Louisiana capitolian., 1881-08-06
An old DREAM STORY.


farmer, named Robin Cartwright sit
ting with his wife before bis blazing
fire of oak wood, fancied that he heard
the faint bleating of sheep outside his
door. and, anxious for his Hock, TOOK
his lantern and went ont to look tor the
moor creature. No sheep was there,
however, but instead, close against the
door jam, basket lined with wool and
4 covered with blanket, in which lay
very young child.
r There were footsteps in the snow
shich led up to the door, and other
steps which led away from it, Holding
his lantern low, the farmer followed
these until they ceased abruptly beside
the margin of the river which lay at
the foot of his land Lifting the lantern
over his head, the good man shouted
aloud half a dozen times; "Hallo"
he cried-"Hullow but the deep silence
of the winter night alone answered him.
As he stood listening in vain, a shudder
ran through his stout frame. His imag-
& ination pictured young woman, trem-
bling, unhappy, shame stricken, VINO,
4 having laid her infant at his door, had
sped away toward this dark water to
hide her woes within it's bosom.
s4~4"Friends herew he shouted again.
nFriends here Only friends' But again
he heard no sound and, after search
ing the banks carefully he returned TO
his cottage.
His wife meanwhile, had taken the
! child to the ire and cared for it kindly.
u 1t was pretty little boy, dressed IN
good comfortable garments, and fasten'
ed about it's neck by cord was one-hal1
of very peculiar silver clasp or buckle
II seemed evident that the clasp wa'
| intended to he token By which the
infants identity might one day be prov
en-, ana tne lariDel WIG P"V ~ "'"
carefully. Inquiries were made in th'
neighborhood, but they led to no dis
coveries, and Cartwright kept the
child, though they did not deem it Wis
to adopt him as their own. lie wa
kindly cared for, but brought mp as
sorvant He had been christened Roger
and knew no other name.
As soon as he was old enough he wa
mt to outdoor work, and, thong
taught TO read and write, was otherwls
on par with his fellow-laborers' ii
had never seen any place more elegar
than the farmhouse parlor, nor an
dress more costly than that his mlstre'
sEore to the church on Sunday yet b
dreams. which he was fond Of tellin!
were all of magnifcence and splendor,
Often he found himself in an elegai
room furnished in yellow satin. Inc
were old portraits on the walls, al
beautiful ornaments everywhere. lie
,e saw a lady dressed in black, b'
aearing diamonds, who was very bea
tifnl and who often wept, and gent
man who wore something on his brea
as he explained to'Mrs. Cartwright
ssaike your best breastpin, but mo
Sparkling" thus describing an order'
it seemed. He appeared always to
himself invisible, and once man IN
livery, who had only one eye, seemed
walk straight through him witho
knowing it.
Mrs. Cartwright always believed tn
these dreams "meant something" b
her husband laughed at the matter.
ePoor Roger is no nobleman's chil'
10 nsed to say. "No doubt his motl
lrewned herself the night she left b
lere-poor soul"
So the boys sixteenth birthday ca
nd on il he dreamed this dream
He thought he was IN London,
GOOD before row of rough stone nous
,hich were plainly very Old Acr
ae front were some raised lette
uaint and queer enough to puzzle hi
mt he made ont the words, "Laay I
eytoge." Before him was one OF
low doors with the number ten on
md in it stood an old woman VIII
lack silk cap on her head, and ault
lack shawl over the shoulders OF
hrple calico gown.
She held something in her hand
nved it to him. 1t was piece
Wer buckle.
j'Bring me the other half" she s'
and | will tell you a tale that
sase you."
Chen the had awoke determined to