The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-08-09
OUR STORY TELLER.
SAVED BY A DREAM.

at times possess the presclent power.
There are many wonderful instances of
this on record. The story l will now
relate is a case in point.
A good many years ago farmer,
named Silas Austin, living in rather
wild and thinly populated region, sold
out his possessions in the latter part of
the winter for two thousand dollars. The
deed was duly executed, and the amount
paid in specie, with a verbal agreement
that he should not be required to remove
his family before the first of the ensuing
April. He deposited the money for
safe keeping, in the bed he slept on, and
soon after set out on a journey with
view of making another purchase.
81 shall be so lonely with our two lit
tie childrenp said his wife; "and then
if anything should happenp
"Pshaw" he replid; "what do you
fearP
al don't know" she sighed; "I feel
timid; / fear something will go wrong
Pm somehow afraid shall never see you
again."
Nonsense, Hannah"
"And, then, Silas, you know we have
so much money in the houseW
Gay, that's itp' he returned with a
laugh. "Poor people walk boldly
through the dark places, and sleep
soundly with open doors; but the mo-
ment they get little money they be-
come as timid as hares, and think rob-
bers are seeking them everywhere. Now,
you see, my DEAR" he added, "Pll be
safe, because / shan't have the money
with me; and you because nobody'll
know you've got it."
"There are persons who know you'v
received it and haven't spent it," she
rejoined.
"The man that bought the place, Of
course"
eyes, and Others"
"Neighbors, perhaps; but you dom
fear them, HannahT'
az don't know what / fear, Silas;
feel strangely uneasy, and that's thu
truth"
"Well, my DEAR" returned her hus
band, "this is nothing but whim; anC
il | remain at home for whim wei
soon be without place to put our head
in. l must go and seek out anothe
farm-you know the necessity for it a
well as / do; but I'll not be long away
whether 1 succeed or not-not NOR
than two or three weeks at the most.
This decided, Mr.. Austin took leav
of his wife and children, the latter, tw
little boys of four and six. He wen
away, apparently with a light heart
that his wife might not be further dc
pressed; but in reality, as he afterward
confessed, he felt good deal of secre
uneasiness. This increased, rather tina
diminished, the further he went, an
when he reached the place where he wa
20 tal- fIn Axos h., l.
much influenced by strange, mystt
rious dread of evil that it required all hi
reason to support his resolution to col
tinue his journey.
Determined not to be turned by
chimerical idea he paid his fare for
hundred miles, and went off on the frs
train.
On reaching his first destination h
went to bed, and being excessivel
fatigued, almost Immediately fell asleel
He awoke some time in the middle
the night with a kind of a start,
shock, as if something strange ha
touched him, and he experienced tn;
peculiar sensation of dread and fe;
which is sometimes produced by fea
ful dream that cannot be remembere
but which seems to have impressed i
For a time, as is often the case whe
awaking in strange place, he was qui
bewildered, and could not recolle
where he was, nor how he came Their
but as soon as all became clear to hi
his mind reverted to his wife and CHI
dren, and he felt such an indescribab
yearning for home that he half resolv,
to take the first train back.
But while pondering on the matt
he gradually feel asleep, and this tir
dreamed that he saw his own hou:
dimly shadowed forth in the thick m,
terious gloom of night, and that VIII
he looked upon it such a strange Dire
of something awful took possession
him that he shuddered as If suspend
over some dark abyss.
Then he though something moved hi
through the air, as a ghost would mo
without motion or volition of his oN
till he suddenly found himself in t
bedroom of his wife, who was the
asleep with the two children. He fanci
that he wanted to wake her and tell /
that something dreadful was going
happen; but though he tried to 90 to h
he found he could not stir, and his effo
to call out his alarm only resulted in t
most agonizing silence. Then he hea
the Ominous sounds of stealthy f,
approach, and he knew that robbers w
creeping in upon her-robbers in d
guise-robbers with faces painted bla
and still he could not move, could I
scream out, could not wake and warn
dear wife and children of impendi
death.
He was in terrible distress; it seem
as if the very air he breathed was
pregnated with crime, which it ms
thick and sitting, and it choked hi
The hesteps came nearer; they stopped at
door; there was the noise Of gen
force being used, and then the de
swung slowly back and disclosed t
black faces, looking unearthly q
demoniac IN the pale, lurid, ghas
light. He thought he knew they lool
thus before he saw them; but for
that the oio,ht nc thor, rooIo