Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1893-10-26
STORIES OF The DAY.
A Phiiadeiphian' : Dream on the Bank
OF the Brandywine

for time at least, that dreams are more
than dreams. It was by the historic
banks Of Brandywine creek, on warm
afternoon In July. had been strolling
along 1.-THE race and had become warm
and tired, when / saw a large rock that
jutted into the creek, seeming to
invite me to sit and rest. / accepted
the taclt invitation and stretched myself
at full length. The sun was setting
in hale of golden cory. and the whole
sky was tinged with a mellow light. save
to the North, where dark, frowning
clouds mrrmured of an approaching
storm While was enjoying the beauty
around me, the cool breeze lulled me to
sleep 1t was a strange dream had Three
weeks Of my life passed before me- IL
began with the day of my college com
mencement and extended twenty-four
hours into futurity, warning me of a sad
calamity. After reviewing in detail Ger.
tain events, | fancied / was in the
house Of my highly esteemed friend,
Colonel Duane. repeated the confden-
tial conversation had had with him the
day after college closed, regarding the
plans Of my future life. / was next at
the station of A. 1.-THE name of the
place where Colonel Duane residedl
awaiting the train for Broad street,
Philadelphia, l could hear the colonel's
daughters cry out TO me as the train
pulled away, Don't forget the picnic "
All this had in reality happened. The
day after college closed, / went to the
colonels house with my mother, who
always liked the Duanes, because she
saw there we're such unity and domestic
happiness among them During the few
hours we remained, the principal topic
Of conversation among the girls was a
picnic. Great preparations were in pro
gress for a picnic-everything was
picnic. On account of my
intended visit to Wilmington,
the date was postponed to July IA
! remember the day distinctly The
whole family accompanied me to the
station, after the simple manner of
country people Don't forget to write.
said one, as / boarded the train; don't
forget the picnic" said another, "oh.
don't forget the picnic, was the grand
chorus, which made even the grim con
ductor smile
My dream now began to pierce into
the future. / can never forget the
detailed and exact account it gave me of
the next twenty four hours my leaving
Wilmington, meeting with acquaintances
on the train, arriving at the colone's.
etc. ! then fancied the colonel and |
we're Fastening on horseback from the
large store, several miles distant from
| A., where we had ordered provisions
for the picnic of the next day. The rain,
| thought. was pouring In torrents, and
the vivid flashes of lightning and terrific
thunder made our horses frantic. Led
by some cruel fate, we took shelter un-
der an outspreading elm. The colonel
had just dismounted when a thread Of
binding light Kissed before us and the
same moment a mighty peal shook the
earth till / thought it would crumble to
atoms When recovered from the
frightful shock, l looked around-the
colonel lay stretched on the
ground a corpse. cannot
describe my feelings at that awful
moment. Although / was as eep. / felt
my heart beat violently. Even in the
midst of my feverish excitement.
thoughts of Mrs Duane aud her beauti-
full daughters In their happy home.
crowded upon me thick and fast How
anxious they would be for our safety in
this dreadful sto m and how their anx-
iety would derken to despair when /
would disclose this awful news The
heartrending scenes that would follow in
that once happy home, were fitting be-
fore my mind when a second stroke felled
the tree under which / vas standing
could feel myself entangled in the
leafy branches. / tried to extrieate nv
self and-awoke. Where was II Was
this the Brandywine2 My head reeled.
my breath came short and quick as the
lightning in the dark west giared like an
angry serpent There was 80 much sim
ilitude between my dream and the pres
ent scene. that my brain beca con
fused l would not look around lest 1
should see the colonel lifeless on the
ground. Whether was temporarily in
sane OF not. | cannot say, but I arose
like maniac and ran pell-mell toward
Wilmington.
When l reached my friends house the
delusions of the dream had been some
what expelled. Still, thought, that
dream was a warning" was now per
fectly aware that the colonel was miles
away fiom me and not corpse on the
Brandywine; but, perhaps, said 7, some
accident has befallen him" My head
was burning in fever from nervous
excitement, so / excused myself to my
friends that night and retired early
Next morning l started for the village Of
A. with the feelings of one that is
going to a funeral
When finally, after hours of anxiety
the train stopped at A---, hur-
ried up the hill, all the while straining
my eyes to catch a glimpse of Duane's
house All is that Grape on the doorY'
gaspeJ Yes. yes, it's my dream, it's
my dream Aud true enough from the
door knob the streaming black hung
motionless. With something like a frm
step, ! opened the garden gate, my head
bowed in sad meditation. IA a moment
| was surrounded by Mrs. Duane and
her Family Here he is an
last, they said, as they showered their
caresses ON me when did it Eappeng' /
sad sadly. when did what happ n2'
asked Mrs Duane. amazed | glanced
toward the door-knob why, where
the cIapeY asked THE crapeY they
all shouted in astonishment, what do
you mean2' II was then saw that what
| had thought was Grape, was the col
onel's black overeoat Mrs Duane had
, found moths In II and had hung IL out
for good summing la the excited
state OF my imagination, had mistaken
it for Grape Next day. amid the iolity
/ ~ the ricnfa 7 raeolva1 n.,..r ..,-,f,, = /,