I did about the most
foolish thing I could have done," con-
tinued I. GA shrill whistle and the
Stacking of the speed announced our ap-
proach to Highgate, and in another mo-
ment the lamps at the station flashed
their light in and out of the carriage
window, as we passed up to the plat
form. With desperate feeling that,
as after all it was no business of mine,
I might as we'll try to escape heap of
questions that 1 could not answer,
snatched up the old mans yellow hand
kerchief, flung it over his face, seized
my travelling bag, and sprang out of the
carriage.
"I remember we'll the nervous dread
which came over me that the body
would be discovered before I could
give up my ticket and get clear of the
station. No one stopped me, however
hailed a cab, jumped in, and in ten
minutes more was safely deposited at
my door. There I dismissed the cab
man with double fare, and in another
minute stood in my bright, cheerful
sitting-room, with my dear wife cling
ing to my arm.
Everybody was as unlike my dream
as possible. Lizzie looked rosy and
smiling her baby was in his cradle,
fast asleep; there was bright fire in
J the CRATE the supper-table was laid,
and our neat little cook entered with q
tray on which Lizzie seemed to have as
sembled all the good things she could
think of. But, in spite of the comfort
} around me, [ could not shake off feel
ing of disquietude, and I suppose this
was visible enough to a pair of loving
eyes like my wife's, for she said
What is the matter, dear? You look
quite upset.
} "'Oh, Lizzie p I burst out, Il have
had such horrid adventure Imust
tell you about it,
"'Not yet returned she. sit down
and take some supper first, and you
shall tell me afterwards. However dis
agreeable your adventure was, it has
not ended badly, since I have got you
safe home again, my darling And
tbereupon she gave me kiss, which
had such a reviving effect upon my
, spirits that I allowed myself to be seat
, ed at the table, and there, under the
combined influence of my kind little
wife's cheerful face, good supper, and
: hot brandy ard water, I began to re-
cover myself, and proceeded to relate
. what had happened.
"Lizzie only laughed at the dream,
and told me not to be superstitious,
but looked grave and Mortified enough
over the account of the poor old man.
"When I had finished, my wife look
ed so anxious and discomposed that
began to regret having told her, but,
! suddenly raising her head, she said
Dear Harry, ought you not to have
: stayed and explained what had happen
: ed? Might not people think that-that
! - Her voice broke and her eyes
filed with tears.