Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-05-29

An item published in the morning despatch
es not long ago, about q dream of Gen. Grant
that be had to pay duty on bag of dollars,
led western newspaper correspondent TO
bring out and reprint this dream story from
an old scrap book. The story bears evidence
that the newspaper reporter Of 30 years ago
was not destitute of the imaginative faculty,
but it makes none the less interesting reading
on this account:
"The other morning at the breakfast table,
when 1, an unobserved spectator, happened
to be present, Calhoun was observed to gaze
frequently at his right band and brush it with
his left hand in hurried and nervous man
ner. He did ths so often that it excited at
tention At length one of the persons COM
prisiDg the breakfast party-his name, think,
is Toombs, and he is a member of Congress
from Georgia-took upon himself to ask the
occasion of Mr.. Calhoun's disquietude. Does
your hand pain you ? he asked of Mr.. Cal
houn. To this Mr.. Calhoun replied in rath-
er hurried manner 'Pshaw it's nothing but
a dream had last night, and which makes
me see perpetually a large black spot, like an
ink botch, upon the back of my right hand
an optical illusion, 1 suppose OF course
these words excited the curiosity of the com
pany, but no one ventured to beg the details
of his singular dream until Toombs asked
quietly: What was your dream like 1 am
not very superstitiOus about dreams; but
sometimes they have great deal of truth in
them But this was such a peculiarly ab-
surd dream, said Mr.. Calhoun. However, if
it does not intrude too much on the time of
our friends, I will relate it to you or course
the company were profuse in their express
sions OF anxiety to know all about the dream,
and Mr.. Calhoun related it.
"'At late hour last night az 1 was sitting
in my room engaged in writing, was aston
ished by the entrance OF a visitor, who, with
out word, took a seat opposite me at my
table. This surprised me, as had given par
ticular orders to the servant that should on
no account be disturbed. The manner in
which the intruder entered-so perfectly self
possessed, taking his seat opposite me with
out word, as though my room and all with
in it belonged TO him-excited in me as much
surprise as indignation. As l raised my head
to look into his face, over the top of my shad-
ed lamp, l discovered that he was wrapped in
a thin cloak which effectually concealed his
features from my view. As 1 looked up, he
spoke; What are you writing, Senator
from South Carolina 2" l did not think Of
his impertinence at first, but answered him
involuntarily, II am writing a plan for the
dissolution of the American Union" (You
know, gentlemen, that am expected to pro-
duce a plan of dissolution in the event of GER
tain contingencies) To this the intruder re-
piled, in the coolest manner possible, "Sens-
tor from South Carolina, will you allow me TO
look at your hand-your right hand 2" He
rose the cloak fell, and 1 beheld his face.
Gentlemen, the sight of that face struck me
like thunder. clap. 1t was the face of dead
man, whom extraordinary events had called
back to life The features we're those of Gen.
George Washington. He was dressed in the
Revolutionary costume, such as you see in
the Patent Office Here Mr.. Calhoun paus-
ed apparently agitsted. His agitation, need
not tell you, was shared by the company.
Toombs at length broke the embarrassing
pause. Well, what was the issue of this
scene p
Mr.. Calhoun resumed: The intruder, as
Ihave said, rose and asked to look at my
right hand. As though had not the power
to refuse extended it. The truth is, l felt
a strange thrill pervade me at his touch he
grasped it and held it toward the light, thus
affording me full time TO examine his every
feature. 1t was the face of Washington. Al
ter holding my hand for a moment he looked
at me steadily, and said in quiet way, "And
with this right hand, Senator from South Car
olina, you would sign your name to a paper
declaring the Union dissolved?" yes"
said 'it certain contingency arises, L will
sign my name to the Declaration of Dissolu
tion." At that moment black blotch ap-
peared on the back of my hand, which seem
to see now. "Whst is that ?" said I, alarmed,
1 know not why, at the appearance of the
spot. That" said he, sis the mark by
which Benedict Arnold is known in the next
world" As he said this, gentlemen, he drew
from beneath his cloak an object which he
laid on the tsble-lsid upon the very paper
on which l was writing This object, gen.
temen was a skeleton. "There," said he
''there are the bones OF Isaac Hayne, who
was hung at Charleston by the British. He
gave his life TO establish the Union. When
you put your name to the Declaration of Dis
solution, why, you may as we'll have the
bones of Isaac Hayne before you-he was a
South Carolinian, and so are you, but there
was no blotch on his right hand" With these
words the intruder left the room. / started
back from contact with the dead mans bones,
And-awoke. Overcome by labor, had fall
len asleep and been dreaming. Was it not q
singular dreAmT ALI the company answered
in the affirmative, and Toombs muttered,
Singular very singular, at the same time
looking curiously at the back of his own right
hand, while Mr.. Calhoun dropped his head
between his hands, and seemed buried in
thought"