Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-05-01


: though left my bed to 90 to the door I;
but at once was at Il . door of my store
1t seemed to be as bright as day in the
store, but dark as night outside. Some
Of the darkness of the night seemed to
: drift in around me as | stood in the open
door and read the note which the mes
| senger had brought me. The note was
an exact copy Of the one which l had
really received from my friend that day
when he made the appointment for the
| ride into the country. l said to the
messenger:
"But he's being murdered He wants
help! I'll go the bank"
sent for q carriage and drove to the
bank. The shutters were closed in front,
but light shone out of a window on the
side which opened out of a narrow pass
age between the bank and an empty
building next to it. knew this win-
dow opened from the room in which my
friend would work if at the bank
at night. passed up the narrow
passage, when suddenly hand was
thrust from the window. recog-
nized the uff-button as belonging to my
friend Up and down, up and down.
now with long. sweeping motion, now
quick and sharp. And again the silent
messenger was, "Help murder -
sprung down the passage to the
front Of the bank TO call the driver, and
whed looked up to speak to him saw
the face of the man who had struck down
the one at the street corner that after
And when he saw me he lashed his
horses into a run and went down the
street with a rnsh over the pavement
that made noise like thunder.
Yes, noise like thunder. For
awoke then, and awoke with the noise Of
real thunder from the storm outside
sounding in my ears.
lighted my gas, went to the water
cock at my washstand, and took a drink
of water. l was not frightened. | was
not more than startled. ! studied my
dream for minute certainly not more
than two. Anxiety for my friend-need-
less. though natural the blow / had
seen given the hands | had seen at the
window the situation Of things at the
bank it was certainly an easy thing to
explain.
| looked out toward the bank, good
three miles from where stood, and sent
out wish for the safety of my beloved
friend. The storm was coming. Great
gusts Of wind roared around the house.
The darkness was intense. took an
other drink, thought of my stock in the
water works, thought that there might
not be another water-cock open in the
whole city at that time, and that the
great pumps might be working for me
alone in the silence of the night. | did
not shut off the water but looked at my
watch, which indicated ten minutes past
twelve, and then got into bed again
without turning out the gas.
/ remember thinking of some of the
many incidents with which | meant to
fortify my position and arguments with
reference to the increased acuteness Of
hearing during some dreams. Then |
slept and dreamed again.
dreamed | stood in the pumping
works and watched the ponderous ma
chinery move. Only there was no regu-
larity now, as there had been in the day.
time. The great piston which watched
would make now long sweeping stroke
and again a stroke like fash Of light.
And the long and short strokes, transla-
ted into dashes and dots, said over and
over again, "Help Murder Help
Murder"
| could see the movement as | had
seen the flashes of light and as / had
seen Arnold's hand, but this time | could
hear it too. A murmur or pulse, not
unlike the noise made by steam engine
running almost silently, now long, now
short, saying to the ear what the grace
full movements Of the piston said to the
eye: "Help Murder
| started wide awake in moment
hope no one will be cruel enough to
joke when l say seemed to be all ears.
1t is certainly no joking matter.
The storm had come at last and was
dashing in fury against the window and
wall. put the real dash Of the rain
for the movement of the piston | had
heard in my dream.
But heard dozen mice in the vain.
scot in different parts Of the house.
had not heard them before, and the noise
of the storm seemed deafening. Over in
the next street could hear a man walk