The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-08-09
Dreams CODY Contraries
By GEORGE Z. JEssoP.

By GEORGE q. JRssoP.
TCopyright, 1895, by the Author.1
I 81 don't want to hurry any one, !" re-
! marked our host, shaking the ashes out
of a well blackened meerschaum, "but
we have long day before Us tomorrow,
and If any one wants any sleep this Is
Che time to take it. -
No response from any one of the half
dozen men lounging in the snug arm
chairs of that most perfectly appointed
smoking room.
al don't mind - said Sir Alan. "Two
or three hours in bed are enough for me
at any time. Please pass the spirit case,
Jones. wonder you're not sleepy, Tom
Eyerton. You used always to be in bed
by IL when you had an early morning
in prospect, but suppose matrimony
has cured you of that along with other
failings' .
eeTom says he isn't going, some one
resaarked :
Not going! Pooh, nonsense! /
thought he'd made up his mind to bring
down hart royal at least or leave his
bones on Balmaquidder brae. "
Mr.. Eyerton looked decidedly uncona-
Portable.
s.I should like to try of all
things he stammered, "but-well, 1
won least think-l-I shan t go
with you tomorrow-that is, If Sir Alan
viii excuse me.
Please yourself, and you'll please
nae, . replied the hospitable baronet.
ssBut If it isn't any secret I'D like to
know what has made you change your
mind so suddenly"
>ssHe promised hrs. Everton he
wouldn't CO." broke in the previous
sneaker. ssShe dreamed dream, and,
Ike Pharaoh's chief baker. she thought
there was something in it. -
DO be quiet. Jones, % interrupted
Eyerton irritably. ''My wife had a
rather oad dream last night, and she's
a bit nervous, you know, and-wel,
after all, it's not much to give up one
days deer stalking, if ones going to
make herself miserable over it. !"
We all knew each other pretty well,
this Little circle of guests collected by
Sir Alan to help him shoot his Scotch
mountain, and very free and outspoken
was the chaf that few around poor
Tom Everton's devoted head. He bore
it with great good humor for some time
tiu Jones made a rather uncalled for
remark ;nyolving questions Of free will
and "petticoat government. +" Then
Tom fared up.
sI don't stay at home because I'm
afraid of anything, but simply because
I have promised Ny wife dreamed that
/ went out with this party, and it grew
late without any Of us coming back.
Then she thought she saw me lying face
down in the Bai1naquidder, and she
seemed to know / was dead. I don't
remember the details, but know she
worked herself up into shockinglJ
nervous state about it till I promised
not to go. OF course, it's all nonsense, I
know that, but what can I do:'
DO as you promised!' It was Colo
mel Eyre's deep voice that uttered the
words, and We all glanced around at the
speaker. He had remained silent dur
ing the badinage occasioned by Ever
toms determination, sitting with his
tumbler of Scotch whisky and water in
front Of him, putting away silently at
the short Drier root, whose bowl scarce
II cleared the sweep Of his heavy, griz-
zled nustache. He was holding the pipe
in his hand now, sitting erect and
speaking with unmistakable earnestness
of manner. ssDo as you promised, and
don't be too sure it's ali nonsense Ell
ther. have known cases II which men
have lived to be very thankful that they
yielded TO presentiment. -
.eBut this was dream, colonel, y
broke in the irrepressible Jones.
esDrean be it, then. Stay at home,
Everton. As yoo say, it's not much to
miss days shooting And if you
neglect this warning the chances are
you may never live to regret it. % The
speaker took sip from the tumbler in
front Of him, replaced his pipe between
his lips and leaned back as if the sub
ject were at an end.
But tho colonel. an Indian officer Of
mary years service, was popularly sup
posed to have led life Of adventure
and to have figured in more than enc
story whose exciting incidents could
well bear repetition. AS rule, he was
a taciturn man, and il was by no means
easy to ''set him talking as the story
goes. The present seemed an opportu-
nifty too good to be lost, and several
Scices demanded the experience by
whose authority he had spoken so de-
.cidedly.
"Well, yes, said Colonel Eyre slow
ly, 81 have seen 8 presentiment very
remarkably fulfilled I an, not much Of
hand at ya7ning, bat if you wish I
have no objection 10 give you leaf ous
Of my own book, if it's only that you
may leave my friend Tom here in peace
to follow his own course without badg-
ering him about it. Yes, mean you,
At. Joooe I,o 1xaot c,, i,nnafjnO that