Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-08-25
Grandmother's Dream.
BY M. r.. HoUsEKEEPER.

| the summer Qay.
| Il 1t was very unusual thing for Nanny to
maintain silence when she was neither
reading nor sleeping, but this evening-and,
indeed, throughout the whole day, as her
grandmother had noticed-she had been
silent and meditative beyond her wont, and
now, when she at last spoke, her remark was
prefaced with longdrawn sigh.
''Grandmother, do you think there is any
truth in dreams?''
"That depends" replied her grandmoth-
er. eff you dream tonight that you go out
blackberrying with Cannon's folks to-
morrow, as heard you promise Rose Can
non that you would do, think it very like
ly your dream will come true.''
''Oh, don't mean everyday dreams like
that; but strange, uncommon dreams;
dreams that make very deep impression
on you. Don't you think they are ever
sent as warnings?"
Certainly; as warnings that you have
eaten something for supper which in future
you would do better to refrain FROM"
"No-but earnest, grandmother-you are
only joking now. 1 should like to know what
you think about it,"
The old lady glanced sharply over her
spectacles at the inquirer, and there was
a momentary pause in the quick, glancing
'Tell me first, my dear, why you ask"
Nanny sighed again.
ri had such a horrid dream about the
home-folks last night! thought mamma
and were making up the children's bed,
and we came across nest of snakes at the
foot of it. Mamma was trying to get them
out, and they were twisting themselves all
around her arms and neck, and she could
not get them off, and [ was SO frightened
couldn't help her. There was lots more of
it, but it was all SO mixed up that / could
not make straight story of it, if were to
try to tell it, but woke up crying and feel
Ing dreadfully. I told Sally about it when
/ came down, and she said that it was
always considered very unlucky to dream
about snakes; that it was a sure sign of
trouble. You just can't guess, grandmoth-
er, how badly have been feeling all day.
1t seemed as though must 60 home, but
was afraid you would laugh at me if told
you what was thinking about"
Tears were in Nanny's eyes, and her dis
tressed face left no doubt of the real un-
happiness she was suffering.
| "You need not have feared that, child"
said the old lady, kindly. 81 have not lived
this long without learning that imaginary
troubles are almost as hard to bear as real
ones. Let us see if we can find any cause
for this unpleasant dream nearer at hand
than your sixty miles distant home You
walked all the way to Oak Grove and back
yesterday afternoon. You came home
pretty tired, didn't you?"
eyes, indeed; tired aud hot and hungry.
| Don't you remember joking me about the
supper ate? And then l was SO tired, l
went to bed as soon as it was dark. l see
what you are aiming at. grandmother, You
think there was a physiological ason for
my bad dream7"
Eyes, and 1 dare say you think so too
now. A tired body ahd overworked stomach
will amply account for bad dreams, and if
you study the matter little further, maybe
you will be able to account also for the
particular form your bad dream took. Have
you been talking or reading about snakes
| lately2 Perhaps you saw one during your
walk yesterday?'
| 81 did! l did!' cried Nanny, eagerly,
''Grandmother, you are real mind-reader.
| We came across snake lying across the
path the other side of Mitchel's Creek We
| thought it was a crooked stick till we got
close up to it, when it raised it's head with
| e hiss, aud glided off into the bushes.
was dreadfully startled, though I knew it
was a harmless thing. Herb Cannon want
ed to go after it to kill it, but Rose and I
would not let him. Of course that accounts
for my dream. How silly 1 have been to
allow such thing to worry me! l don't
believe l should have thought SO much
about it if it hadn't been for what Sally
said''
''Sally is an excellent cook, but I dom t
have much faith in her cabalistic powers"
said the old lady, dryly.
"No, of course not" Nanny said, laugh
ing little, but blushing too. Her face
had regained it's usual happy serenity, but
she sat quiet for some time before she spoke
again.
"You are very old, grandmother; sixty
five, aren't you? A whole half century old |
ber back nearly sixty years. Now, honest, |
haven't you ever, in all that time, had a |
dream that was really prophetic? One that
affected in any way your actual life, you
know?"
The old lady's face had grown thought
full; dreamy, far away look came into her
eyes, and though the knitting needles did
not cease their click, their motion had |
grown slower and more mechanical.
"Well, yes, 'she said at last, half-reluctant- |
ly, 81 did have very singular dream once,
and one which had, ,as you suggest, consider
able effect upon my real life. I have half |
mind to tell you about it, but you must |
not let it make you snperstitious, for re-
member, that in all my long life's expert
ence, this is absolutely the only dream I |
have ever had which was followed by any
effect whatever"
There was another medtative pause, and |
then the old lady began:
''You remember, my dear, that I am a
twin; have often talked to you about
frr,f,, ctr
so much alike that strangers could not tell |
Ms apart, but folks well acquainted with us
could tell which was Bessie and which was
Kate as soon as we spoke, for she was much
livelier and sprightlier than I was.
"Mother was very proud of the likeness
between US, and always dressed us alike
and kept us together, so that each seemed |
to the other like second self, and we hard
ly had a thought that we did not share
"Until we were fifteen years old we had |
never been separated more than an hour or |
two at time in our lives, but about that |
tlme-the last of June it was, I believe
there came letter from cousin of fathers, |
who lived in the mountainous country east |
of Pittsburg, inviting Bess and me to come |
and spend our vacation with her.
"Our home was in Philadelphia, which |
was good big city even so long as half a |
century ago, and father and mother were
desirous to have US make the visit, which
they thought would be a benefit as we'll us
pleasure to us, for we were growing fast
and were not strong.
'tIt happened, however, that only few
days before we got the letter, mother had
had fall going down cellar, and was now
laid up with broken limb.
1--WE were the oldest girls of the family,
and there were several little ones, SO that. |
even if mother had been we'll, it would
have been hard for her to have spared us
both for long visit. AS matters stood, it |
was just impossible.
'After great deal of talk and debate, it
was at last decided that we should take our
visits separately; that l should 60 first, and
stay month, and that when came home,
Bessie should go and stay the other month.
Mother did not like the plan any better
than we girls did. l overheard her and
father discussing it, and mother was actual
ly crying when she said: 1 believe the
children will die if they are separated, and
| am sure the trip will do them no good if
| L i