Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1883-06-21

over my fire, and felt comfortable
shudder steal upon me as l imagined
him facing the bitter blast in his in
sufficient clothing.
In the course Of a week or two the
incident-trilling enough, Heaven
knows faded from my memory, and
l though no more of it.
In those days I was actively en-
gagged in the timber trade, and the
course of my business took me great
deal about the country, and brought
me largely in contact with the agents
of the different noblemen and coun-
try gentlemen of the district. With
one of these agents. who resided near
the town of L., | had numerous
transactions. and | used often to run
down to L., to meet him, for the town
was only fifteen miles away, and was
on a line of Railroad. 1t WAS a dull
little hole enough, that only warmed
up into life when the militia were
out or the assizes We're on.
One night | returned from L., hav-
ing just made large purchase from
my friend the agent, whose master, Il
sporting nobleman, was induced to
cut down the family timber When
fell asleep that night | had "A very
simple but vivid dream, I thought l
was standing on a lofty hill, BY my
side stood a yelled figure, who, with
Il commanding GESTURE, motloned me
toward the town Of l.. Then |
awoke.
OF course, l explained the thing to
myself easily enough. | had been a
good deal engaged in the neighbor
hood of the place, and had large
venture more or less remotely con
nccted with it. Still the dream was
so vivid that could not dismiss it
from my thoughts during the whole
day, and when | went to bed ut night
| wondered if it would again visit
me.
1t did come again; precisely the
same dr,a IL, in precisely the same
manner.
Once more | found a convictiu.
explanation. Doubtless had be IN
thinking too much about the first
dream, and this had given rise to the
second. But my explanation did not
convince me in the least again I was
haunted by the thing throughout the
day, and when ! came home at night
my preoccupation was so evident
that it attracted the attention of my
wife. She Questioned me upon the
cause and, only to thankful to un-
bosom myself Of what was now al
most a trouble, told her about tie
dream and its repetition, She had
not the tact to laugh at me, but was
little moved by the narrative.
The third night it came again. if
anything, more vivid and startling
than before. This time was utterly
unhinged, the pale face that fronted
me in the looking glass was hardly
recognizable for my own. went
down to breakfast filled with fore
bodings OF some misfortune-bad
news in my letters-1 knew not
what.
The maid entered with the letter
bag.
'There, said my wife, passing me
letter on which was the L. post. mark.
'That breaks your dream, John
opened it hurriedly. 1t was from
the agent, requesting me to meet him
at L. that day at one O'Clock, to ar
range Il difficulty that had arisen in
the performance of his contract.
| was intensely relieved Here
was a chance to go to l.. and perhaps
the very fact of going would put me
right. There were two fast trains to
L. in the morning, but | decided to
20 by the first, regardless of the fact
that | should have some hours to
wait. So | found myself speeding
away to my destination.
The train was full. Pi pes exhaled
their fragrance, newspapers were
turned and ilattened and there was
that leisurely kind of conversation
that prevails among men going Oft by
an early train to their days work. |
soon discovered | had fallen among a
party Of barristers, and their chief
I