The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-10-30
MIR. RICHARDS DREAM.

aEout the time that hir. C.eve
land resto ed the rebel flags and
Fairchild and Foraker and
company raised such a howl
about il. The president had tn
take them back and put them
away in the old garnet again.
The bloody j irt wa raised all
over the No tn, and all the Ie
publican papers aereechef
amazing, especially those in
Boston. Nevertheless Boston
gave bauquetto the watormen,
aud afte- the ladies' had retired
he gentlemen were called on
FIR speeches and talks and
stories. BY and by Mr. Rich
ards was called upon 10 say
something for Georgia, for Az
Ianta, or for the south general
ly. He is a very modest man
and tried to excuse himself, but
IS they pressed him, he said
hc wasn't feeling well and had q
strange dream last might thai
troubled bin, and he wound De
glad if some Joseph could be
found who woIld interpret II.
or course they olaInored fot
his dream, and he said: Il
dreamed that / was dead, and
had found my way Ia the gate
OF heaven. aud there was arrest
ed by the gua;ds and asked for
credentials. In much confusion
| examined my pockets and
found a lac copy Of the At
Ianta Constitution. The guards
were dressed in blue uniforms,
and, to my surprise, had guns
in their hands. they looked at
ny paper and threw il asi ip
with contempt. tired again,
and found the New York Tr.a-
lue, which sp.Yied to notify
tifei displeasu -, AID they ave
me permission to e. IL and
look acoGEd awhile, and | was
put !" change OF 2aother soldier
i'll blue Wit instructions to
show me through HEAVIER and
bring me back III ali hour, fpr |
was a suspect. The place Was
beautiful beyond conception,
and ! forgot myself in Il deli
rum OF joy and wonder at what
saw. Everything and every
body was dressed IN blue. There
we're thousands and thousands
OF them -trOIjck.ng aud sport
ing, and [ observed that the
favorite game was foot ball,
which was PLAYED with skulls.
I supposed they were the skulls
of lost sinners, but my guide
informed NE they Wer., the
skulls OF the rebels that Wee
killed in the late war. FO tile
first time I began to realize
:iat rebellion was the nnpardo
E.abla sin and that |, toe. vas
among the lost. Suddenly J
heard the booming Of cannon
and the terrific explosion of
musketry in the distance, and
my guide. seeing my alarm,
told me it was only a sham
battle; that it was a favOr.te
sport to fight over the great
battles such as Gettysburg and
Petersburg and Vicksburg and
Fort DonnclsOn. | inquired
whether they ever fought the
battles of Manassas aud Chica
maugO and Charlottesville and
Gains Mill. He replied that
ne thought not lie didn't
member any such battle s.
Strangely beW ildered, | turned
to my guide and said, My friend
tell me, is this heaven? Yes
said he; this is the G. i. r
heaven-tile heaven OF the
Grand Army; but St. Peter has
a little annex over yOnder.
Grant is over there aud lincoln
and Lee and Stonewall Jackson
and many others. Grant was
i'm here for O. few days, but he
kept on saying, boys, let Us
have peace and so we fired
him ont"
By this time wehad return I'd
to the gate and | said to the
sentries: "Is there not another
gate somewhere that ! can enter
and see st. Peter and Grant and
Lee and StoneWau Jackson?"
"Oh. you are for peace. too, are
your" said they, and viii that
they gave a kick and such a
th,ust in the side that it
awakened me and TO my great
JOY | found myself in the lan7
of The living Where peace may
De sought and pardon found
Notwithstanding my rebellion.
Now, my friends, please tell
ine where is Josepn?"
The newspaper men were
, there, of course. They saw the
point and joined IN the cheer.
: Ing, and many crowded aronnd
Mr.. Richards and cong tatniated
: him and gave three cheers fol
the rebel who was elected
flom heaven in dream.
BILL ARP.
Quarterly Meetings for Whining
ton District.