Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-08-02
tCOn.Inued from arst pagel

tinted the same color. Intense horror
possessed me. tor felt that | had killed
him. Aghast at the deed, ! strove TO
drag his oody to the side oil the White
ways. opposite the chalk-cutting, where
the down slopes abruptly TO hollow
some hundreds If feet below. In my at
tempt to do tins L always awoke. Then.
every night for three or tour weeks. was |
haunted aud made miserable by this ac-
cursed dream, and when | knew that il
was finally settled that ! should have to
make the Journey alone, and discovered
that there existed spot on the road, ac-
tuallv resembling in all its details that
which l was only too familiar with. !
could no longer mistake the meaning OF
my dream. II could be nothing but a
pOrtent--a warning OF what might happen
to me. | should be there 1 should pass
the place on my journey home; in dark
ness and aOue-conditions favorable TO
the attack which could not but suppose
now wonld be made upon me, for the SAKE
OF the money which my business would
oblige me to carry. | should defend IT,,
and | should kill my assall mt et why
was the veil. which 1t is the priyll sge Of
man to find ever hanging before his iu-
ture, lifted Tor meP What have | done,
that The one shield which guards the hap
piness OF human beings, that Ignorance
of what the next day or the next hour
NAV have in store for them, should be
dashed IRON my too far-seehS eyes
WHY has nv lite been gradually aud ir-
resistibly embittered by a sight OF what
might iustifiably, though unintentionally,
be forced upon me
That a man, in the contemplation OF
some hideous crime, should be warned
from 1t in dream that showed him til
what it woul lead, seems feasible; and
we have heard that such things have been.
and that men have turned from their EVIL
purpose Thereby. Bat that |, knowing OF
no malicious inteltiuu having, a God is
my irdge, none in my heart, should have
thus been prosecuted by some liendish.
uncomfortable phantom OF the brain,
which. 10y it, persistent nightly presence
should have she'd its horrd shadow on
nv daily life, was unaccountabie.
yet there was more behind; more
mystery to aggravate the terror. Coming
home after that visit to Meresdene with
Mr.. Sheptold, | threw myself on my bed
with dread of sleep that cannot express
Perfectly certain now that | should
90 on dreaming till the end was
reached, | determined would not
sleep. | Law there, devising some
plan by which / could avert
this impending catastrophe. 1t was my
duty to do so, both to myself and my en-
ployers; tor the sum OF money should
have with me would be very large.
would detail to them exactly what have
said above; would urge them to see it as
! saw it--that 1t was an unmlstakable
warning which we had no right to dsre-
gard. They might think me fool, lu-
matte, coward-what they pleased; but
would not Ike the journey alone, and |
hoped they would not wish it! Yes, |
would state M case the following morn
ing An infinite sense OF relet came over
me when | had made this decision, cal N
indeed, that, despite my resolution, sUoth-
ed me to sleep.
"Instantly / dreamt. OF course | was
upon the downs, under the usual circum-
Stances the frosty fog. the gig with glim-
mering lights, the chalk cutting, the hill
road beneath it, the Waterways, as | now
knew the spot to be called; then the pros
trate form upon the road, the red STAN
upon the chalk. my figure with the bloody
hands, bending over it; details which |
had always been able TO discern plainly IN
nv dreams. Notwithstanding the want Ot
light; and the effort myself am making
TO drag the body across the road, to huIl
it down the steep slope!
But, ah what new aud strange revei-
alton Is this? What new and terrible So
luton to this mysterious dreaming is about
TO be made to me? The Grape mask, that
has ALWAYS hitherto hidden from me the
mans face, is gone and | behold in my
assaiIant and roOber the unmlslaka0le fea
tures of but | dare not write hi
name, lest this fall into other hands than
yours, mother-but YOU will understand
who il was that | thus saw in nv dream,
when say that it was he who Is the un-
happy cause OF our great grief and sorrow,
and who we suppose now to be tar away.
was awake again the instant alter this,
In frame of mind exceeding IN its great
agony anything | had ever felt. If might
accept ali that had gone before as "A por
tent, why should doubt that the catastrO-
phe was to be brought about by this uu-
happy man? Ii would not be more mar
vellous than any other part OF my never
falling dream. Should there be any truth
10 it, and it was my destiny to be attacked
and robbed by him, then there was sutii-
cent reason tor my not claiming the pro-
lection which companion on that journey
might give me- No; now knew must
90 alone to meet whatever might befal
me, or TO disp5l at once and forever the
shadow of the dream. 1t | was really 30
to meet him in the flesh, if he really be in
England, no one must know 1t but myself.
Then the dream may, after all, become
the benefcent means OF saving him, aud
preserving me from the commlttal Of
deed that would weigh upon me to the end
of time.
iContinued tomorrow