Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-04-03
A DREAM.

MY name IL Lloyd Temple. was .
bachelor. young enough and passabIe look
ing I bad quite fortune Of my own:
therefore / had more leisure for castle
building than was quite good for me.
fell asleep one night with vision Of a
lair face before my memory. had lifted
my eyes while at the hotel dinner table
and saw just opposite me this vision Of
beauty, and from that moment found it
impossible 10 forget her. ! did not know
her name. She was evidently new ar
rival and In charge Of an elderly, sour Wis
aged duenna All this / saw at glance.
noticed casually that she was attired in
q costly gown and wore magnificent dia-
moDds-not many, only earrings, brooch
aud ring. For just an instant our eyes
met, but that one brief instant was long
enough 10 do me irreparabls inischiel-to
lure my heart from my bosom. ] would
never forgive her; Of that felt certain.
Az was saying, retired that night
and fell asleep, still thinking OF the fair
unknown. However, had discovered her
name, Miss Inez Castleton, New Orleans,
was inscribed upon the register. and under
IL Nine. Elsie Garcia, her companion. !
could discover no more, only that the lady
wa partly Spanish and resided in-the
Crescent City and was travelling north
under the care VI her cbaperop, on Is visit
Of pleasure, and with the object OF view
ing the different cities Of the north. Think
ing Of her. fell asleep.
All Mt once IL appeared 20 me that a tall,
dark figure entered my rooin--my room.
whose door had, Of course, carefully Sc
cured before retiring--a tall, masculine
figure. with n Grape mask tied over its face
"A typical burglnr, to I've sure. In one
hand he held n dark lantern. He stopped
and threw It's Hight full upon my face in
q broad, yellow glare.
"Get up he commanded boarsely.
"sbe is IN peril -
lay there, staring into the Grape cover
ell face, with eyes distended with terror
real and unadulterated terror do not
mind confessing 1t, for, brave as a man
may be and have never posed for a he
70 Of brnvery--it Is TO say the least, lit
tie uncomforta bic 10 find yourself alone in
room Mt the midnight hour with n real
live burglar. So | gazed into the Grape
covered face. and my voice was little
unsteady as asked;
"Wbat do you mean Who is in peril
and in what peris Tell me. ="
But he only laid bis hand upon my arm
and motioucd me to rise.
felt n strange tremor run through my
frame. followed by numb sensation. but
| rose obedicntly all the same.
"Dress yourself" commanded my up.
known visitor. land make haste about 1t.
too, II you would save her lfe,'
"Whoso lifeS'' / demanded boldly.
"Miss Castlcton's. Miss lncz Castle
tons life IL In danger. II You are not there
to save her In - minutes. she will be a
dead woman"
felt a shudder creep over my frame at
these omlnous words. | hurredly dressed
myself and prepared to follow him. Re
member | knew not in what part Of the
hoGse the young lady - room was situated.
And. Furthermore. It did not seem to strike
me that my conduct was quite unprecc
dented. ! only followed my gFewsOme
conductor from my room and closed and
locked It's door behind me. | felt as il |
were flying, iloating away into space, IA ]
followed him up stairs--one, two. three
flights The elevator was ut rest there was
no sound or sign Of human presence save
my Grape covered conductor and myself
Even then, in my terror and preoccnpa-
ton, II struck me IA remarkable that no
opo seemed to see us or heed us. In large
hotel like that it would be almost impos
sible for two men to go prowing about at
the midnight hour without being observed
and questioned.
We cane to u halt at last at the door OF
room How still--how nwfully still the
house was | turned TO my strange con
dnctor He was gopel
| stood there rubbing my eyes trying to
account for this transformation scene
which had removed me from my comfort
able bed 20 a quarter Of the house in which
had never heen before. realized then
with bitter shame and humiliation that |
bad been the victim Of dream and had
been walking in my sleep, had dreamed
Of tho beautiful Miss Castleton and this
was the result. felt like thief and q
villain. We'll, | would make all haste pos
sihle back Co my own room and trust to
luck that the events OF the night might
never he known. had just turned TO go
when a sound fell upon my ears--a sound
which emanated from the room to whose
Very door my dren m had led me. II was
n fearful sound-a low groan of horror,
then stitled cry in woman : voice--a
cry of Help. help Murder.r-rp' the last
word dying away into n broken groan.
Without moments hesitation placed
had evidently been unlocked by skeleton
key. for II fell open at once. and | was in
the room, The light from the corridor
without streamed in at the open door and
revealed sight which | shall never forget
while live.
Upon her bed lay the beautiful lady.
Miss Csstleton, "a though just aroused
from slumber. Over her stopped a brawny
figure with Grape covered face--the very
man of my dream In one hand he held a
alittering knife uplifted over her dainty
throat. With low cry darted into the
room--a moment lstsr was graphing with
the burglar.
Get up and ring the bell'' cried to
the trembling woman. She oheyed Mt once
A little later the room was full Of people,
and the burglar was overpowered. bound
and the police summoned. They found
Miss Csstleton's diamonds and large sum
of money upon his person. He proved to
hr notorious rough who had long been
wanted by the police. And luez Castle.
ton-she became my wife few months
afterward. and | attribute my success in
winning her to the fundamentally Of my
strange dream. - Exchange.