Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-03

EDS. RECORD UNION: Some twenty-five
years ago I was called to go with friend to
visit his wife's fathers family, and join in
Christmas merry.makipg. He had been
| married but about six months. For month
previous to our journey his wife had been
visiting her parents. OF course J. was very
anxious to see her. and, beside, anticipated q
gay time beneath the hospitable roof of bis
| father.in-law, who was renowned for the
number of guests he kept about him,
his well-loaded table, his love of manly sports,
and his general merry and hospitable dispose
| ton. / was less enthusiastic about our trip,
as | was going among strangers, but l looked
forward to a very pleasant time, neverthe-
less. L was much younger than my friend,
and was accustomed to look up to him, for
! he was very firm man, and one far
above the influence of any ordinary supersti.
ton. We went by train in the afternoon,
some twenty-five miles, and were compelled
to remain at little way-station over night.
Our plan was to drive the next morning
across twenty-five miles of unbroken
Western prairie to the place of
our destination. A horse and cut
ter had been sent over to the station by
Judge G. for our use, and we retired to rest
| in the rude hotel OF the village in high spirits
over our expected fine sleigh-ride In the
night q fearful snow.storm arose, aud gale
| blew that fairly made the old cabin where we
lodged quake to its foundations. 1t was a
night of inky darkness, and with the drifting
SHOWS, the bowling wind, and the roar of the
gale, it was an ill eve to our day of expected
pleasure. 1t was about hall. past two o'clock
In the morning when I was reused up by a
rough shaking of my shoulder. I turned over
and found J. had arisen and stood at the bed.
side, half dressed.
"Get up" said he. in husky tones, his
voice shaken as if by deep emotion get up,
Will. we must start for r. to night"
"What in this storm? Why, its"
81 know its FIVE hours earlier than we in
tended starting, but | must go, Will. Don't
think it a foolish fancy, but I've been called.
[ must CO."
81 / mean that half an hour ago / awoke. l
do not know what aroused me l was awake.
however, wide awake. felt terror never
felt before; I experienced sharp chill
tried to compose myself to sleep again, but
could not. / lay and listened TO the war of
the storm and counted the beating blasts that
shook this cabin, when suddenly l saw my
wife here before me, and she said as plainly
as any one could speak the words, Come,
quick"
"Why, you've been dreaming and"
with me. l did not dream was not de-
ceived. Although cav her but an instant,
still she was here, and her face was oh, SO
drawn and pitiful, and white and her voice
was low and weak, but her words were dis.
tinct. No. don't argue with me. must go
come with me if you will, or stay something
is wrong at R and | shall be off inside OF
fifteen minutes"
I knew his decision of character and re.
| E.. g. ~, T.5ra
hastily we borrowed of our landlord extra
wraps and set off in the midst of the worst
snow-atorm l ever faced. It was bitterly
cold and we suffered intensely. j. seemed,
however, to care little for his physical
pain, his mind was 10 50 troubled
state that bodily discomfort was subordin-
ate to the agony of his soul. He spoke but
infrequently, and each time he referred with
increasing emotion to his singular vision.
We had fearful ride, continued battle with
the storm, and though we were enabled to
change our horses twice, it was after o'clock
bsfore we drove up to Judge C.'s door. !
was too stiff and fr;zen to alight, and had to
be assisted from the cutter, but j. either
suffered less or else was urged by the influence
of his supernatural vision to unusual physical
exertion. for he fairly bounded from the
sleigh and rushed into the house. In ten
minutes afterward, the old Judge came to the
room where my frozen limbs were being
rubbed by muscular servant, and shecked
me by terrible news. Us young wife had
been taken i'll with a sudden bronchial attack
on the morning Of the preceding day. She
grew rapidly worse. All efforts to give
her relief failed; the lungs became involved
and acute congestion set in. An hour OF
two after midnight she began TO moan fol-
her husband, and cried out repeatedly for him.
About o'clock she tell iato stupor and
remained unconscious until few moments
before J.'s arrival, when she reused herself,
and calling her husbands mama again, rscog.
nized him as he entered the chamber He
was just in time to take her into his arms
and receive her last breath upon mis- lips
That my friends wife did in her agony
warn him OF her danger, and that he re
csived that warning as described, have no
the faintest doubt. But how? That is tht
question. L. G.