The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-12-06
Saved by a Dream.

We we're all seated around a COM
Portable fire in little country hotel
one night last winter. Each Of us had
contributed his quota of jokes and
stories to the evenings entertainment,
when the conversation drifted to war
times.
As all of us, with one exception, my
young friend Mr.. K, had been in
active service, we were once more at
home, and one anecdote followed an
other, while our young friend sat 81
lently interested in all that he heard.
When he was asked to tell some
kind of war story, even one which he
had read or heard, since he had not
seen service, he replied by asking:
"Do you all believe in dreams ?"
Of course we told him we knew very
little about such things, but always
took stories of that kind with grain
of salt. He announced that we had
best get our salt, as he had the story
ready to relate. Anything out Of the
ordinary always proves interesting,
and we sat all curiosity to hear our
young friends narrative.
1T was while Atlanta was looking
for Sherman's army" he began, that
my father, Confederate soldier, was
stationed with his company on the
outskirts of the city, near what's now
known as Ponce de Leon Springs. l
was a very small boy and with my
mother, who had determined not to
leave Atlanta as long as she could pos
sibly avoid it, was living in a brick
house which had a very deep basement
Our home was situated in the north
ern part of the city and fully two
miles from where my father was sta
toned. When Sherman began to
shell the city, all of our neighbors ran
to our basement for shelter. They
lived there several days, and as there
were a number of little girls down
there, I was somewhat bashful and in
sisted on playing up stairs, except
when forcibly prevented by my moth.
er, and at night I would slip off and
go up there and sleep in my own little
bed.
One night my mother was summon
ed to the backdoor by one Of our most
faithful servants, and you can imagine
her astonishment at finding my father
there pale and anxious and under ap-
parent excitement Of some kind. he
hurriedly asked her if all were well
and asked particularly about me. She
told him that we were uninjured and
that I was alright. Where is he p
he asked. My mother told him she
thought I was in the basement, but she
was not sure, as / persisted in occupy.
ing my own room when left to myself
"Go at once and see where he is fol
God's sake" he said, "and under nc
circumstances allow him to occupy his
room"
Sat the risk of my life l have slip.
ped away from my regiment to give
you this warning. I asked my cap.
tain to allow me to come, and as he
was expecting an attack, he refused
me. I came anyway and may lose my
life in consequence. But, if you only
knew how miserable I have been all
day, you would not blame me. Last
night dreamed that Charles was oc'
cupying his little bed just as I have
seen him lying in it so many nights in
happier times. As he lay with hif
little hands clasped, and his golden
curls flowing over the snowy pillow, q
she'll came crushing through the wall
tearing his bed into thousand pieces.
mangling him in most horrible man.
ner and killing him instantly.
awoke with start, and after little
while I dozed off only to have the
same horrible dream repeated. A
third time ! saw in my dreams thai
horrible sight, and arose and gave ur
the effort to sleep, as walking in the
fresh cool night air was far more re-
freshing. I may be foolish, but, fol
my sake, keep our boy from this hor
rible room.
My father disappeared in the dark
ness, and mother went into the house
at once in search of me.
Failing to find me down stairs SHE
made all haste upstairs and into my
room, where she found me snugly
tucked away in my little bed sleeping
as only baby can sleep.
She picked me up in her arms anc
carried me down stairs. Just as she
reached the basement door there came
a terrible crash, and the house fairly
shook, so great was the shock. AL
trembling she laid me down, anc
crept back up stairs to see what hac
caused the fearful explosion. Going
into my room, she found the wall tori
away just as my father had described
it, and my bed was perfect wreck
A she'll had pierced the wall, struck
my bed, and exploded in my rooms
I do not say I believe in all dreams
but | have reason for believing in this
one.
The house above referred to still
stands on one of the most prominent
business streets in the city of Atlanta
and the wall to this day shows where
the shell pierced it on the eventfu
night.
The boy thus saved is at present one
of Atlanta 8 most prosperous business
men. He stands high among the peo
pie of his native city, and has hele
several Offices Of public trust.