The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-11-30
A Fatal Dream.

At the foot of one of the promon-
tories of the Sierra Madre, near the
town of Hidalgo, in the northeastern
part of Mexico, dwells a man named
Agnagetti. He is over eighty years
of age, and his tall figure, white hair
and patriarchal air gives him an in
describable appearance. With the
exception of his wife, he lives en-
tirely alone in bis cozy log cabin,
subsisting, for the most part, upon
the proceeds from wild animal skins.
But his life has not always been
thus entirely desolate.
Only few years ago three child
ren frightened their humble home
two boys, Gabriel and Ernst, and
one daughter, Julia, rare wildwood
blossom. Her large black eyes and
luxurient tresses, coupled with a
captivating manner, that ever car
ried sunshine and happiness with it,
won the hearte of many of the oppo-
site sex in that section-the fortu-
nate suitor, however. being q young
man named Antoine Setacci, . very
forest Apollo: in fact the very sort to
win young girls heart. The Ag-
nagetta family were anything but
pleased with their daughters choice,
and spared no means to break of
the attachment the lovers had for
each other. Entreaties and threats
were alike unavailing on Julia; the
former giving her courage to plead
for Antoine, the latter making her
cling closer to him. Il will never
give up julia" Antoine was used to
say when questioned on the mat
ter.
When they fouad all efforts use
less, the family resorted to more
violent measures. Gabriel Agnaget-
ia met Antoine one day in the for
est, and a desperate fight ensued,
in which both were badly cut and
bruised, but in which Gabriel was
decidedly worsted. This event
stirred up additional bitterness, and
for time threatened to draw 9TH
ers into the quarrel. and eventually
result fatally.
Julia sought to pour oil on the
troubled waters, and her gentle
words melted the hardened natures
that evil passions had filled with
wrath. There was a reconciliation be-
tween her brother and lover, and q
general rejoicing in consequence re-
suited, when an event occurred
which changed amity into distrust
and suspicion. This was no less an
event than the sudden and mysteri-
Gus disappearance of Antoine Set
taci.
He was last seen alive in the for
est bsyond the mountains on the
track for game. The most rigid
search failed to discover him or any
traces of his whereabouts. He had
dropped out of sight and life as if
the earth had opened and swallow
ed him 'lp. All sorts Of stories were
rife. Or said that he had run away,
still ar other that he was purposely
hiding himself and would soon re-
turn. But time went on, and he
neither came nor was heard OF. The
suspicion that he had met with foul
play gained ground rapidly, grow
ing into certainty in the minds Of
very many persons. of course Ga
briel Agnagetti was accused of the
murder, and though he strenuously
denied the charge, the evidence was
strong enough to warrant his appre-
hension. Once in the meshes ofthe
law, it seemed as if y hundred cir
cumstances came up, all crying
trumpet-tongued, guilty Various
persons had heard him threaten to
kill Antoine; that young man him
self said that he did not consider
his life safe so long as Gabriel Agna-
getti remained in the neighborhood.
Even Gabriel's father admitted re-
luctantly tht his son had declared
his intention of riddling Antoine
with buckshot, while Ernesto cor
roborated the parents statement.
The coils of circumstantial evidence
closed tighter about the young man
and beyond his own assertion there
was nothing to be said in refutation.
The blow had fallen on Julia with
crushing effect. The sudden disap-
pearance of her lover, the arrest OF
her brothar on the charge Of mur-
dering him almost drove her insane.
She, however, shared the popular
belief that Antoine had been mur-
dered, and that her brother was
guilty of the terrible crime. Urged
for her reason for her belief, she fl
nally admitted that it rested upon
the slender foundation of a dream.
She added that on the night follow
ing the day upon which Antoine
had disappeared she had dream
in which she saw her brother and
Antoine engaged in a violent quar-
rel. The men were in q dark ravine;
there was q mountain to the right
and deep, dense forest to the left
She heard their words; she saw Ca
briel strike Antoine with the butt
end of his rifle and fell him to the
eartd. That blow was fatal. An
tome never spoke afterward. Ca
briel hid the body in q dark cave
in the woods, and there it still re-
mained. This dream made a pow
erful impression on the young girl,
and though many were disposed to
laugh at it, it told tremendously
against her brother, and nothing
could shake her faith and confidence
IN its horrible reality. She insisted
that it was true, though no traces Of
the body could be found in any Of
the numerous mountain caves after
most rigid search, and the vision
rested only on her individual state
ment. But her faith gave it untold
powers; her acts seemed to confirm
her belief. From that moment she
was a changed woman, slowly she
pined away. The color faded from
her cheeks, giving place to death
like pallor; her step, once light and
elastic, became slow and languid ;
her eyes had lost their tender glance
and sparkled vith an unearthly