The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-10-27

pn tlc supcrudtuIal, nave just COllt W
light, and were related to Leader re-
porter yesterday. The gentleman with
WHOM the reporter conyersed is
prominent resident on the West Side.
The first story is the case of a woman
who lived in a small hamlet a few miles
from this city. The family, whose
name is Johnston, consisted of husband,
wife and two sons. On awakening one
morning Mrs. Johnston told her hus-
band that she had had terrible dream
during the night, in which she saw her
two sons drowned She felt confident
that the dream foreboded no good, and
insisted that it would come true. Her
husband only laughed at her, and said
that If she dreamed of funeral she
might expect wedding. His efforts
TO quiet her feelings of alarm were
without avail, and for some time she
was threatened with serious fit of
sickness. About two weeks after this
occurrence, Saturday morning, Mr..
Johnston told his wife that it would be
impossible for him to go TO Cleveland
to market that day. as he thought is
was going to rain, and he wanted to get
all his hay in the barn by night time.
''Let the two boys CO." he said; II
will vouch that they can do the business
just as well as i, and will return all
right" mo, john" Mrs. Johnston
answered. II cannot let the boys &c"
al should like to know your reason for
not wanting them to do So" replied the
somewhat irate husband. ut is moth
ing: only my DREAM" answered the
wife.
81 thought you had recovered from
that nonsense long ago. But mean to
show you how foolish you are to allow
snch silly thing to take such hold
upon you. The husband kept his word;
and the two boys started out for the
city in anticipation of day full of en-
joyment, after previously promising
their mother they would not goin swim
ming while on the way. 1t was one of
those mornings when the fragrance of
the new-mown hay which was waited
from either side of the roadway inspired
the boys with spirit of light-hearted-
ness and adventure. Riding on a box
seat of a lumber wagon soon became
monotonous and tiresOme to two such
youthful spirits, SO they took turns at
driving while the other walked along
just behind throwing stones at any OBJ
ject which came in his path. After
awhile they passed mill-pond where
they noticed several lads in swimming;
but neither of them expressed a desire
to join the bathers because of the
promise made to their mother. They
went along in silence for short distance
when suddenly George, who was the
younger, said: Jim, cant stand it.
/ must go back and take duck in the
pond. The day had turned out be a
very hot one. and while both boys we're
dusty and warm the elder brother did
all in his power to influence George
from carrying out his design. He re-
reminded him of his solemn promise to
his mother, but without avail. George
argued that his mother would not have
made them promise If it were not for
her dream, and as she would
know nothing about it till they
were home she wouldn't scold
much on seeing them alive. James
manfully stuck to his promise, but
George undressed and was soon in the
.water. The roadway was but few
feet from the pond, and James sat in
the wagon and waited for his brother
to finish his bath. He was suddenly
startled by cry, and on looking up
saw one Of the smaller boys about 100
feet from the shore, throwing up his
hands and calling loudly for help.
George, who was good swimmer, inn
mediately started to give him some as
sistance, but rs soon as he was near
enough the drowning boy clutched him
around the neck, and both sank from
sight. James, on witnessing this state
of affairs, quickly jumped from the
wagon, cast aside his coat and shoes,
and was soon at the spot where the
two boys had disappeared. On their
coming to the surface again he at
tempted to hold them up, and at the
same time called to the boys on the
bank to push plank out to him. But
he was clutched by the other two, and
rs the plank failed to reach him in
time all three were drowned. At night
fall, after the mother had finished her
work, she sat herself on the small porch
on the side of the house and anxiously
waited for her sons return. By-and-
by she noticed carriage being driven
rapidly over the neighboring hill in
the direction of the house. 1t stopped
at the gate and gentleman alighted
and walked slowly toward her. Before
he had reached the place where she
stood she rose to her feet and said: II
know, sir, why you have come, 1t is
TO tell me that my two boys are
drowned" This was, indeed, the mes
sage the man bore, but he was struck
dumb by her taking the words out of
his mouth.
The other case happened in this city
but, few weeks ago. A prominent
grocer on going to his till one morning
discovered that forty dollars in money
which had been left there the night be-
fore was missing. Detectives were
immediately put upon the track of the
thief. but failed to bring him down,
and soon the matter was dropped.
About week after the burglary lady
couna into thu ctoro xubr 10 ualt Ennxvn