Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-01

was. it seems to me, absurd in the extreme.
1 dreamed that 1 was in nv room writing,
and had given orders that no one should
disturb me. While I was in the busiest
part of my work the door opened and a Wis
itor entered. He
Did Not Speak a Word,
and to my surprise and indignation he
calmly took seat on the other side of the
table opposite me. As 1 looked at him
over the top of my lamp saw that he was
wrapped IN a thin cloak which effectually
concealed his features. 1 started to speak,
when ne broke in in solemn tones with
What are you writing, Senator from South
Carolina?'
"Strange to say, the question did not seem
impertinent to me, and l replied: I am
writing plan for the dissolution of the
American Union
''As said this the man went on: Sen
atar from South Carolina, will you let me
look at your right hand?'
81 started to hold out nv right hand. The
figure arose, the cloak fell, and beheld his
face. Gentlemen, that face struck me like
thunder clap! 1t was the face of dead
man, and the features were those of General
Washington. He was dressed in Revolu-
tionary costume and
Here Mr. Calhun paused, and Bob Toombs
who was very much excited, asked:
"Well, what did he say?"
Mr. Calhoun replied: II tried to keep
back nv hand, but could not do it; rose
to nv feet and extended it to him. He
grasped it and held it near the light, and
after looking at it for a moment he said:
And Senator from South Carolina, would
you, with this right hand, sign your name
to paper dissolving the Union?'
eyes replied, 'if needs be, L will sign
such a declaration
A Black Blotch and Skeleton.
"WeIl, gentlemen, at that moment black
blotch appeared on the back of my hand,
and it frightened me. and 1 said to the
ghost: What is that?'
That, replied he, dropping my hand,
is the mark by which Benedict Arnold is
known in the next world And with that
he drew from beneath his CLOAK a skeleton
and laid it upon the table.
There said he, are the bones of Isaac
Hayne, who was hung at Charleston. He
gave up his life in order to establish the
Union. When you put your name to a dec
laration of dissolution you may as we'll have
the bones of Isaac Hayne before you. He
was South Carolinian. and SO are you.
But there was no blotch on his right hand.
"With these words the ghost left the room
and awoke. found myself sitting at my
table, but the dream was so vivid that 1 can
still see the blotch on my hand"
Frank Hatton's Rabbit Foot
General Frank Hatton, who was the head
of the Postofice Department in President
Arthur's Cabinet, is said to have the most
lucky rabbit foot In Washington. He got
il two or three years ago in Chicago, and
from it probably comes his success and that
of his big paper. The story, as told me by
one of General Hatton's friends, is that this
rabbit foot was sent to him by the seventh
son of a seventh son of Georgia darkey,
who had been befriended in some wav by
the Hattcn family, and that it reached him
when he was in Chicago.
He was at the time, though the world
hardly knew it, metaphorically speaking,
trotting around on his uppers. He had
been connected with the Chicago Mai, and
the New York Press, and had lost a small
fortune. He hadn't a cent in his pocket,
and though he lived well, it was only
through the faith of one OF his friends who
keeps big hotel in Chicago, and who told
Hatton to keep his family there as long as
he pleased, and to look around until some
thing turned up. The General did not
think much of the rabbit loot, but he put it
in his pocket and went out walked up and
down the street along the banks of the lake
and thought.
Soon Made Up His Mind.
The rabbits foot and the darkey turned
his mind toward the South, and he finally
got to thinking about Washington and
Washington newspapers. The more he
thought about the field the better he liked
it, and he finally put bis hand in his
pocket, grabbed the paw of the rabbit, and
said: "I'Il buy the Washington Post" He
went back to the hotel and told his wife
that he had decided to buy the Washington
Post and move to Washington. Mrs. Hat
ton possesses considerable common sense,
and she said:
"But Frank, how are you going to buy it.
You have no money, and the paper is a
costly property"
"T'll borrow the money" said General