The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-10-07

bed and dreamed that / was blind.
And then / thought l woke up and
could hear my shipmates dressing. And,
says /: it's a terrible dark morning /
"And 1 thought they laughed and
said it was broad daylight, and wanted 1
to know what was the matter. And |
heard myself ask:
"'Ain't it night? And I heard them
answer:
Night, why. man. We must be
dreaming Then l thought / felt my
way back to my bunk; and I'm lying
there yet in dream and it seems very
long. And I've dreamed everything
man could think of since then. You
see l was coming home to marry and
settle down. Thought 1 came home
and my mother and sister met me at
the dock. OF course / couldn't see
them, and felt all over their faces
and heard them crying, just as if it was
real.
"And, says 1. Where's Annie? mean
ing the girl 1 was to marry; and l
thought they told me she was there,
and put her hand in mine and 1 tried
terrible to see her. l thought l sat
Town and cried and cried, and then
happened to think that 1 was only
dreaming after all. / dreamed that
she went away and that my mother
died and that 1 started this little shop.
Seems as if it was all real, and yet )
6now I'm only dreaming. You men who
come here to buy things and talk with
me are only part of my dream. One
day l thought man came in and told
me Annie was married. Well. sir,
sent the boy home and sat there in
the shop alone that evening. And by
and by my sister came in and says she
to me: What are you crying for?'
and says I: Armies married
"'Oh pshaw!' says she, you're only
dreaming. tn all come right
"And so l keep forgetting it's a
dream. Sometimes have an awful sad
ness, but, thank God, know I'm only
dreaming. know that when the morn
ing comes 1 shall wake and laugh at
the phantoms of the night and l shall
be young and happy. Wen be OF
Sandy Hook and looking to catch a
sight of home. And 1 shall be getting
ready to meet Annie and mother and
the rest. And I'll have my best clothes
out. o, it'll be grand"
The old mans face had a merry
smile as he spoke of the coming morn
ing and the things it had for him.
Seems as if this dream had lasted
a thousand years" he continued, yawn-
ing and rubbing his eyes. Seems as if
l had grown old since went to bed
last night. But I've dreamed the like
before. and. my God! how glad felt
when woke in the morning."
Come said he. speaking to the boy
lets have the lights up-port an star
board an masthead. All right, sir, you
may have it for dollar. tn be al
the same in the morning"
And so we left him like ship lying
to and straining at the cables. his an
Choir sunk in the deep of that lonl
night. 1t seemed to me that ii would
be better for many of us if we coulC
think it all dream and have his faitf
in the morning-that it will bring bacl
the things we have lost. But then, ht
was lunatic.
And years went by-many of then
filled with coming and going anC
loving and striving and nights
and days like this one. And
long afterwards. when went to Riggs
funeral, they told me that he ros
in bed before the end came and hell
. his hand to his eyes. Looking into thu
far sky he cried aloud: THE day ha
come, thank God! and 1 am going
home"
And as I was coming away hear
the preacher saying: "a thousan'
years are as day. Our lives are blu
!, a dream of the night. You that hea
me are dreaming"
The words angered me, for knew
that 1 was awake. could bear wit
the insanity of Riggs, but not with tn
sophistry of the preacher, and
. shouted:
Life is not a dream, you fool. Ca
I we not hear and see and feel?" AT tn
last word struck table at my side
And, as my hand touched it, the rooI
turned dark. as if night had falle
suddenly, and every sound hushed. An
then thought a mighty wave of ligh
, swept over us in which everything van
. ished and was awake and it was morn
, ing.