Smyrna times., 1876-10-18
mise eILUn e OMS.
Gabriel Grumbler's Dreams.
BY HIRAM HEELTOP.

is Gabriel. His other name l need not
mention, for he is never called by it. He
is such an incessant wilmer and fault-fnder
that he is known all over town as Gabriel
Grumble. A few days ago he came into
my shop and said:
"Neighbor, do you believe in dreams ?"
"Not much," l replied; "but why do
you ask p
~ have had two very curious dreams,
and don't know what to make of them"
We'll, tell me, and will try to be your
Daniel"
After some hesitation, he began:
"You know, neighbor, that have been
an unlucky man, and often wonder why
other people get along so much better than
lido; and every body calls me great grum-
bier. Well, the other evening was think
ing, as ofton do, how rich some of my
neighbors are, while am poor; how many
of them live in fine houses, while live in
howell; how they prosper in business, and
never could succeed in anything. l went
to bed in a very unhappy mood. fell
into a troubled sleep, and dreamed this
dream: An angel seemed to stand at my
bedside and say, Gabriel, your grumbling
is heard, and the Lord has taken pity on
you. He will let you change faces with
one of your neighbors whom you consider
more fortunate than yourself. But YOU
must take his place in al particulars. You
cannot have his property or position and
be yourself You must be Just what he is
in form, features, habits, tastes, family,
friends, everything. You shall have twenty
four hours to decide in, and during that
time you shall be able to look into the
hearts of your neighbors, and see just how
happy their worldly prospects make them
And then he vanished.
When l woke up in the morning re-
called that dream. 1t came to me like
something that had really happened. 1
couldn't get it out of my mind In spite Of
myself l kept thinking about my neigh
bors, and as thought about them l seem
ed to have them before me and to be able
to look right through them. So began
to examine them, one by one, to determine
which l would prefer to change places
with. Neighbor A. was the first one in my
minds eye, because he is the richest.
thought it would be nice to have his
money, but when ! thought of his wife,
what torment she is, what dogs life she
leads him, when | saw his heart, how sore
1t was, when | learned that he rushed into
business only that he might drown for a
time the memory Of his domestic sorrows,
didn't want to be him. l could not envy
hlm. pitied him as l would slave that
Is soured to his tasks.
Next came neighbor B. But with him
came that son of his who is the by.word
and term of the town-that wretched, reck.
less boy who will no doubt be guilty of
some crime that will bring him to the gal
lows, and his fathers grey hairs with sor-
row to the grave. As l looked into z. s
heart and saw the grief and dread that tor.
tured it day and night, thanked God for
my boys, and wouldn't change them for his
million dollars were thrown into the
bargain.
Neighbor C. came next. He has a
pleasant wife and pretty children. Yet
you know that he never seems to be happy.
Well, that day found out why. looked
into his heart and there | saw serpent
coiled up, that was biting and stinging all
the time. KNEW that serpent was avarice
that it never lets the man in whose heart il
nestles enjoy what he has, no matter how
much, but keeps goading him to try to gel
more. | wouldn't have that snake in my
heart for the wealth of the Rothchilds.
Neighbor d. was the next to come before
my minds eye. You know how he 90
rich very fast during the war, and hare
stories are whispered about as to the wa,
he made his money. People bow to hin
politely, but as soon as his back is turned
one says to another, cheated the govern
ment," "sent shoddy blankets to the pool
soldiers" saw that his heart was as rot
ten as the cloth he used to manufacture
and determinded that I wouldn't be hin
at any price.
Well, to make a long story short,
thought of all my rich neighbors, one b.
one, but something was the matter with
each Of them--something that when pu
INTO the scale against their money out
weighed it. l came at last to those in mod
crate circumstances, and fixed upon neigh
Dor T. as the one that would be willing f
enange places with. He has a nice house
anice family, good business everybody
hkes him and calls him an honest man
Yes" | said to myself, " he will do" Blu
looked again, and 10; that big nose AM
squinting eyes of. his. The nose neve
seemed so big or the eyes so crossed an
1sksw, as when l thought of taking them
now could /, who have always been re
sa.oed as handsome fellow, OF how coul
mold up my head with such a nose upo
> Or look at my friends with such distorte
1 OF visions But | thought perhar
sAs angel, IL he comes will not insis
sp0n such matters. At any rate will as
aim