The morning call., 1892-05-12
A REMARKABLE COINCIDENCE

The incident that am about to relate l
do not ask any one to believe. If it seems
incredible I can bring forward no proof
but my word and the deep scar on my fore
head.
1t happened about five years ago, while
travelling Tor my health, that / arrived
onite late one night in the thriving town OF
C. | secured room at one OF theaholels,
and after dinner, feeling pretty well worn
ont. went to bed. But I could not sleep.
II seemed as if every horrible murder and
everv painful scene that l had ever heard
of or experienced during my lifetime would
- rise before my eyes again and again. each
time with redouGled yividness.
At last l could bear it no longer. 1 rose
and seated myself before the fire with the
uncapnv feeling of being watched that one
often has upon leaving dark room. After
a time this wore OF a little, and l fell
asleep.
I seemed TO be in large octagOn room.
Narrow OblODg windows, with their upper
halves Of red glass, were cut IN the walls,
so near each other that the whole place was
bathed In light; but as / looked it was not
tile mere light from the windows lhat gave
everything its rosy hue. Blood was every
where. II stained the walls and chung to
the wooden bench encrcling the ROOM IL
crept along the floor in sluggish streams,
and oh, horror! they were all creeping
toward me!
| turned to find some place Of escape.
Behind me was a massive door OF bronze
Open-work. l beat against it with my lists,
but il did not stir. Through 1t looked into
a sort of cage which dld not appear ihVit,
ing but ia my unreasonable terror would
have brayed perditiOn itself to have escaped
those pools SO steadily pursuing me.
beat upon the door Of the cage again ana
again with renewed strength. IL gave way
and ! flung myself through the opening just
as the first stream had already touched my
foot But some change caused by my
entrance was fast taking place. L began TO
feel a deaIhly faintness stealing over me
and could hear myself mutteT lnarucuately,
"Air-airl 1 am ill.," Then voice rang
through the stiffness, why, II 5 as easy as
A, b, c." and a fendish laugh seemed TO
echo and re-echO through my BRAIN hen
came a jar and lurch, and 1 was shot
down. down, down-and awoke, sitting ID
my room before the dead ashes OF CRATE
FIRE.
Oetag0n room, the blood and the terror
were only a dream. but finally succeeded.
and thinking, PRED, old man, that lobster
salad and maraschinO that you INDUCED 10
for supper we're too much Tor you, 1 erepV
into bed and slept until morning,
The next day as I was str0ling through
the business part Of the town felt hearty
slap on the shoulder. and turning met the
smiling face Of Tom Norris, my college
"Why. Maxwell, who would ever have
thought of meeting you here Z? ne ex-
claimed. How long do you stay Z? Going
home tomorrow Well, that's rather
soon, isn't 1t? But l suppose you've done
the town. Seen the observatory ?"
replied that had not-in fact did not
know there was sue place.
"Wbv, YOU must not 90 home without
seeing the only object of interest IN c..
will go there with you this afternoon II
you wish"
l accepted the invitation, and o'clock
found rs wandering leiSurely on our way
60 the observatory After a short walk We
entered plain stone building, the pride Of
"The elevator is at the top. Let's walk
up. II viii 90 US good.
We did so. and presently emerged, very
much out Of breath, into large 0ctagon
room. Where had l seen 1t befOr9? Ii all
seemed too natural; the low bench running
around the wall; the windows with their
upper halves Of red glass; tbe-rosY glow :;
the-SUddenlV the truth flashed through my
mind. It was the room of my dream.
m?''
mo, mop I answered hurredly." It will
pass away in a moment"
May De lt was the SthiISt Sdiu MOTIFS
Lets 90 home; We can take the elevator
down."
l turned. Behind me was the door of
bronze 0pen-w0Tk l had dashed myself
against so despaiTingly the night before. 1t
was the door of the elevator. l tried TO
overcome the dread that was fast taking
possession of me, and entered Again the
deadly falntness, and again the mutteTed
'Air-airl l am IMP
The words were forced from my liDs
against my will The eevator-bOy heard
me. leaned over and cried laughiugly:
why, it's as easy as A, b, CT
While the words were echOing in my
ears there came a crash, another, a con-
fused murmur. and lost consciousness.
When l recovered my senses / was lying
on a bed in a hospital They told me poor
Tom Norris had not been as fortunate as
myself The pulley on which the elevator
was suspended being old and worn had
given way, and the cage Of my dream, with
lis human freight, was dashed TO the bottom
Of the shaft.
The boy ESCAPED death, but will never
use his limbs again. have long since re-
covered, aud am entirely unframed save
for deep. uDSIghty scar across my cheek
and forehead. But Tom NOTTis-pOOT old
Toni They picked something from the
ruins that they said was he, so bruised and
battered and mangled as to be entirely un-
recognize Die. His head was completely fat
tened. They covered the sickening sight
from view and buried it.
Say what you will, have always thought
that If the blood in my dream had sue
ceeded in actually catching me l should
have shared his fate. SuperStitious ?
Perhaps-but, after all, was it only a
dream?