Connecticut western news., 1877-02-23
Mort's Dream Picture.

MOrtS Dream PlCtufe.- 5e ssIt was dream within a dream, I tell you, Charlie. 1 was asleep in my bed in the next room, and there I dreamed thatI was visiting the Ran, dolphs lover a in Berkshire county. 1 thought I had been up pretty late, play ing billiards with Gale Randolph and some of the boys. remember distinctly scoring seventy eight on 8 run-four- ball games. We'll, went to bed tired out, dreamed I did. fell asleep, and dreamed this which call dreamswith- out dream. ''1ss - :' ..a ' r.-. ;. ..- I' -
 sWell Mort," said I, 'sthe thing is not so extraordinary after all. It is a common enough psychological pheno- menon.' .[.Et s#> st ''I beg your pardon," quoth Mort Amerman, satirically, "would you be good enough to reel me of a little of that last again, please? Say couple of fathoms, or so.'' 9 sa,-.r.e 2 .z -a -ssa. ssNope of your chaffing now l" laughed I, ''but tell me what has all this Chinese dream puzzle to do with the picture you promised to show me? ssMuch, o Sahib for on the silent yetspeaking canvas have depicted the scene whereof l speak, and now le voici;3 and with that he threw the cover from the painting on his easel, and left me to examine it at my leisure, while he went to his bedroom. The easel was of course in the best position in the studio for viewing the picture, and the soft, delicate light of the au- tumn afternoon lay full upon it; mel lowed, however, by an artful arrange ment of screens and shadows, to gain the precise effect desired. ... ..
 The painting was of the ordinary cabinet size, and appropriately painted, being also relieved by heavy maroon drapery, gracefully festooned behind and around it. am not of those who believe that truly master-work of art may be described aptly in words, yet l must essay the task this once, and if l render only the bald outlines of the ar tist's thoughts, it may be, perchance, that I shall still be enabled to convey some glimmering of his meaning.
 What first fastened itself upon me was the murky darkness of most of the scene. There was dense and gloomy forest filling up the entire background and much of the middle distance. Out from among and under the trees streamed wild torrent, and plunged over ragged rocks and through and about the gnarled roots, and between rifts in the solid stone, and so down to leaping cascade that disappeared at the extreme right in black and gloom full pool. Stretching back from the right, broad expanse of gray moor ex- tended in prospective sight to the base of a range of ,blue-gray hills, that tow cred aloft into the clouds; 8 narrow path wound through this moor into the dim distance, and was lost, apparently, in the shades of night, which were fast falling. --" .z r'
 On the very edge of bold rock that jutted over the pool, and on the very boundary of the water fall, was the only seemingly living object of the pie ture.
 A young man prostrate on his knees, shading his eyes with his two hands, and gazing 'intently into the pool be- neath.-
 There was that in the attitude of the figure, so deftly and truthfully ex- pressed, that sense and meaning grew upon me as I gazed. He was agonizing -distraught. His whole soul was look ing forth from his eyes, and seeking in the dim twilight, now fast fading, to wrest from the obseurity beneath him some terrible secret. So clearly was the story told, that my gaze instinct ively followed his, and tracked, as his must have, the secret of the black pool
 Twining about the base of the rock upon whose crest the young man knelt a meshed and tangled wrap of roots anG flores first met the eye. But now, cling ing with death grasp to the largest ol these, saw the round, fair arm of { young girl-and then-as though should have seen it, and nothing else from the first, so completely did it now fillathe picture-I saw the white figure
 
 body, and the fine white face, with ricf olden hair floating and tangled, on the water and among the roots, and could almost note the swaying to and fro o the soulless form, as it was caught by the eddies, and dragged hither and thither still held, however, by that trusty deaC arm that clung so determinedly to tht slimy and black root above.
 A touch on. my shoulder so startled me that cried out; it was only Mort who had entered the room unnoticed so intent was I in my concentration.
 "Well, what do you think of it?' was the. first and most natural question
 HYou never could have dreamed that r's said I.
 'tJust as you see it, dreamed I 1t doubter. Now let me cover it up, anC let us go and have some lunch."