Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-07-01

/
''At last, about the LIST of Decem-
ber. a letter reached me from the
house while / was in Alabama, stat
ing that after the 10th inst. all
travelling agents will be at liberty
until Jan. 1, and wishing us merry
Christmas and happy New Year.
OF course / was extremely well
pleased, and mentally calculated that
after the days labor was completed
on the 10th / would board the 9 pm.
train for Nashville and reach home
bv the morning of the 18th.
Retiring early ON the night of
Dec s. suffering from no undue men
tai or physical excitement, fell into
what appeared tome to he peaceful
sleep, in which ! dreamed that l
stood at the rear entrance of a
strange brick house, one which had
never seen in my waking moments,
but every exterior detail Of which /
seemed to note carefully and still re-
member. Why or how was sup
posed to be there, or why was at
the rear door, do not know. but l
was perfectly sure that it was proper
to be there, and also equally sure
that this house was Marys home. l
knocked upon the door and was ad-
mitted by Mary's sister. who, though
it seemed not in the least strange to
me, expressed but very little concern
at seeing me, merely saying, Mary
is in the front parlor, and, as per
sons do in dreams, disappeared. l
was alone.
Taking a hasty survey of the
room noticed that it seemed in dis
order, such disorder as results from
moving before articles are placed in
their proper positions. | scanned
things closely. A pair of lady's shoes
sat in the middle of the room, close
to the leg of a center table. A lounge
sat in the farther end against one of
the curtains, which hung over fold
ing door, the other curtain being
drawn, disclosing small room in
which the only article Of furniture
visible through the curtains was a
bureau, such as were so much used
at that time.
1T is needless for me to mention
every object which / seemed to ex-
anime in that one brief moment,
though | recall everything wildly,
even to the carpet, the wall paper,
the unhung pictures and their
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 her shoulders,
while she searched for something in
the topmost drawer in utter igno-
rance Of my presence. | gazed upon
her moment and called her name.
"She turned toward me with a look
of widest surprise, which quickly
changed to one Of joy as she rushed
toward me with outstretched arms,
crying aloud my name. | advanced
toward her. AS she threw the cur
tain back in her wild haste, her foot
caught under rug which lay in the
doorway, and she began to fall. |
leaped forward and caught her in my
arms before she had fallen complete
ly to the floor, raised her gently and
placed her upon the lounge, not
yard away
Her sister had heard the noise we
had made and came running in.
Mary did not speak did not seem
tX hfN
Der in the dream having attributed
her quiet, as she lay upon the couch,
to faintness Her sister babe me en-
ter an adjoining room to the right,
which did, seeming to know that it
was the sisters desire to be alone
with her while she prepared her for
bed and the treatment necessary to
resuscitate her.
''In this other room | began to
feel alarmed, and endeavored to al
lay my fears, az well as to divert
my thoughts, by examining things
closely. A door with broken glass
opened out upon driveway, which
seemed to have been newly paved,
and which led to the street a few
steps away. A civic procession of
some kind was passing, at which /
gazed intently, at first through the
broken door, then stepping out upon
the drive seemed to have forgot
ten Mary. | advanced but a few
steps when | slipped upon the icy
pavement and fell to the ground.
The imaginary fall awoke me with a
start, was much excited, but my
nerves soon became quieted and my
sleep was normal during the remain
der of the night.
80 much tor the dream, and now
the sequel
II arrived home safely and at once
inquired about the girls, Mary and
her sister, for the dream had made
wonderful impression upon my mind,
which grew rather than diminished
rs time went by They were well,
but had moved to another portion of
the city only Il few days before,
Strange, thought |; i will go Vt
once and find them
II found the house with ease, hay
ing been directed by my father A
domestic upon step ladder, with a
scrubbrush in hand, was engaged in
washing the woodwork and pane of
glass in the transom, and at the same
time completely obstIucting the front
passage, was told 10 go to the rear
door did so, and knocked. This
was the very house had seen in my
dream, even to the minutest detail.
My knock was answered by the sis