Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-06-09
ON THE SILVER CLIFF TRAIL,

ON THE SILVER CLIFF TRAIL.
Hotel accommodations are very
mearge at Milton, and I was obliged to
share my room with a stranger. He
was tall, strongly-built man, with a
weather-beaten face aud grizzled hair.
It needed but a glance to know that he
was one who could both give and take
hard knocks. There was nothing re-
pulsive about him. however. On the
contrary, he seemed to be honest, good
natured, and thorough gentleman in
the best sense of the word. Entering
into conversation with him, l learned
that he was from the West and had
travelled extensively through all paris
Of the United States, especially the
wilder parts. We soon became fast
friends, as men sometimes will upon
very short acquaintance.
We had both travelled far that day
and were not inclined to sit up very
long, so about 10 o'clock we retired TO
our room and went to bed. fell
asleep almost as soon as my head
touched the pillow. How long l slept
I do not know, but I was awakened by
sounds of distress from my room
mates bed. AS I awoke I heard him
cry as if in great fear: Don't kill me,
l am innocent. For Gods sake let me
CO." This was followed by choking
sound that made my blood run cold.
Jumping out of bed T turned On the
light, and looked toward his side of the
room, fully expecting to see my friend
Slruggling with burglar. To my sur
prise there was no one in the room ex-
cept we two. Stepping hastily to the
side of the bed I found him clutching
his own throat and writhing in agony,
ut the same time uttering the cries I
heard. His face bore a look of mortal
terror, such\as I hope never to see
again. Realizing that he was suffering
from some horrible nightmare, tried
to wake him up. BY calling him re-
peatedly and shaking him I finally sue
ceeded. He started up and gazed about
him with wild, frightened look, as
though he did not know where he was.
Gradually he came to his senses, but he
was trembling like leaf. He began
to put on his clothes, explaining that
he did not dare go to sleep again, but
was going out for a walk.
eff you don't mind, I'll go with you"
said I, '.for, to tell the truth, l don't
believe I could sleep either"
I'm sorry I've spoiled your nights
rest" he replied, "but if you really
wish to go out with me, I shall be
glad to have you"
We lighted our cigars and strolled
out into the night. After walking
some distance in silence, my friend
said: 'It is strange that that dream
should come back to me now. 1t has
mt troubled me for years. There was
a time when it haunted me so often
that I had to be watched constantly
while / slept AS soon as showed any
signs of agitation, the watchers would
awaken me. If they had not, my mind
would undoubtedly have given way
under the strain. There is a story
connected with that dream, Do you
care to hear it?"
OF course I was very much interested
and begged him to go on.
1.-The dream I had tonight" he con-
tinued, sis merely the recollection of a
terrible experience 1 once had. I was
very young at the scarcely
eighteen. I was without any near
relative and dependent entirely upon
my own resources. You remember the
time when gold was discovered in Colo
RADIO. how people f1ocked there from all
parts of country to make their for
tunes. Well 1 caught the fever, too
and taking what little money 1 had
saved up, went to Denver. There
remained some time mingling with
miners and learning from them all
could about the gold mines. From sew
eraI sources l heard that gold had been
discovered in paying quantities at Sill
yer Cliff. and I decided to go there
stopping ON the way at Pueblo to buy
a horse and other necessary parts OF a
miners outfit.
1.-THE evening before I left Denver
was sitting in the lobby of my hotel
when an old gentleman sat down be-
side me and entered into conversation.
He was very pleasant companion,
and I took to him Immediately, telling
him my clans and all about myself.
When he lekned that I had just come
from the East and knew nothing about
gold mining. he advised me to return.
But 1 was young and hopeful, and,
moreover, yearning for adventures of
the sort depicted In the cheap novels /
had read, so his advice was thrown
away. Finding that was not to be
dissuaded from my plans, he good-na-
turediy gave me great deal OF vaitl-
ebls information and told me some