The national leader., 1889-03-02
THE LESSON OF A DREAM.


few nights ago, when. after
long rumination, I determined to go
TO bed. I soon fell asleep, and
imagined myself still in my study, and
and that I suddenly heard small.
shrill voice pronounce these words:
''Take your pen; I will dictate" I
Immediately prepared to write, and
The voice dictated the following nara
tive:
II was the eldest son Of a country
gentleman who possessed a large es-
tate, and when l was about 10 years of
age l fell with my horse as I was
hunting. My neck was dlslocated
with the fail. and died Immediately;
but found myself the next moment,
with inexpresslble grief and astonish-
ment, existing under the shape of a
mongrel puppy, in the stable of an
Inn that was kept by man who had
been my fathers butler.
II was indeed greatly caressed; but
my master. IN order, as he said, to
Increase my body as well as my
strength. soon dIsme mbered me of
my ears and tail. Besides the pain
suffered in the operation, l expert
enced the disadvantages Of this NUT
llatiOn i'll a thousand ways. This,
however, was but small part Of the
calamity which in this state was
appointed to suffer. MY master had a
son about four years old, who was
still greater favorite than myself.
and, his passions having been always
INDUCED in as they appeared, he was
encouraged to crafty his resentment
against anything, whether animate or
inanfmate, that had offended him, by
beating me; and, when he did any
mischief, the father or mother, or the
maid, was sure to chastlse me in his
stead.
This treatment, from persons whom
| had been accustomed to regard with
contempt. and command with inso-
Ience, was not long to be borne.
Early one morning, therefore, l de-
parted.
Il continued my journey till the
afternoon without stopping. About 4
o'clock passed through village. and
perceiving heap Of shavings, that
were sheltered from the wet by the
roof of house which some carpenters
were repairing, | crept, as | thought,
unnoticed into a corner and laid my
self down upon them. But man
who was planning a board, observing
that was strange dog, and of a
mongrel breed, resolved to make him
self and his companions merry at my
expense. For this purpose. having
made q hole about one inch In di-
ameter In piece of deal, he suddenly
caught M up, and putting the re-
mainder Of my tail through this dia-
bolical engine, he made it fast by
driving in wedge with heavy mall
let, which, crushing the bone, put me
to inexpresslble torment. The mo
meDt he put me down, the wretches
who had been spectators Of this trick,
burst into immoderate laughter at the
awkward motions by which L ex-
pressed my misery and my ridiculous
attempt to run away from that which
could not help carrying with me.
They hooted after me till was out of
sight. However, fear, pain and con-
fusion still urged me forward with
involuntary speeh. ran with such
force between two poles that were not
far enough apart to admit my clog,
that left it, with the remainder OF
my tail, behind,me.
II then found myself m a farmyard,
and fearing that should be worried by
the mastiff, which l saw al distance,
continued my fight, but some
laoorers, who were at work in a
neighbOring barn. percelving that !
ran without being pursued; that my
eyes were infamed and that my mouth
was covered with foam, imagined that
I was mad and knocked out my
brains with fail. Soon after I had
quilted this manned and prosecuted
carcass, I found myself under the
wings OF bull-fnch. with three
others that were just Matched. I now
rejolced in the hope Of soaring be-
yond the reach OF human barbarity
and becoming. like my mother. a
denizen OF the sky. but before ! was
perfectly fieiged. my mother was sur
prised in her nest by wicked school
boy, who grasped her 50 hard, to pre-
vent her escape. that she soon after
died. He then took the nest. with all
it contained, which he deposited In a
basket, where | presently lost my
three companions in misfortune. b.