The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-07-09
CHAPTER Nv.
Continued

Continued
In this improbable occupation
wasted I know not how long, until,
doubling whether ! should be awake
In time to keep the promise had
made to conduct my aunt Gertrude
over our old house-no brief task, for
# contained thirty or more rooms and
was q maze to the uninitiated-I hur-
ried to bed. and was soon In the :or-
ments OF the most chaotic dream
which has ever disturbed my brain !
beheld gorgeous barbaric palaces set
In delightful climes; professions OF
men magnifcently apparelled. OF
which the principal figures displayed
an amazing profusion Of Jewels; vast
heaps Of gold coins Of strange mint
age; quaint jars filed with precious
stones which cleaned and sparkled;
and dimly lighted vaults In which
aerce men. bearded and turbanned.
were infllcting horrible indignities on
defenceiess women, strangling some
with bows and beheading others with
scimitars. These scenes were pre-
sented to my mind rs in a phantas-
magoria. the last appearing so Intense
" real in It's horror that shrieked at
beholding II. and rushing at hideous
old Turk. who was firmly grasping
the hair Of q kneeling girl while he
swung his scimitar around the bet
ter to strike her neck, ! awoke. bathed
IN perspiration. and was spared the
sciomachic encounter.
The church clock struck four. and
the glow In the Eastern sky was as
yet but feeble. ! was intensely re-
Geved 10 hnd myself once more In my
usual frame Of mind. amid my usual
surroundings. My terror vanished on
opening my eyes and discovering my
situation; but the dream had made an
impression ON my mind 80 deep that I
could not disengage my thoughts from
Il; neither could In any way account
Tor Il had never been subject to
oneirodynia. nor had ! recently read
or talked Of oriental magnificence and
harbariy. was powerless either to
account for the dream or to dismiss
h from my mind.
After pondering the matter for three
hours or more ! arose. and dressing
myself with the same fastidious care
~ on the previous day-a habit which
I had resolved to henceforth cultivate
Int h. hva - Foc
My father and uncle were standing
BY the window engaged in earnest
conversation. and old John was busy
st his sideboard My uncle at once
stepped towards me and seized my
hand. which be squeezed rather hard.
or than considered necessary or COM
Portable. and having wished me q good
morning, informed me that had been
the subject Of his conversation with
my father.
II am afraid you find Holdenhurst
. very dull place when you can hnd
nothing more interesting to talk Of"
{ remarked.
mot at all. not at ALL" said uncle
Bam. Il will tell you all about 1t be-
Tore I leave"
breakfast is quite ready" said my
father. land We may as well have it
bt once, although 1t wants some min
Htes to eight. Mrs. Truman win take
her breakfast In her room"
At this we all three took our seats
at the table.
why. Ernest. my boy. what has
become OF your color? asked uncle
Sam. Yesterday you were a typical
little Englishman, but this morning
you appear rs bloodless as q New
York dude"
related my dream. Uncle Sam
laughed immoderately at the recital.
and pushing his chair somewhat furth.
er from the table. swayed himself to
and fro and roared. My fathers face.
too. wore broad smile which merged
into q laugh as ] proceeded.
did you read the Arabian Nights
Just before you went to bedT my
father inquired.
ARABIAN Nights" echoed uncle
Sam, interrupting me as l was about
to reply: why. II he were in London,
should have said that he had been
70 the Alhambra. witnessed the ballet,
got drunk. and been locked up for the
night Ha. hs! I'd give q thousand
dollars, and sup on pork and cucum.
bers for a month. u OILY / might
dream that dream"
1T seems to please you, Sam" said
my father.
1T does. II I had not become m
American. I would have exchanged my
nationality for that Of Turkey or Per.
sia. my Christianity for Mohammedan
Ism. Boundless liberty and absolute
despotism both appeal to my taste
Besides. they are not so different a.
some people suppose; extremes meet
you know. The quasi-liberty enjoyed
or the quasl-despotism suffered-ex
press It which way you will-by Eng
iishmen In England. would he intoler
able to me. By-the-by. I'm not thu
arst Truman who has renounccd hi
native nationality. ain /. Bob? Didn'
that old ass Of an alchemist. who spen
twenty years OF his life in trying t
extract gold from everything that dit
not contain II. become 4 Turk
"You mean old Roger" said m,
father, thoushtfully. Yes. ! believe
he did; but he must have reverted I,
the nationality Of his fathers. II no
Aa fhaIr faifh Cor hn lirad ,nnnr