The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-04-20
THE DAY OF HIS DEATH.
Why MIR. Arnold Carewe Does
Not Believe in Dreams.

My dear, have had an extraordi-
nary dream
Mr.. Arr.n:d Carewe spoke with sol
emn emphasis, a tone of gravity in his
voice
Seene-the sunny break fast-room of
the Carewes; time-nine in the morn
ing of clear, cold winter day Mrs
Carewe glanced over the top of the sill
yer coffee-urn at her ,lIege lord, with a
look of mild interest in her deep, dark
eyes
"A dream! Why, Arnold, ! thought
You did not believe IN such things" she
exclaimed Then at the sight of the.
gravity of his face, her own grew con-
cerned- What was it?" she eagerly
asked
well, of course, it was only a
dream" returned MIR Care~e: ''but. TO
say the least it was odd that / should
dream the same thing over-in every
particuiar-eXactly alike. three blessed
tunes last night. 1t seems a little odd
TO be sure. BESIDES, dreamed that /
am to die upon a certain day, and GER
tain hour. My dear, l shall not tell You
when, for it is not far distant. and
the knowledge of it might make You
nervous, even though it is onlya dream
and therefore not infa.i3ble."
Mrs Carewe sat her coifce-cup down,
and the small, white hand trembled Wis
IDLY.
''oh. Arnoldr' was all that she could
say. ''But after all, we need put no
faith in dream! 1t is like believing
in a fortune-teiler's predictions. You
remember how implici tlv Will Br;tddon
used TO believe that he was doomed to
die before his thirtieth birthday, just
because two different predictions to
that effect had been made concerning
him? Well, it is three months and
over since he passed safely into the
thirties. and he is well and strong as
ever. Bah! / have no patience with
such foolIshness. ltis childish, Arnold,
You must not think of such thing
f'All right, my dear, | viii not, re-
turned her husband, obediently. But
III his heart ne was saying: Il could no
more help 1t than 1 can live without
breathing. But at all events. now that
| have warned Bessie. l will say no
more to annoy her"
Breakfast over, Arnold CareNe went
down TO his Office. 1t was Carewe X
Carewe-a well-5nown law firm-and
Arnold was senior partner: his brother
Jack comprised the rest of the firm
As he entered the office, Jack, seated
at a tail desk, glanced up with a
strange look
Il say, Arnold, had dream about
you la st night, which made me a trifie
uneasy" he began, ''and, as you are a
little late this morning, was beginning
to fear that something was aInIss- Had
you not come in as you did, | intended
taking a cab and going up to your
house Glad you're all right. old fellow
"A dream!" (aghast) 80 had L
What did you dream, JACKIE
well, seeing you are all right, I'll
tell you" returned Jack Il dreamed
that you are to die-don't look so pale.
old boy; you are not dead yet, but
long way from it-I dreamed you were
to die on the 10th of January, exactly
three weeks from to-day"
Arnold CareNve sank into a seat. and
looked faint
No wonder! That was the exact date
which his dream-thrce times repea ted
-haG Indicated But he controlled his
nervousness, and turned to his brother
with affected amusement
Perhaps you dreamed the hour, too,
while you were about it, he jocosely
observed.
80 l did January 10, as you viii
see by glancing at yOnder calendar,
comes on Tuesday. My dream SAID that
at twenty minutes past two. precIse.y,
on Tuesday, January 10, you would de
part this life!''
Arnold Carewe started to his feet
trent O.;ng like leaf. No wonder, for
it was ms own dream. in every particu-
lar. 1t seemed incredible. But he de-
ended to say nothing to his brother as
to the purporJ of his dream, but to pa
tIently wait, and make all preparations
for the great finale
For man to find that he has exactly
three weeks-twenty-one days-in
which to live. is very odd sensation
The murderer condemned to the seat
fold feels very much as Arnold Carewe
felt in the days that followed lie
went about like a man in dream. He
first set his house in order" making
his will, attending to the various af-
fairs of his business, paying off debts,
doing ali that he could with sort of
satisfaction TO make it easier for the
wife and little ones soon to be left
alone. They would be well provided
for-that was a great blessing. And
it WAS with solemn sense of pleasure
that he arranged everything TO the best
of his ability, for the welfare of the
loved ones, seon to be left alone.
lie became very devout also. Every
day he read the prayers in his little
| family circle; and attended divine serv-
ice on Sunday; feeling a shudder of
nervous dread run over him when the
second Sunday had gone, and he knew
that only one remained to him.
Itwas wonderful how tenaciously the
idea clung to his mind-thc positive be-
| lief that he was doomed man, marked
by Death as his prey. How gentle and
I
Perhaps, if more people could develop u
similar hallucination. it might be bet
ter for the peace of many household