Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-04-18
A HORRIBLE NIGHTMARE.
me foung Man Whose HAIR Turned White
with Fright In Dream.

A communication in the ndianapo-
lis Meas says: II read with great in
terest the opinion of physician ex-
pressed in your paper to the effect that
death sometimes occurs in sleep from
fright in nightmare | thought some
of your readers might be Interested in
my case, for can relate an experience
that seems to be phenomenal.
Il am q years old, robust and sound,
and 1 never knew of premature age
coming on any of my people. Yet |
am gray and old far beyond my years.
1t all came about in single night.
When | was a boy, hungry, poor, and
torlorn, Lwas tempted into crime.
saw in a window open packages of
candies. BY stepping inside the door
and watching my opportunity | could
reach one of them. | thought nobody
was looking, but when | Suatched one
aud fled | ran straight into the arms
of policeman on the pavement out
side. had good mother, and the
thought came 10 ne that | had botrav-
ed her aud ruined myself | was al
most crazed with romorse. | begged
20 be released, but the officer did his
duty. Next day, when | was brought
from jail and put on trial, saw among
the motley crowd in the police court u
man who did not seem to belong there.
He proved to be the owner Of the store
from which | had stolen tho candy
When ! found this out my fright was
increased. You can not imagine my
surprise that this gentleman. when
called ms u witness, withdrew all
charges against me and asked the
court, as personal favor to discharge
me. Tho request was granted. My
new FREUD called me to one side after
the trial, heard my story, aud seemed
to have faith in my promises He even
took me into his store, aud advanced
me from one position 60 another as the
years rolled on, and finally made me
chief clerk aud gave me the keys Of the
safe,
zone night, just year ago, | found
myself down at the store ut n late hour.
We had received large sum ofmouey
after banking hours, and this had been
placed in the safe in my keeping. For
some reason l was tempted 10 go down
town that night ! wandered into the
store, sat down awhile, aud finally
opened the safe. | was trembling vio-
lently all the time why / would not
confess until the conviction forced
itself upon me that was about to
commit a second burglary An infer.
nal desire for that money had complete
control of me. Finally | took out the
money, put il into my pockets, and
locked up the safe. Then | went tc
work in clumsy manner to conceal
the crime. | thought | could pry of
the lock and thus make believe that
the safe had been robbed by experts,
was sweating at this fclouious task
when ! heard a step behind me, follow.
ed by a voice: What in the world are
you doing, JohnP
cit was the voice of my old en-.
ployer aud old friend the man who
had saved me from prison, and whc
had given me a chance in the world
Great heavens, how | suffered! Cold
sweat stood out ON me, and the though
of my treachcry was agouling beyon,
human endurance. was suffering al
the torture that DR. Jekyll must hav,
known in being transformed into Mr.
Hyde. ! felt the very elements Of my
body changing, On, the glorious re.
Lief, sweet delight when found that
all this real suffering had been II
nightmare only, and that | was still
the trusted employe of just man. YET
when ! looked into the glass next
morning found that ;he snow which
comes upon ordinary morl1ls in old
age had whItcued my head during
thaL sMugglo In my sIoep.N