Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-09-22
HIS FATE FoREToL0.
The Death OF Missouri Man Plainly
ForeshadowedI I'm a Vision.

A number of citizens of Ozark were
discussing the mad-dog sensation that
, | still prevails in Lincoln township,
: Christian county, saws letter to the
! 50. Louis Globe Democrat, that j. J.
Brown, an old and well-known attor-
ney of southwest Missouri. told tho fol-
lowing remarkable story OF case Of
hydrophobia that came under his per-
sonal observation many years ago
'In 1858 lived in Fulton county,
Arkansas then young man OF 20
years. The country ut that time was
sparcely settled. and hydrophobia was
thing seldom heard OF in that region
One of our highest neighbors was ia
cob Oxford, constable of the township.
young and healthy man about 20
years old. He lived but mile from
my mothers, and our families were
very intimate. My mother was wo-
man who had good practical knowl-
edge of the simple treatment of dis
eases and took the place of the pro-
fessional physician in ministerlng
to the sick of the neighborhood
in those early times. In this capacity
she always visited Oxford's family
when any of the household was sick.
In the month OF April. 1858. Jacob
Oxford dreamed that small. spotted
dog. apparently lost came to his house
late in the evening. The dog seemed
tired and distressed. Oxford fed the
dog and allowed it to remain at his
house till morning. Next morning he
fed the dog again, and he seemed we'll
and contented aud friendly lac conclud-
ed to keep the animal. In order to
strengthen the dogs attachment for
his new master Oxford began to play
with the animal. The dog received
these friendly attention for time with
apparent delight, and then bit Oxford
on the finger and Immediately left the
house and was never heard OF again.
Oxford then dreamed that he took n.y.
drophobia and died.
oxford told his dream to his wife
next morning and seemed much
troubled about is. Several of Ok
ford's neighbors. including myself
and mother, heard the dream in a few
DAYS and it became the common talk
of the community. Oxford was so
much impressed by the dream that hs
told it to everyone he saw and seemed
deeply troubled about the matter. He
was in good health at the time, but
would brood over the dream and re-
gard it as a warning.
| In about ten days after Oxford had
this dream a small spotted dog. an ex-
act copy of the animal seen in the
nightly vision. did come to his house
late in the evening. Oxford recogniz.
ed the dog as the very animal he had
seen in his dream. His wife knew the
| dog at once as the same one her hus-
band had described the morning after
the dream. The 20 of the animal. its
peculiar marks, tired. homeless APP
pearance, hunger, readiness 10 remain
after being fed, as we'll as the hour OF
evening, all correspondent exactly with |
| the details Of Oxford's dream aud the |
man seemed at once paralyzed at what |
ne regarded as unmistakable fore |
shadowing of his doom. So complete. |
ly did the prophetic character of the |
dream fascinate the mind OF Oxford |
that he would not allow the dog to be |
driven away but regarded the animal |
with kind of superst tious rever- |
ence.
1.-THE dog was weil.ted at night aud |
@PHNAANA w hdFG W. mcmahon OF /
leaving Oxford $. The next morning |
the dog was fed and Oxford began to |
fondle the an NAL. just as ne had done .
IN the dream. After seem ng to enjoy
the caresses Of his new master for
awhile the dog suddenly aud without /
any provocatlon whatever bit Oxford on \
the fore-tinger, inf citing only slight
teshwound. As the dream had fore
shown, as soon rs the dog Bit Oxford
It left the place and was never heard
OF again. Oxford made diIigent inquiry
for the dog in the direction it went
away, describing the peculiar marks OF
the animal minutely, but no further
trace OF the mysterious visitor could
ever be discovered, though the event
was the prevailing topic of converse.
ton through the country for several
weeks.
Oxford told his wife as soon az the
dog bit him that he would die OF nv
drophobia. He said his dream had been
literally fulfilled so far and that the
hand of Providence must be guiding the
whole affair. He told every body that
he was approaching a terrible death.
but prayed earnestly that he might do
no violence to his family or friends
when the fatal malady should deveIope,
He was very religious and seemed
reconclled to what he regarded "a his
doom, onl, dreading the violence thai
might result from his expected mad
ness. Oxford continued to preform
his official duties till some time n
August, showing no signs of illness ey.
cept that settled melancholy anliciDa-
ton Of hydrophObia that had posessed
him since his dream
One day in August about four
months after his singular experience
with the dog, Oxford had been out IN
the township serving some papers per.
tanning to his office. and came home
at night complaining Of pain in tile
finger that had been bitten. He said
that the pain was very severe, and that
the dreaded malady so long expeeted
had undoubtedly began to deyelone
ITSELF His wife and friends persuade
the unhappy man that his fears were
without foundation. and the pain in his
finger only the result of Imagination.
but Oxford would not he ooufnrtoJ T. |