The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-03

Several years ago | was travelling in the
State of Wisconsin, in the interests OF
Southern tobacco factory. At that time the
numbering industry of Central Wisconsin
was in its infancy, and the now prosperous
inland cities, with their immense lumber
mills, were mere villages of lumbermen ana
-loggers.
Travelling men were correspondingly
scarce. We grew lonesome and suffered
many hardshps of which the travellers OF
to-day know but little. Consequently L was
glad to meet so pleasant companion as
John Sturtevant. Like myself. he repre-
sented n tobacco firm. but our brands
were of an entirely different kind; hence,
we were not competitors and visited the
trade from town to town together.
One pleasant summer night, few weeks
after our first meeting, invited hlm into
my room Dust across the hall from ms IN
the little frame hoteD. He accepted my
invitation. We brought forth our pipes,
flied them from our respective brands,
lit them and jOkingly expatlated upon Inc
qualities and merits possessed by eacn.
Thus we chatted pleasantly of our sales and
failures to sell, our plans for the coming
week. etc. until at last our conversation
turned upon some remark which L cannot
recall. but in tile same manner that thous
ands of conversations have turned bef0re)
He then related TO me the following story,
which give in his own language as accu-
rately as my memory serves me, and am
positive that | have forgotten no incident
connected with it. l might further add
that have no reason whatever to doubt In
the least its absolute truthfulness.
Laying his pipe on the table near by he
began thus:
Il cannot say, even after the experience
am about to relate, that l place much ere
4, 1Ns,sr. T,a-
i have ever been able TO trace 10 anything
like tangiblity. l am sure that | am no
more superstitious than the average Of men,
> and have always chosen TO attribute the full
fiilment Of any dream TO chance or colncl-
dence rather than 10 any other cause.
: "F"uTteen years ago last winter was in
eidentally in the same position which now
ILL., excepting the fact that l am now direct
ing the movements of few men. You will
know, Of course, that at that time L was
young man-to be accurate, % years of age
At the time of which | speak / was on my
maiden trip, and, as though to inure me to
the trials and hardships OF travellers life,
the h0use had kept me out almost year
without so much as twenty-four hours
visit TO the city in which nv parents re-
sided. and which, for the lack Of any other.
my parents being dead. still claim as my
home.
Here be hesitated and passed his hands
through his hair. He seemed to be lost in
]
should begin again. Presently he said:
81 will not worry you with the details Of
q love story, but suffice ii 70 say that this
same city was the abode Of my sweetheart,
Mary. whom / had known III infancy, whom
| had loved in childhood, and to whom |
had been betrothed for two years, / held
close and regular correspondence with her,
and her entreatieS for me TO come home
were at times pitifuL However, wishing on
this trip. above all others, TO convince the
II. IL !
coming hOmesick. l had never asked for
leave of absence.
,"At last, about the 1st of December, a
letter reached NE from the house while
was in Alabama. stating that after the 10th
inst. all travelling agents will be at liberty
until January j. and wishing us Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year Of
course. | was extremely well pleased, and
mentally calculated that after the days
labor was completed on the 10Th I would
board the p. NJ. train for Nashville, and
reach home on the morning of the 18th.
Retirlng early on the night OF December
6, suffering from no undue mental or phys
zeal excitement, fell into what appeared to
me TO be a peaceful sleep, in which /
dreamed that ] stood at the rear entrance
of a strange brick house, one which I had
never seen in my waking moments, but
every exterior detail OF which | seemed to
note carefully and still remember. Why or
how | was supposed TO be there, or why
Was at Inc rear uDOE. i 10 HOT KNOW, DuL
was perfectly sure that it was proper to be
there, and also equally as sure that this
house was Mary's nome. l knocked uuon
the door and was admitted by Mary's sister,
who, though it seemed not in the least
strange to me, expressed but very little con-
Germ at seeing me, merely saying Mary is
In the front parlor,' and, as persons do in
creams. disappeared. was alone. Taking
hasty survey of the room, l noticed that
1t seemed In disorder, such disorder as re-
H. e.
in their proper positions. l scanned things
closely. a pair Of lady's shoes sat in the
middle OF the room, close to the leg of a
comfortable. A lounge sat in the farther
end against one OF the curtains which hung
over folding-door, the other curtain being
drawn, disclosing small room, in which
the only article of furniture visible through
the curtains WAS bureau, such as were Sc
much used at that time.
1t is needless for me to mention every
OBJECT which | seemed to examine in that
= one brief moment, though / recall every.
thing wildly, even the carpet, the wall
paper, thu unhuDg pictures and theil
frames; suffice it TO say that Mary stood In
front Of the bureau in the little room, with
her long. black hair hanging loosely over
thing in the tOpmost drawer, in utter ig
noTance OF my presence. / gaZed upon bel
moment, and called her name. She
turned toward me with look of wlldesl
5uIpIicc iuTU6Q 10 one OF
Joy as she rushed toward me with out
stretched arms. crying out my name. adj
vanced toward her. AS she threw the
curtain farther back, in her wild haste, her
foot caught under rug which lay in the
doorway. aud she began to fall. / leaped
forward and caught her in my arms before
she had fallen completely TO the floor. raised
her gently and placed her upon the lounge.
lot yard away.
Her sister had heard the noise we had
made and came running in. Mary did moi
speak. did not seem to be excited, and
can even remember In the dream Of havine
attributed her quiet, as she lay upon the
couch. to fsintness. Her sister babe me-
enter an adjoining room to the right. which
j did, seeming to know that il was thu
sisters desire to be alone with her while
she prepared her for bed and the lreatmen
necessary to resuscltase her.
In this other room l began to fee
alarmed, and endeavored to allay my fear
as veil as to divert my thoughts by ex
aiming things closely. A door with ,
broken glass opened out upon q driveway
which seemed to have been newly paved
and which led to the street few step
away. civic procession Of some kind wa
passing, at which l gazed intently. at frs
through the broken door, then stepping on
upon the drive. L seemed to have forgotten
Mary. l advanced but few steps when
slipped upon the Icy pavement and fell 3
the ground. The imaginary fall awoke M
with start. / was much excited, but m
nerves soon became quieted and my s!ee
was normal during the remainder of til
night.
$50 much for the dream, and now tt
sequel.
+" arrived home safely and at once in
Qured about the girls Mary and her sistel
for the dream had made wonderful I'm
preston upon my mind, which grew, rathe
than diminished, as time went by The
were we'll, but had moved to another porto
OF the city but few days before. Strange
thought l; l will go at once and find them
% found the house with ease. having bee
directed by my father. A domestic upon
step-ladder. with scruh-hrush In hand va