Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-08-25

OaIo u buo COnuuCCOr, aC SIX o CLOCK III Tilt
morning. and did not get off of them unit
two in the afternoon. / was met at the
railway station by Cousin John in his OWL
carriage, and we had ride of twenty miles,
up hill and down hill, before we got to- his
house at Hillside in time for supper.
Everybody was kind, but was tired,
and, in consequence, homesick. Cousin
Susan seemed to understand just how felt,
and after good deal of petting and a nice
supper, acted on my own secret wishes by
saying that she was going to send me right
away to bed.
''She put me into the cleanest prettiest,
little white -curtained room had ever seen
the sheets, pillow-cases and towels all
smelled of rose-leaves and lavender; and
when she had seen me safely curled away
in the big feather bed, she kissed me hearth
ly, and left me feeling quite happy. But
was too tired to sleep well, and if had not
been, the feather bed would have made ne
restless, for had never slept on one be-
fore.
81 tossed and turned and dozed brokenly
the whole long night, and through all those
hours of half, consciousness, Bessie was with
me as she had been every previous night Of
my existence; and she was crying and moan
luS dill tut LtDiS-stlu So NdS L, IOO, sup
pose.
"lt was all nice and pleasant when morn.
ing came, however, and | soon forgot my
uncomfortable night in the novelty and
kindness that surrounded me. My enter.
tainers were middleaged folks, childless
and well off, and seemed very glad to have
me with them. They were both laying out
all kinds of plans for my entt rtainment,
~, 1,L 7
should have been perfectly happy; even
without her l managed to pass very pleas
ant day, riding around with Cousin John,
and gathering flowers on the hillsides.
Il went to bed that night in good spirits,
and just healthily tired; but the feather bed
made me restless, and with the restlessness
the preceding night. Again / imagined
Bessie was beside me in the bed, but always
crying and moaning, and seeming in some
mysterious trouble. Toward morning at
last dropped off into sound sleep, and then
it was that my strange dream came to me,
Il still heard Bessie crying, but it SEEM
ed now as though she were at home and
calling me to come to her, and in my dream
/ thought 1 had started to do so; the jour
ney was wonderfully real. 1 went through
UaO Cd1ildSO-1lQC. taC Wdib dU OGO
and the long railroad journey afterward,
exactly as if it was real life; there were end
less stoppages and delays all the time that
worried me dreadfully, but got to Phila-
delphia at last.
and was alone, but our home was not very
very well.
fho,y~bf nj, ,oJ ba ,,I for Il
the front door standing open, though no one
was to be seen inside or out, and | enCered
without knocking or ringing. Then it
mothers room, though I don't remember
ing over the bed, crying and sobbing and
on the bed, stretched out as though she
were lifeless, was Bessie.
81 could not get step further than the
door, though it seemed as if were strain
ing every nerve to go to her and while !
was in this state of distress, I saw Bessie
rise up slowly in the bed, open her eyes and
hold out her hands, saying in q sraua,e.
mufaed voice, Go ne, Katie, coE1e!' and
then woke up. :
81 woke up at once, and entirely; knew
exactly where l was, and that all had gone
through with had been a dream It was
light, though the sun had not yet risen. I
sprapg out of bed aud dressed myself as fast
as my trembling hands could accomplish
the task.
"Without any reasoning or conscious
mental action, had made up my mind to
90 home as fast as 1 could get there; 1 felt
absolutely certain that I had received
mysterious summons which. if 1 did not
obey, should never see Bessie again alive
hurried down stairs and surprised my
cousins, wslo, early risers as they usually
we're, had themselves but just left their
'Oom.
81 told them of my strange dream and of
ny desire to go home at once; of course they
we're astonished and hurt, and at last ac-
nally angry, but nothing they could say
made any impression upon me. I was as
as an insane person, and at
asst Cousin Susan said: You'll have to take
Ter, John; she will fret herself into fever
you don't;' and poor Cousin John, seeing
10 other way to quiet me, departed to make
eady for the journey, muttering as he went
'ut that he would never ask other peoples
children to come and visit him again.
"Cousin Susan was kind to the last, and
eemed to have some sympathy with my
but Cousin John said it was
ii childish folly, and was cross aud glum
through all our long ride togethel and af-
or seeing me safely on the train, and re-
,eiving the conductors promise to land me
afely in Philadelphia, took leave of me
With very brief and crusty good-by.
The impression my dream had made up
m me continued sharp and vivid as ever
trough the whole journey; all the time 1
aw before me Bessie's white face, and heard
he strange, muff1ed call, Come, Katie,
omeH All that had ever heard or read of
he myterious connection between twins
hat was not a little, for it has been sub
ect of great interest to our mother as we'll
S ourselves-came back to my mind dur
ng those weary, anxious hours of travel.
81 had read of instances where twins had
lied when separated, and I seemed to have
n instructive certainty that ours was case
f the same nature; my only hope was that
he warning dream had been sent in time
o prevent fatal catastrophe, and that by
ny rapid return l might reach home before
was too late to remedy the evil. Of one
hing | felt sure; if found Bessie dead, I
hould die, too. But she was not dead
he could not be-else why should still so
'lainly hear in my mind the cry of Come,
Katie, comeP
"The evening of the long June day was
losing around me when my journey came
o an end, and I stood once more in the
treets of my native city. My luggage, the
conductor had assured me, .ould be kept
afely until called for, so there was nothing
o hinder me from setting out at once for
.Ome. 1t was little later than the hour of
ny arrival had seemed in my dream, other
wise all my experience was the same; the
Veariness the trouble, the mental confu-
ion, all were repeated, and as sped along
he we'll known streets, l seemed to be liv-
ng my vivid dream over again.
81 reached our home, and, with my heart
,eating almost to suffocation, saw that the
loor was standing open. My dream still
7eriied! l darted in, and l mounted the
stairs and rushed into mothers room
No one was there but mother, who was
ying on her lounge, cripple, as had left
Ter.
"'You have got home, Bess, have you q
said she; Il did not hear you ring
"'It is not Bess, mamma; it is Katie.
Where is Bess ? where is she? l gasped;
,ut before mother could get her wits suf-
iciently collected to answer the question,
Dess answered it for herself by bouncing up
;he stairs and into the room in even more
lo,, l. IL, r.