Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-07-24
SAVED BY A DREAM.
A Vision Puts the Dreamer on His
Guard.

man named Bronson, who was an agcnt
for a big seed house. was travelling
through Tennessee making collections
for his house. He had To visit many
towns off the railroads, and in such
cases secured a horse and buggy or
rode horseback. One night after he
had finished his business in Chattanoo-
ga he made ready for a horseback trip
of fifteen or twenty miles the next day.
Upon retiring ~ l,iG for the night
he sat down TO smoke u cigar. lie was
neither oyertire2 nor shcpy, but after
smoking a few minutes he had what he
termed a vision. He was riding over
the country on horseback, when at a
junction of the roads he was joined by
a stranger. He saw this man as plain
" AS one can see another in broad day
light, noting the color of his hair and
eyes, and taking particular notice of
the fact that the horse, which was grey
IN color, had a ''y" branded on its left
shoulder
The two rode along together for a
mile or more, and then came to a spot
where a tree bad blown down and fallen
across the narrow highway. They
turned into the woods TO pass the spot,
he in advance, when he saw the stran-
ger pull Il pistol and fire 1T his back.
He felt the bullet tear into him, reclcd
and fell from his horse, and was con-
scious when the assassin robbed him
and drew his body further into the
woods. He seemed to see all this and
vet at the same time knew that he was
dead. His corpse was rolled into Il
hollow and covered with brush. and
then the murderer went away and left
him alone. In making an effort to
throw off the brush, the dead man
came to life; that is, the agent threw
of the spell and awoke himself. His
cigar had gone out, and rs near as he
could calculate he had been uncon-
scious, as YOU might call it. for about
fifteen minutes. He was deeply agi-
tated. and it was sometime before he
could convince himself that he had not
suffered any injury. Bv and by he
went TO bed and slept s%oundly, and
next morning the remembrance of
what had happened in his vision had
almost faded from his mind.
Luckily for Bronson. he made some
inquiries at the livery stable as he went
for his horse. and he was told that it
was a lonely. road. and that it would be
prudent to 20 armed. But for this he
would have left his revolver in his
trunk at the hotel. He set out on his
journey in good spirits, and found the
road SO romantic, and met horsemen
going TO town SC often that he reached
the junction OF the roads without hav-
inc given II serious thought to his
vision. Then every circumstance was
recalled in the most vivid manner He
was Joined there by Il stranger on a
gray horse, and man and beast tailed
exactly with those in the vision. The
man did not, however, have the look
or bearing of an evil-mindcd person.
On the contrary, he seemed to be in a
Jolly mood, and he saluted Bronson as
frankly as an honest stranger would
have done. He had no weapon in sight,
and he soon explained that he was
going to the village to which Bronson
was bound on business connected with
the law.
The agent could not help but feel as
tonished and startled at the curious CO.
incidence, but the stranger was so
talkative and friendly that there was
no possible excuse to suspect him. In
deed, as if to prove to his companion
that he meditated no evil. he kept a
little in advance for the next half hour.
B%ronson's distrust had entirely vanished
when a turn in the road brought an
obstruction to view. There was a
fallen tree across the highway! This
proof that every point and circum-
stance in the vision was unrolled be-
fore his eyes gave the agent a great
shock. He was behind the stranger,
and he pulled his revolver and dropped
his hand beside the horse to conceal
it.
well. WE'LL" said the man, as
he pulled up his horse. 1.-The tree
must have toppled over this morning.
Wen have to pass around it to the
right"
Bronson was on the right. The
woods were clear Of underbrush. and
naturally enough he should have been
the first TO leave the road. But he
waited.
go ahead, friend" said the stran-
ger; and rs if the words had been adj
dressed to the horse, the animal which
the agent bestrode started up.
Bronson was scarcely out of the road
before he turned in his saddle. The
stranger had a pistol in his right hand.
shat followed could not be clearly re-
lated. Bronson slid from the saddle as
a bullet whizzed past him. and a sec
ond later returned the fire. Three o.
four shots were rapidly exchanged. nd
then the would-be murderer, uttering Il
v"ll to show that he had been hit.
VIII eled his horse to gallop of.
Sic had not gone ten rods when
the beast fell under him, and he
kicked his feet fir I'm the stirrups and
sprang into the woods and was out Of