New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-05-13
aunt Y MARGARBT'S DREAM.
From the Courier-Jonrna1

BY JANE PRENTICE.

were at the farm after that wild, frolic-
some, noisy Joe had gone back to his
City life. He had only dragged through
month and half of the summer at the
dear, delightful old country home when
he declared the whole place bore, but
IN truth 1t had only been bored by him,
and packing up once more he went back
to his work in the city, leaving every
thing more peaceful for his absence; all,
perhaps, except two anxious, yearn1ng
hearts that were fast growing
sorrowful and old-one the moth
ers, the other the fathers. But
little the high spirited boy thought OF
that the morning he drove away from
the old farm gate; his spirit, like the
prancing horse the driver firmly held
In check, was impatient to be off, to be
freed from restraint. How hurriedly
he told the old folks goodbye. and then
as he dashed away threw kiss from the
tips of his fingers to his sister Nell, who
stood and looked longingly after him.
Oh, brothers, sons, too little you care
for the tender, anxious hearts at home
when you set sail upon an untried sea
and venture out alone.
Several weeks passed away quiet
" and pleasantly, too, except for
occasional bits of news. Bad news
goes here, there aud everywhere,
you know, which found the way
out to our country home, that Joe was
not living just as he ought to do; rather
too fast, too fond of drink and some
times found at the gaming table. Poor
Aunt Margaret, it seemed as if her face
crew little thinner, her hair little
winter every day after that. I shall
never forget how she looked one morn
ing as we all sat around the breakfast
table. Pushing her plate away, hav-
ing scarcely tasted the food upon it,
she said, looking up at uncle, who was
himself in danger of falling into a
brown study over his smoking mullins
and steaks.
Husband couldn't you spare little
time to run up to the city in day or
two? l fear that things are going
wrong with our boy some way. That
was queer dream I had last night -
and here she leaned her head upon her
hand and looked down thoughtfully.
IL thought that Joseph was standing on
a precipice, at fearful height, above a
black, yawning sea, and that we were
powerless to help him, but when I
reached out my hands and shrieked for
aid an ugly little dwarf came in sight,
and in answer to my entreaties he said
that there was ONLY one way to save my
boy, end that was money; but even
that effort would cost me the life of
my other child, and then as threw up
my hands in dispair, a beautiful angel
appeared at my side. At that instant I
awoke."
."Tut, tut; there's nothing in dreams,
wife. What could there be in
such nonsense as that?" and un-
Gle went on slipping his cof-
fee, while Nellie glanced toward me
with strange, serious expression on
her face, and then with cheerful smile
at her mother she said:
"Never mind, mother, you know ttis
said that dreams go by contraries and
If so Joseph is going to make us very
happy about something"
Aunt Margaret shook her head sadly,
but nothing more was said about the
dream. I think, however, It did not
quite pass out OF :anybody's mind, for
late that afternoon, when the sound of
the massive old door knocker resounded
thro Ugh the house, we all started ner-
vously. A sigh sof relief went round
when Andrew returned to saw
that it was Mr.. Wells to see
Miss Nellie, Poor Nell I think
she had been longing for some
thing to break the monotony of the day ];
she might have been clad if it had been
any other visitor than Mr.. Wells. Un-
Gle Ben sat in his big arm chair read
ing the paper, butt no way ignorant
OF what was passing around him and so
Nell did not refuse to go into the par
lor. Mr.. Wells was neighbor farmer.
you must understand. Pray do not let
your Imagination rush off into pictur-
ing some rustic young gallant of ten
der years and sentimental heart. No:
such is not the beau thai comes court
ing our Nellie to-day. There he is
8 lank. grim Fisaged little man, slightly
stopped about the shoulders, bending
beneath the weight Of the sixty wears
he had lived Through, I guess. His
than, white hair hung IN q most
neglected fasion about his neck
and ears. and the lsng white
beard flowing down upon bis breast,
added not little toward the appearance
of patriarch. Wait q minute: worse
than all this, he was q most sniserable
miser, and had already been twice mar.
ried; and how could he dare set his
heart On our fun-loWing, innocent.
kind hearted Nell; she 20 gentle and
ehildlike that we couldn't bear to have
the house Left single day without her.
Many times it had seemed strange to
me why Uneae Ben would have Nellie
receive Mr.. Wells atten ton, and WHY
he would persist in talking about what
q fine catch the ric1 old man .rn,,Id h,