Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-12-12
A Dream.


years ago, post chaise with a single
gentleman inside it drove up TO the
North Of Scotland. where passengers
who were going tn cross to OIkneys
usually spent the night. The gentle
man, whom we will call Me-. MacT.,
WAS the owner OF a large estate, aud
an old house which had belonged to
his family for hundreds OF years, in
the mainland, OF chief Of the Orkney
islands. aud was now about TO visit
his property. 1t was a clustering.
stormy night, but that Gully made
more pleasant the cigar and glass of
champagne, and the cracking OF the
wood fire by which MacT. sat chat
ting with the landlord, who was an
old friend both OF his father and him
self. and who was proud OF entertain
ing the young laird,' as he called
him, with his widest tales OF adven-
ture on the sea. They did not, how
ever. sit late. for the Orkney packet
sailed very early in the mornif g. and
MacT. soon found himself in his coy,
I weil-appointed little bedroom. The
wind was chanting a gland Berserker
melody, and the sea was roaring a
deep bass accompaniment. MacT.
loved those sounds. for they had o.
ten been the lullaby Of his childhood,
and he soon fell asleep. For some
bours he slept without an image or
thought reaching his mind; but, at
length, when the morning was giim
mering gray In the East. strange
dream came to trouble him. He
dreamed that he was in the ancient
banqueting hall of his old house. in
the Mainland, sitting at the head OF a
very long table. The banqueting
hall was now in reality almost a ruin,
but In bis dream MacT. saw 1t hung
with hundred lights. The table
was filled on both sides, and be
thought he glanced curiously down
its length to see who his guests were.
As he looked, he shuddered In his
dream. Those who sat at the table
with him were all his dead ancestors
for many generations back. He knew
their faces and dresses well from
their portraits in the picture gallery.
Next TO him sat his own father, who
had died about a year before. And
at the bottom OF the table sat a fair
haired man in dress OF skins. who
was Morse chieftaiu. the founder OF
the family. 1t seemed to him that he
sat for some minutes as IL spell bound,
while the spectators M urmured to-
gether in low, hollow tones. At
length they all rose, and slowly, one
by one, 10 turns, left the hall. But
before they went, each one paused at
the door, and turning, raised his hand
in "a warning attitude. fixed his eyes
on MacT., and said, In a deep voice,
the word Beware" "The packet
starts in twenty minutes, sif," cried a
loud voice at the door, rousing MacT.
suddenly from sleep. Confused at
first, yet soon remembering where be
was, no sprung out Of bed and began
burriedly TO dress himself Being a
bad sailor, his first glance was natur.
ally enough at the sea, close to which
the inn stood. The wind had risen In
the night. The waves Numbered on
the shore, and the little Orkney pack
ct was tossing up and down like a
limpet shell, AS he gazed. his
strange dream arose up with sudden
distinctness before MacT.'s mind. He
was Infected with good deal of thor
ough Scotch superstition. Besides
he did not much like the look OF the
sea, and so he resolved not to go till
to morrow. Tha: day the Orkney
packet was lost with every man on
board, and MacT. and his little wife,
who was left at home with the babies,
had to thank that warning dream for
his life.