The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-01-25

1t was not until some time after his
son Alexander had fallen a prisoner
into the hands of brigade of Illinois
troops; to which J lmes was attached.
that he learned the fact that his oldest
boy was fighting on the Union side.
The information was carried to him by
| Aleck, who had been sent home on
parole, mainly through his brothers in
| huence, and the news was sufficient to
arouse the frenzy OF the old man, who
declared that James, his once favorite
child, should never have penny of his
property, and that he would not own
him as son from that time forward.
Immediately after the partial settle
ment of affairs in the south, James, who
had heard nothing of his family since
his brothers parole, set out the first op-
portunity for his old home in this county,
but on arriving here the door was shut
against him, and neither his father or
his brother would hold any intercourse
with him whatever. He was ignored
also by his former friends and scqualnt-
ances ; and with heavy heart he re-
turned to the North and engaged ac-
lively in business. In 1886, as above
stated, the elder Pickens died, leaving
will in which Alexander, his youngest
son, was made sole legatee. The prop
erty left consisted of 3oo-acre plan
tation, with fine residence, outbuildings,
etc., valued at $4,000, and cash and
other securities amounting to 100000.
Alexander took the property under
the will. and has since resided an old
bachelor on the homestead, adding
considerably to his fortune by judicious
investments. Two weeks ago the eldest
brother, James, dreamed that will
was made by his father at later date
than the one under which his brother
had acquired the inheritance, and that
the document was IN tin box OF papers
belonging to the old gentleman, which
had been placed on deposit by him
some time before his death in the record
vault of the Butler County Court House.
On the following night. and for three
nights in succession, he dreamed the
same thing over again, each time more
vividly than the other.
Major Pickens, for such was the title
he earned during the war, had not up
to this time been believer in dreams,
but the one referred to made such an
impression upon him that, without re-
lating the story to any one but his wife,
he took the train for that city, and ar
irving there, lost no time in getting to
the court house, where search was at
once made in the Recorders vault for
the box which he had so plainly seen
IN his slumbers at his Illinois home.
Within an hours time the Major was
rewarded by its discovery behind pile
of ancient records, and on opening it
almost the first document to make its
appearance was a will signed, sealed
and properly witnessed, in which his
father divided the property left by him
equally between James and Alexander,
and in the envelope incloslng it was
likewise letter addressed to his oldest
son, assuring him of his love and beg
ging pardon for the manner in which
he had treated him because of his loyal
ty to the Union. The genuineness of
the document being beyond question,
Alexander promptly made over securi-
ties to his brother James amounting in
aggregate to $4,000, that being re-
garded as a fair share OF the estate and
its tsacclumulations.-GrecnUIXe, 4la.,
Correspondence St. Louis Globe
Democrat.