Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-16
TOLD IN A DREAM.

nlS daughter. lie VIII slUlply sHOW luo the door, and all will bo oyer.'
 The young fellows frank and manly face wore look of puincd embarrassment. He had taken loap in the dark and was already rcgretting his nasty action.
 The town clock struck the hour of mid night, and Blair retired to his chamber adjoining his office and made an attempt to sleep of his trouble
 For some time he was wide awake. His eyes burned, and his brain was in a whirl At last he fell into feverish aud dis turbed slumbcr.
 In the course of tho night a strange thing occurred Just how it happened he did not understand. but ho had late visitor who introduced himself as law yer from London
 The stranger made profuse apologies for his untimely visit.
 MT. Blair, he said, 1T will not detain you with any preliminarics You are the heir to the estate of John Blair, oDe of your unclos who ran away from homo when a mcre boy and settled i'll Liverpool. Your uncle was remarkably lucky. He fonnd friends, went into business and in the course of timo made a fortune. He died month ago and left you $500, 900 "
 Julian proceeded to ask for further in formation, but tho London lawyer pleas antly remarked that good nows would keep.
 "I mnst lcavo in half an hour for New York, ,n ho said, but you may expect mo in a week or so, and then tho necessary arrangements will be completed for plac- ing you in possession of your inheritance,
 With this the stranger vanished, and Julian Blair, as he raised himself on his elbow and looked about the room, asked himself whether he was awake or dream ing.
 A sudden drowsincss overcame him, and when he again opened his eyes it was. morning.
 Was it a dream?" ho cried as ho dressed himself No; it is impossible. There is the chair tho man sat in. 1 re- member his features distinctly and every word he said, and oven the tone of his voice. Thank God, it was no visionl It was Il reality"
 Julian found after making his toilet that he was still littlo fcverisll, with strange fullness in his head but a glance at tho mirror showed that he was looking unusually well.
 One thing startled him rot a little in tho course of the morning. After brief interview with ono of tho bankers of the town he walked out on the street with $500 in his pocket.
 A sudden doubt strack him az he reached the sidewalk. Had he made mistake in telling the banker of his good fortunef If the whole thing was only dream, as-he sometimes suspected, he had done very bad thing.
 "Pshaw," he said to himself, II am sick and nervousl How cap it he drcamp"
 By degrees his confidence was restored, and later in the day, when he saw Mir. Howard, his manner was well calculated to impress the millionaire. He told the story of his legacy, ard the rich man took him by the hand and told him that no man in the wide world would suit him better as son-inlaw.
 4 week passed away deligh.tul's. Blair found himself the lion of the town, but he spent most of his leisure. time with his. affianced.
 One morning the young lawyer arose, cool and clear headed, without trace of fever He looked back upon the events of the past week in amazomont Ho no lon ger had any belief in the visit of tho man from London. It was dream and noth ing olsc.
 l HIll III d dieSIuColui IA. nVSlouhOu ''I have lied to Mr Howard and to Alice I have borrowed money under false pre- tcnses Nothing will ever convince people that I am not swindler
 
 Tho card in Julians hand bore tho ad dress of Henry Merely solicitor, Middle Temple, London, and as the owner of the card was ushered into the office the young lawyer looked at him in blank surprise.
 It did not take long for Mir. Merely to state his business.
 My young friend" he said rather rompously, ''it is a genuine pleasure to mo to be the bearer of good tidings. I have been two weeks in the country look ing you up Your unclo, John Blair, died recently in Liverpool, where he left large estate, and there Is half million for you"
 ',Is it another dreamr' whispered Ju Han.
 II don't understand, said the English man. somewhat mystifed. This Is no dream. It is business" {"
 Then he went on in his matter of fact way to make everything clear.
 You have never called on me before, have you9' asked Julian.
 Certainly not, ]" replied the visitor. ''I have just found you, and it was no easy matter, can tell you"
 ''All of this is very hard for me to be- lieve, replied Julian, land it will take time to convince me of its reality"
 Well, money ought to be tangible enough" said the lawyer. If you feel like drawing for few thousand now, I'll arrange it for you"
 Such a proposition was not to be re- fused, and in the course of the day Julian had $10, 900 to his credit in the bank.
 And then he broke down under the strain.
 For long weeks he lay either uncon- scious or delirious, and the watchers by his bedside wondered at his talk.
 His good luck turned his brain for the time,' said old MT. Howard.
 And this was the view people took of