The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-09-01

~ OotA 'HouSuJ Hau started TO d(
| so; the journey was wonderfully real
went through the carriage-ride, the wait
at the station, and the long railroad jour
ney atterward,i | exactly as if it was rea
ME; there were endless stoppages ano
delays all the time that worried me
dreadfully, but l got to Philadelphia al
last.
1T seemed to be just coming on dusk,
and | was alone, but our home was NOT
very far from the station, and knew my
way very well.
II thought / reached the house and
found the front door standing open.
though no one was to be seen inside or
out, and 1 entered without knocking or
ringing. Then it seemed as though I
were at the door of mother room, though
| don't remember going up stairs; there
| saw mother bending over the bed, crv-
ing and sobbing and making strange.
wild motions of grief. and on the bed,
stretched out as though she were lifeless.
was Bessie.
II could not get step further than
the door, though it seemed as if l were
stralnlng every nerve to 90 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 strange muffled voice, Come,
Katie, comet and then l woke UP.
II woke up at once, and entirely;
knew exactly where 1 was, and that all
l had gone through with had been
dream. 1t was light, though the sun
had not yet risen. l sprang out of bed
and dressed myself as fast as my trem-
bling hands could accomplish the task.
Without any reasoning or conscious
mental action, l had made up my mind
to go home as fast as l could get there 1
telt absolutely certain that had received
a mysterious summons which, if l did
not obey, l should never see Bessie again
alive. hurried down stairs and sur
prlsed my cousins, who, early risers as
they usually were, had themselves but
just left their room.
u told them of my strange dream and
OF my desire to go home at once; of
course they were astonished and hurt,
and at last actually angry, but nothing
they could say made any impression upon
me. was as uncomfortable as an insane
person, and at last Cousin Susan said:
You'll have to take her, John; she will
fret herself into fever if you don't;'
and poor Cousin John, seeing no other
way to quiet me, departed to make ready
for the journey, muttering as he went out
that he would never ask other peoples
children to come and visit him again.
"Cousin Susan was kind to the last,
and seemed to have some sympathy with
my forebodings; but Cousin John said it
was all childish folly, and was cross and
glum through all our long ride together;
Il Al.
and receiving the conductors promise to
land me safely in Philadelphia, took leave
OF me with very brief and crusty good
by. -
The impression my dream had made
upon me continued sharp and vivid as
ever through the whole journey; all the
time l saw before me Bessie's white face,
aud heard the strange, mufiied call
Come, Katie, GOMEZ All that 1 had
ever heard orAead of the mysterious con-
nectlon between twins-and that was not
a little, for it had been a subject of great
interest to our mother as well as ourselves
came back to my mind during those
weary, anxious hours of travel.
II had read of instances where twins |
had died when separated, and | seemed |
to have an instructive certainty that ours |
was case of the same nature; my only /
hope was that the warning dream had |
been sent in time to prevent a fatal cat |
astroPheS and that by my rapid return 1 |
might reach home before it was too late
to remedy the evil. OF one thing felt
sure; if l fovNd Bessie dead. | should
die, too. But She was not dead-she
could not be-else why should still so
plainly hear in my mind the cry of
Come, Katie, come!'
"The evening Of the long June day
was closing around me when my Journey
came to an end, and | stood once more
In the streets of my native city. NV
luggage, the conductor had assured me,
would be kept safely until called for, so
there was nothing to hinder me from set
ting out Mt once for home 1t was lit
tie later than the hour of my arrival had
seemed In my dream, otherwise all my
experience was the same; the WEAKNESS,
The trouble, the mental confusion, all
we're repeated, and as sped along the j
well known streets, | seemed to be liv-
ng my vivid dream over again.
81 reached our house, and, with nv I
leart beating almost to suffocation, saw
hat the door was standing open. MY I
iream still verified 1 darted in, and / !
mounted the stairs and rushed into {
Mothers room a
''No one was there but mother, who I
vas lying on her lounge, cripple, as
lad left her. q
"'You have got home, Bess, have 1
rouf' said she; 4 did not hear you ring :
4" 1T is not Bess, mamma; it is Z +
Katie. Where is Bess? where is shep I d
sasped; Int before mother could get her
Wits sufficiently collected to answer the 8
question, Bess answered it for herself by
'ouncing up the stairs and into the room
n even more than her head
ashton, crying: 'Oh, mamma we have \
lad such splended day-papa and me- y
only you and Katie could have been ~
With us p a
''Then father came in, and the girl l.
7ith the lamp, and you may imagine, if " v
ON can thp ppicU onA ovoittpr. / "