The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-06-05
KILLED BY A METEOR.
Peculiar Accident to a Young Mar
on His Wedding Day. ait}
He Had Been Forewarned Of His Fate
In . Dream . Year Before-A,
Fact That Reads Like
Fable. ~ tt

Intelligent persons have ceased to
believe in dreams and visions. In
fact, one might say that this moribund
century has been tho golden age for
doubling Thomases who have success
fully attacked every thing that was
dear to our grandmothers and calcu-
lated to make the hair OF the timid
stand on end. Witches have been rel
egated to dismal obscurity; ghosts
have been compelled to seek pastures
green in the antipodes or in the delta
of the Niger. and the scions OF the
worthy publishers of Egyptian dream
books are subsisting on the interest OF
the dollars paid to their fathers in
years gone by by credulous old women
and sillier old men. Yes, it is safe to
say that even Ichabod Crane, were
that worthy alive to-day. would not
run away from the headless specter of
the Mohawk Valley. Reason, We hear
on every side, has triumphed over su-
perstition, and cold materialism has
taken possession of every thing and
every body.
And yet, if we look around us, with
eyes and ears wide open, we can see
and hear things every day which
reason prompts us to doubt, but which
reason can not explain. Such an &C.
.currence the writer is about to relate
for the benefit of those who believe
that the Bard Of Avon spoke the truth
when he said to his friend:
.There are more things in Heaven and earth,
Horato,
Than are dreamt Of In your philosophy"
Erasmus johnson, the hero OF the
strange story about to be related, was
one OF the brightest and most promis-
ing students of Western college,
whose professors and tutors were noted
for their orthodoxy and opposition to
spiritualism and materiaiistio doc
trines. Erasmus was, moreover, son
of Presbyterian elder, and had re-
,ceived home training which, while
marrow and unprogressive, kept his
mind in healthy condition. He en-
tered college with clear head and
a determination to acquire as much
knowledge as possible. His intel
lectual pursuits did, however, not in
terfere with physical recreation. and
no student displayed more energy and
abandon in game of football or a
rowing match than he. Combining
with his mental and physical superior.
itya truly altruistic disposition. he
soon became a favorite with every one.
No party in the pretty little college
town was considered a success unles;
Erasmus johnson contributed hi.
presence to the occasion. and ever,
church society was anxious to hav,
him take part in the various enter
tainments given under its auspices
He sang for the Methodlsts. handled
the Indian clubs for the p esbyterians
recited poems for the Congregational
lists and read essays for the Unitarian
whenever requested to do so. H,
took long walks with his pedantic in
structor in botany; talked philosophy
with the cranky individual who laugh
that science in the college. and dis
cussed German and French poetry an,
prose with the long-haired TeutoI
who presided over the destinies o
modern languages and literature. He
pulled an oar with his associates
acted as pitcher for the college bal
mine, and was the recognized hero o
the gymnasium.
That such man should have ha
any faith in supernatural visions !
out of the question. And yet, tw
weeks before the day set for the com
mencemeut exercises, Erasmus John
son, whose face had always been
mirror OF smiles and joy, appeare
before his class in an almost inde
scrihable condition. His face locke