The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-03-13
SUCH STUFF AS DREAMS.
BY BRANDER MATTHEW'S.
Boston TraYeller.l

men were dining enc evening in July. II had
been raining nearly all day, but at last the
clearing-up shower had come and gone.
few clouds dappled the blue sky in the
dropping twilight, and fresh, moist breeze
blew across the Green Park, bearing a suo-
gestion of summer into the dark dining room
of the club.
The Babel Club. as most people know. is
haunt of the polyglot. No man is eligible
who cannot speak three languages. But the
unwritten law of the club, more powerful
than that OF the Modes and Persians. decreed
that no language but English should ever be
heard within its walls, except In cases of
necessity; and some of its more yainglori-
Gus members thought that the English
spoken in the club house was singular in its
union of purity and freedom. There were
many foreigners, who came TO the Babel as
members or as guests, but 1t was rarely that
one of them did not use our idom as though
it were his own.
OF the four men seated in the bay window
of the dining room ON this fair evening in
July two were English and two were not.
OF the Englishmen, Que was tall, handsome.
blonde, full-bearded, pleasant-spoken and
shy; the other was short, plump. dark and
sallow, and there was trace Of the Hebrew
in his broad face. OF the two who were not
English one was Hungarian and looked
like Turk, with his rich olive skin; and
the other was an American, with struggling
brown whiskers and an inadequate and
doubtful beard. which grit face solemn
and almost forbidding in repose, but gayly
lighting up when smile showed the level of
white teeth.
They were old friends, all of them, and
they liked to dine together at least once
year. The last time they had sat down to
meat together had been in Rome. Some
chance word recalled this former banquet,
and the American said that he had dreamt
that when next they dined together it would
be in Yokohama.
"Why not?" asked the shorter English
man.
"Why not, indeed?" repeated his blonde
covntryman, whose name was Cecil Came
ron.
Speaking of Dreams" the Hungarian re-
marked, II must tell you a strange one had
last night. dreamed that was on horse
and riding a steeple chase, thing / have
never done in my life. fond as am of horses.
The mare twas riding was as black as
night"
y should say that was the proper color for
nieht-mare," interrupted the American,
Steele Wyoming by name.
II was riding black mare, as Issaid," the
Hungarian continued, ignoring this needless
remark, land / had cleared all but three of
hurdle-I suddenly noticed that l was wear
ing, not the fit attire of a gentleman rider,
but strange loose robe-in fact, sort of
Shroud. l cleared the hurdle, and went
along to the stone wall. which was next be-
tore me. When was about ten yards from
it became conscious that there were shafts
on each side of me and that my horse was
harnessed to hanson. l confess that l
wondered how should succeed In leaping
the stone wall. 1t was too late to hesitate
The mare gathered herself well together, and
rose in the air as easily as before, and the
hanson rose with her. My brother Is
great stickler for etiquette, and remem-
Der feeling glad that he was not present
TO reprove me for riding steeple-chase in
shroud with my horse harnessed to ham
som. Yet had but little time for any self
congratulation, as the water-jump yawled
before me--the last leap of all and the most
difficult. Again, as / approached the obsta-
conscious that another horse was rapidly
Qvertaking me-a fiery roam, ridden by the
devil in persona red devil, like Mephisto
in the opera. i glanced back at him in sur
prise: and then, to my horror. saw for the
first time that Death was the driver of the
cab behind me. Perched aloft in the high
seat of the hanson was bare and fieshless
skeleton, with white cowl over his sight
less head. The roam and his red rider
gained on me, and we took the waterbury,
In the same stride. cleared it and rode In,
an easy winner. My rival miscalculated;
his horse made false step, and the roam
and his rider fell into the ditch together.
There was sudden Kissing, and a cloud Of
steam rose up, dark aud, cracking, like
thunder cloud, and then"
'And then?" echoed Cecil Cameron.
sand then | awoke-that was ALL" the
Hungarian answered.
''I'm like Charles Lamb" said the shorter
Englishman. II have a nightmare DOW and
then, but Idon't keep stud of them"
Il do not wish to be hypercritical about
any mans dream-I have had too many of
my own which would not bear investiga-
ti0n," the American remarked with grave
face, "but understood you to say that the
red devil rode a red horse?"
YES" was the Hungarian's answer.
II thought had not mistaken you" the
New Yorker returned. NOW isn't red on
red, false heraldry?"
81 suppose that black death on a pale
oorse is more proper coat" Cameron sug-
gested: Did l ever tel. you my dream
about the Devil, Wyoming?"
NO" was the Americans answer.
well, it wasn't about the devil personally;
it was about his legal residence. L had been
sitting up late reading that new theological
romance, "a Chartered Libertine," and it
had worn on my nerves, so that when went
to bed at last could not sleep. 1t must have
been nearly daybreak when l fell into
troubled slumber. i dreamed many strange
dreams, very complicated, all of them, twist
ed and contorted, fantastic and impossible,
as is the manner of dreams. Finally, j
..fa1 fhoA cd Nt..xk I.lr
straightway to hell, a murky, srlphurous
space. vague and indistinct, with confused
ylstas stretching away on every side, down
all OF which felt compelled to walk. And
so toiled on, for hours, as though In search
Of some unknown goal. When, in the end,
began to be visible before me, through the
rolling smoke of the pit, mystic glow to-
ward which Twas impelled irresistibly; when
approached discovered that this bright
only that they were UNNECESSARILY more
glazing than any gasiet. Their brilliancy
blinded me, and the curling fumes of the
sulphur rolled up beside me; and so it was
that could not read the legend that these
hames formed. The gas jets, IL gas jets they
were, were apparently grouped In letters of
fire, such as are used for Examinations in
honor of the royal family. All at once i
aroused strength TO struggle against the fas-
cinatiOn which drew me on, but strOve in
e.
and toward it was attracted as bya mighty
loadstone. With every step the heat in
Increased. With every step the stain on my
eye-balls seemed to double; the flaming let
tiers hickered before me in all fantastic
shapes, now like children playing innocent
ly, and now like wicked imps hooking at my
impotence. At last a sudden stiffness fell
on the place, the hot blast which blew paused
for moment, the throDging clouds parted
as though by chance, the Pickering flames
blazed firmly, and in this seconds respite, /
was able to read che legend written In letters
of fire. 1t was warning had read before
IN happier hours. 1t ran: please keep off
the grass
But do not think that is quite as queer
as my DREAM" commented the Hungarian.
1T is good dream" the American re-
marked, "a very good dream indeed"
1t Is the best dream ever heard" said
the man who had told 1t, Excepting Alfred's
here" and he indicated his fellow-country-
man.
=, And In what way is Alfred's stranger
IMAM yours or the one we heard before
yours Z? asked the American.
IN this way-the dreams which have been
eShu i.ohignt are both out of nature-you will
s saat IEn n, wont you Wyoming S"asaid the
"Yes, / am willing 10 admit that ), xu,,o,,
ny LepHeu lhey are out of nature-and one
OF tnem was OUT OF heraldry, too, as i said,
before put then 1t Is the nature Of all dreams
that was not" u Ou' oho
Then when you hear Alfred's vou wil,
hux hea If txnfp wo4.. -