Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-03-14

that | saw the scene as clearly as if /
had a photograph before me. / must
qualify that statement. Just as in some
photos the background is blurred and in.
distinct, so it was with my dream.
know that | was private in this reg
mcnt. and performed the usual daily du
ties OF a soldier on active service; but
how | came there, to what nationality
the soldiers belonged. against whom they
were fighting-of all these things | was
ignorant Wei, I woke up next morning
and scarcely gave my dream passing
thought Next night, however, dreamed
again | was with the regiment
All day long we marched under
burning sun. Some OF the men
were compelled to fall out. / re-
member advising one of my comrades
not to drink while on the march, and
his surly-Why not:-in response. At
dusk we halted close to the enemy THE
whole scene was extraordinarily real and
vivid. Well. Jim, for three successive
nights l have dreamed, and always of the
same subject. seem to be leading a
dual existence. From the moment my
head touches the pillow and I fall asleep
| seem another man in another land.
But to continue. Naturally enough. Mt
first attached no importance to these
dreams, bat their persistence and the
events which have occurred in the last
two have changed that. These dreams
have brought ne 10 a pitch Of nervous
ness ] shUald never have deemed possible
At the end of the second dream ] told
you We were eEcamped close to the
! enemy, and expected to come next day
| into contact with them. This eXpecta-
| ton was fulfilled am speaking now Of
my third droaG3. Early in the morning
a detachment Of $50 men, with a mule
! mountain battery. was ordered TO make
| reconnaissance through some rocky
! passes. The ground was very similar to
! that which We have both encountered ia
! Afghan,stan, and made fighting difficult
"a sort Of guerilla warfare. I formed
! one OF the detachment. We marched
| forward at first in close formation, but
at length the rugged ground compelled
us 70 open out, and we presented a very
ragged front. As we advanced several
shots rang cut. which took ne effect.
! There was no sign of the foe: but the
dropping shots, which grew more fire.
quent rs we advanced, were sufficient
evidence that they We're present in con-
siderable force. And now, jim, comes
the most curious part of my story, AT
the first sound of the firing / felt
curious sensation. You have heard vpeo
pie use the phrase My heart was in my
mouth? Well, that sums it up exactly.
| In plain words. old campaigner as / am,
| in this dreamland battle | was in
| bithering funk. Presently a mule STAN
pcdcd. Then Il man near me was shot
through the lungs. His dying scream
was too much for me. | became corn,
pletely demoralized. Jim, / turned tail
and ran-ran like a whipped eur, heltcr
| slielter. tumbing over powders. some
| times falling four or five feet down clefts
mp when | had laboriously clambered a
few moments before. Bruised and hat.
tered, my tgyonct and ammunition
pounding my .ody. | did not stop run
ming till reached the main body, two or
three miles in the rear Well, the up.
shot, you. an old soldier like yourself,
can imagine. | was marched off under
arrest to await my trial for cowardiee
in the face of the enemy There my
third dream ended Next night. as usual,
| took up the thread of my other exist
ence. My trial took place. l recall the
details with almost a blush of shame.
The result was, of course, foregone con-
clusion.
witnesses there We're in plenty to tes-
tify to my headong flight. | met with
some pity, hut the case was far too fla-
grant for any mitigation of the sentence.
/ was. of course, condemned to be shot.
At present ! await confirmation of the
sentence from headquarters.
Jim, do YOU see what significance this
curious succession of dreams has for me
l believe that these events, of which
have dreamed with such vivid force. are
really taking place in some other eoun-
try, perhaps in another world / am
there in the spirit, or i'll some substance
of which we know nothing.
1T is common belief with some peo-
pie that they have another body in CO.
existence with themselves. These dreams
have won me over to that belief, though
surely it is seldom that knowledge of the
doings of his twin being is vouchsafed
to a man in such a manner"
Col Kenyon paused. The narration of