Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-02-26
COMMUNICATED.
DREAM THAT WAS NOT ALL DREAM.

A resident OF this town. not long since, was
aroused out of his sleep by the following
unique dream. He says his vision was, no
doubt, occasioned by the following fact:
During the afternoon he ana a cUugenial
philanthropic, Christian friend had been talk
/ ing about the social, moral and religious
status OF our home community. Toward the
close ofthe conversation the friend remarked
that Mr.. A. and b. were open advocates OF
the saloon. His reply was: fiat certainly
cannot be! Are not these gentlemen men,
bers OF the church: do they repeat the
Lords prayer and emphasize the particular
petit ion-"lead US not into temptation -
How then can they get the consent Of their
minds to be party to place temptation before
others, especially the youth OF the town
Do they not repeat the creede DO they not
remember that part OF the creed which.
speaking ofthe coming OF Christ, says, from
whence He shall come To judge the quick and
the deade" Have they 10 fear OF Almighty
God and OF the final judgment, that they are
willing TO be "particeps sriminis' 10 the per-
petration OF the great wrong OF the open sa-
loon upon the town:
The friend reply was: Yes, they are men,
beTs Of the church; say the Lords prayer :;
repeat the creed, and profess 10 be good citi-
zens, and yet act with the corrupturs OF our
youth and with those who would get their
living by preying upon the weakness Of the
unfortunate among US.
Oppressed In mind by the gross inconsistent
cy OF these so-called Christians aud good cit
liens, the gentleman fell To sleep. He
dreamed. In his dream he was carried TO
81 h., I.a iSIu
was filled with reat dens OF poisonous ser
penis. Poisonous snakes were everywhere.
SO much so, that the people were in momen-
tary danger OF their lives NenomouS snakes
lay in every path and crossed every thresh-
old. There was no safely, and the people
were in momeniary dread OF their lives. But
fortunately, as tradition informs US and rs
every Irish Roman Catholic believes tn this
day, ST.. Patrick, Ireland's patron saint, at
the very dawn OF the Christian dispensation,
appeared in Ireland upon the scene. As the
very first step toward the conversion of the
Pagan Irish to the Christian religion, ~. Pat
rick destroyed every serpent den and ban
ished every snake from the Gem ofthe sea.
Happy Ireland! Mighty was thy patron
saint! lie wrought for thee most blessed
radiance
The dreamer's thoughts were next OF Shep-
herdstown in the days gone by. Days, II Is
hoped that may never return. The most no.
ticeable and unnatural feature OF the town
was the number OF cockdtrice deus-lsaiah
llth chapter and Sth verse and 59th chapter
and 9TH verse-lthe hideous saloon) upon
either side OF the main street. There was
cockatrice den (the tavern barr at the stage
Office, There was another on the street lead
ing to the bridge crossing the Potomac, and
there was yet another on the street leading
10 the railroad station. Many persons,
youths. young, middle.age and old men
were seen TO frequent these cOckatrice dens
(bars and saloons. II was evident from the
noise OF riot within, cockatrce eggs were
bel Matched Il. Z. men were being made
drunk. When able to leave II den, many
men and youths would show the hlthy slime
OF the snakes upon their person that Is, they
would fall upon the streets. And all OF them
had the offensive odor OF poison upon their
breath. some died in horrible cOntortions-
Ola disease known AS the "mania-a-pOtu.'
These cockatrice dens continued for long
series OF years. They became ~ cIowning
evil. Some said they were necessary to the
prosperity OF the town. other said that the
cockatrice was u beautiful snake, and the
more the better. There were some who con
tended that the dens, the snakes and their
Keepers (the saloou-keepers) should be sup
ported out OF the hard earnings of the poor
inebriate. One thing was manifest-all these
dens were places of common resort, and the
homely playthngs OF many; and many died.
The good people OF the town groaned and
writhed under the serpents curse. Foroear-
ance ceased to be virtue. The people VINO
had never favored These dens and who mad
hatred OF these snakes. but whose fathers
brothers. sons and kindred had been bitten
by serpents (serpenis OF the stllD, began To
pray and to work most earnestly. The great
question upon their lips was, Is there no way
TO break up these cockatrice dens aud 10 ban
lsh these snakes from the corporate limits?
At last good patron saint, saint Prohibi-
ton, appeared in the town, and in answer to
prayer and earnest work at the ballot box.
every cockatrice den was broken u, and ev.
cry snake was banished from the corporate
limits. May the good patron saint. saint
Prohibition, ever remain among us.
For several years there has been no open
cockatrice den in the town. But it il whis-
pered about that one or more OF these horrid
dens are surreptitiously maintained In the
town. Lei the good mayor, the town coun-
Gil and sergeant keep their eyes open, seize
upon the keepers. 50 that there may not re-
main the shadow Of a suspicion Of den eX-
listing in our midst.
But what most troubled the dreamer in his
vision was that some, nay, many Of the Vo-
,ers OF the town advocated the re-establish-
ment OF cockatrice dens In our town. aud
once more turning tue snakes loose upon our
streets.
And when he came to know that some Of
these advocates We're members o. the Chris
tiau church and claimed TO be good citizens
such was the righteous Indignation of his
soul. that he nwoke from his troubled sleep,
and behold, he had dreamed! But was II all