The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-27
THREE MINUTES TO TWELVE.

-lidRil0R tS,Ott1Rd) AdIutlser.
THREE MINUTES 10 TWELVE.
Ihe'story of n winter NiEht-A Dream
aud what Came OF 10.
San Francisco AIgOnAuL
On cold December night some twenty
years ago, when the earth was bound In 4
black frost, and the bitter wind blew strOnl
and shiewdly, wss returning home from
spending the evening ut u friends house,
situated some three or four miles out Of
town. The sky was 80 black, the country
lanes were so dark, that was truly thank.
iul when the scattered lights Of an outlying
suburb began to twinkle in the distance,
and ii was with sigh OF relief that stop
ped under the inst lampost came to and
looked at my watch. 1t was no easy task,
for the lamp glass had pane broken and
the strong wind blew the gas in all direC.
tons and almost extinguished 1t.
read the time at last-three minutes TO
l2-and, looking up from the watChiace, l
started 10 see man standing close oppO.
site ME. had heard nothing Of his up.
proach. We looked at each other but for
i moment, yet 1t was sufficient tune to
imprint his features indelibly on my mem.
DRY. A tall, shabby man, IN threadbare,
black irOCk coat and seedy, tall hat, bis
face lantern jawed and sallow, bis eyes
sunken and lustreless, his beard long and
III trimmed. In tone OF elaborate Clvility
he asked me the time, thanked Inc for my
answer, and giving me good night, passed
into the black darkness, which seemed TO
engulf him like grave.
turned for moment 10 think OF his
lonely walk in that grim obsCurity, and ~.
sumed my homewaTd way, laughing at my.
self for the start he had given me, and ~.
Elected that the strong wind had blown
away the sound OF his approach. |
thought Of him as | sat and smoked my
pipe over my fire, and felt q comfortable
shudder steal upon me as | imagined him
facing the bitter blast In his insufficient
clothing.
In the course Of a week or two the In
cidents-triiling enough, heaven knows
faded from my memory, and l thought no
more Of It.
In those days was actively engaged In
the timber trade, and the course Of my bus.
iness took me . good deal about the
country, and brought me largely In con.
tact with the agents OF the different noble
men and country gentlemen Of the dis.
triCt. With one u these agents who
resided near the county town OF l., | had
numerous transactions, and used often to
run down 10 l.. 10 meet him, for the town
was only fifteen miles away, aud WAS on a
line OF railroad. II was dull little hole
enough, that only warmed up .into life
when the militia were out or the assizes
were on.
One. night l returned from l., having
Just made large purchase from my friend
The agent, whose master, u sporting noble
man, was reduced 10 cut down the family
timber. When fell asleep that night /
had very simple but vivid dream,
thought ! was standing on lofty bill.
by my side stood yelled figure, who, with
a commanding gesture, motioned me 10.
ward the town OF L., which lay In the fur
distance. Then awoke.
OF course, explained the thing 10 my.
self easily enough. had been good
deal engaged In the neighborbood Of the
place, aud had a large venture more or
less remotely connected with Il. Still the
dream was 80 vivid that could not dis.
miss 1t from my thoughts during the whole
Of the day, anu when went 10 bed al
night wondered II 1t would again visit
me.
II did come again, precisely the same
dream, In precisely the same manner.
lIs.,. ,..os., I fn,,NI a nnRNfNntNF,
ton. Doubtless had been thinking too
much about the tiBt dream, and this had
given rise TO the second. But my explain
alton did not convince me In the least,
Again was haunted by the thing through
out the day, and when came home al
night my preoccupation was so evident
that II attracted the attention OF my wife.
She questioned me upon the cause, and
only too thankful 10 lnbosom myself Of
what was now almost q trouble, told her
about the dream and It's repetition. ShC
bad the tact not to laugh at me, but was
evidently little impressed by the narrative
The third night iC came again, II any
thing, more vivid and startling than be-
fore, This time was utterly unhinged
the male face that confronted me In the
looking.glass was hardly recognizable FOL
my own. went down TO breakfast, filled
with a forebodipg Of some misfortune
bad news in my lelterB-I knew not what
The maid entered with the letter bag.
There" said my wife, passing me let
Ter on which was the L. p0stmaIk. "Tha
breaks your dream, John.
opened It hurriedly. Il was from the
agent, requesting me TO meet him at l.
that day 1t | o'clock, to arrange difficulty
that had arisen in the performance Of hii
contract
l was intensely relieved. Here was AZ
opportunity to 60 10 L., and, perhaps The
very fact would put me right. There .wert
two fast trains to l.. 10 the morning, but
decided TO 90 by the tirst, regardless Of thu
fact that | should have come hours to wait
50 found myself speeding away towart
my destination.
The train was full. Pipes exhaled thei
fragrance, newspapers were turned ant
tlatlened, and there was that leisurely kline
Of morning conversation that prevail
among men going OF by an early train L
their days work. soon discovered tina
had fallen among party Of barristers
and their chief topic was peculiarly In
terestIng case which was 10 be finished to
day at the L, assiEss.
lie must sum up against the prisoners,
saId gentleman with !at, ilorid face an
long sandy WhiskerE, who wore q ligh
oyGfcoat and shepherds plaid tEouser'
n 1.-THE defense was complete failure an
J, deserved 10 be."
III wls certainly rather audaclouS,n n
& turned clean shaver young man with
4 double eyeglass, who sat opposite me: "Bu
' don't ike circumstanciAl svidenG0.n
"All evidence Is more or less circum
, stantiaI, 2 answered he Of the torid com
, IplSxionI 'spd thie THap Y % clearly gnilS
i 10 my mind % II there haa peep doEsl
a witnesses TO stand BY and SEQ him % th
a deed, That's my opinion, Haywood, " an
/. The oracle disappeared behind its newi
v paper. ..,,. .L.,
4 would divert my thoughts from thel
e gloomy iorebolnGs, ] addressed myself
70 HeyWood, ths young bsrrlster, with vhoE
I. had q Slight acquaintance.
b IYou seem much interested 10 this trii
Y that q going on," ] said. "9iAy ask
VI Won arc engaged upon it2y
o. TNo,n he answered. "But II Is . eahou
Gaze. A man, clerk dismissed from b
{ employment, Is accused oil numbering u
I eSsbief Il The arm Tho evidence again
4 hIn n entirely ClrcutnsiR initial; blt the d
tense broke down Ut the most critical poll
] and the case certainly looks very black &c
Z the prisoner" =.