Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-07-01
A NIGHT OF TERRORS.

We were a large family OF boys and
girls, now all married and scattered at
various distances from an early home
and aged parents, with the exception
of two-a bachelor brother and
widowed sister. was the ell lest girl
and had married and settled forty
miles from home. But | was some
thing of an invalid and the journey
between my place of residence and my
old home was broken by more than one
change of railroad and dsagreeable
wait of over two hours at little way
side station, | did not often take ad-
vantage of the nearness of my people
One night in the fall of 1886 | awokc
from an unpleasant dream about my
father, and next morning at breakfast
astonished my husband by declar-
ing that | was going home that day to
see my parents. My husband made no
objection to this move on my part, ex-
cept regretting that he could not ac-
company me. | was driven to the
station and in due time arrived at the
town of Middleton, the little place
where | was born.
1t was typical New England town,
with its pretty, quaint, boX-like houses
with their green painted blinds, the
narrow village streets with noble elms
and naples, the latter now looking
like enormous bouquets in their gaudy
autumnal coloring.
| found my father quite we'll and in
the best of spirits, but several other
members of the family had, like my
self, been taken with desire to visit
the old folks, for | found that nearly
all my brothers and sisters, with their
respective families, were there before
me, so that the old place looked quite
like former days.
While mother and sister Kate were
evidently very much pleased with the
idea of having kind of an unexpected
family gathering, | could see that they
were not a little perplexed as to how
they We're going to provide sleeping
quarters for so many. My advent did
not help in the least as was
enough of an invalid to be a very
poor sleeper, and bad night was
the forerunner of forty-eight hours
headache that had so far baffled medi-
cal skill. Where to put me, therefore,
in order that | might be quiet enough
to obtain sufficient sleep not to spoil
my visit was the question which
troubled my mother and Kate. How
ever, my bachelor brother was the one
who settled the matter by saying that
could have his room, and that he
could bunk" as he termed it, else
where.
Nat was the postmaster-had held
the position through several admins
trations and was a person of note In
the place. His room was an extension
built INTO the side wing of the house.
and as remote as possible, in order
that his comings and goings should
not disturb mother, who was a ligh.
sleeper.
Mother and Kate were alike relieved
by this arrangement, and rejciced in
having room where no household
noise could possibly disturb my slum-
bers.
Ne were a jolly crowd when we got
together. | had forgotten my bad
dream and was, in ny quiet way, as
n cry as the rest The fun and frolic
continued until quite late 1t was al
most midnight when sister Kate es-
cCIted me To my room, and, after see
ing that everything was provided for
my comfort, retired, leaving me to
my own devices to pass the time till |
fell asleep.
After Kate left me | looked about
the apartment 1t was to me the only
strange room in the house where | was
born | also felt lonely, as | was pot
accustomed to room alone, and, coming
from the brightest lighted sitting room
into the DINNER one, may have
brought about a strange feeling which
oppressed me, though / was not nerv-
Gus at all.
| knew that Kate would have en-
Joy ed sharing my room that night, but
| also knew that for some tine she had
occupied a tiny apartment opening
out of our parents chamber, in order
to he within call if either required at
tention and she confded to me her