Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-11-08

she started, intending to be gone a
fortnight.
One night 1 exercised little beyond
my strength, and felt quite tired Mt
night and lay awake for long time.
At last fell into III uneasy slumber
and dreamed very curious and startl-
ing dream. seemed to have gone
forward into the future couple of
days. and instead of Wednesday, the
Path, 1t seemed to be Friday, the 26th.
II seemed in my dream that a heavy
rain had been falling most of the day
and all the day before. but the even
aug WAS SO clear and pleasant and not
very dark, though the moon was not
shining.
seemed to be walking along the
railroad toward the east. / first passed
through wood about half mile
wide; then for about mile through
fields containing couple of farm
houses, one Inhabited and the other
deserted. then entered another wood,
and, after walking about mile and
q half, l came to stream greatly
swollen by the rain, which had weak
sened the railroad bridge so much that
the passenger train. in attempting to
cross, had broken it down, and the
bridge and cars, completely wrecked,
were lying on both sides of the stream,
except portions that were floating
down. Some OF the passengers lay dead
or dying among the ruins, some were
floating in the water, and few were
clinging to trees and bushes on the
bank. 1t was fearful and heartrend
ing sight.
The next day, enrly In the morning,
It commenced raining, and continued
to rain through the day and following
night. ! felt very lonely and uneasy
all day, which feeling was increased
byreceivlng letter from my wife say
ing that she Intended TO come home
on Friday night by the express train.
I retired late, telling much worried on
account of my fearful dream. And to
add to this fear, presentiment, or what.
ever you may call 1t, the dream was
repeated, and even more distinct and
vivid than the first time
When arose in the morning the
rain was still falling. This was Friday.
and therefore was the day on which
my wife was to start for home. There
were two passenger trains from the
east each day, one at 0 o'clock In the
forenoon and the other at 0 in the
evening. This last was the express
train, and the one on which my wife
was coming.
Toward the middle Of the afternoon
the rain ceased falling and the clouds
slowly cleared away. The dream had
made such an impression on my mind
that resolved to attempt to find the
stream had seen SO plainly in my
dreams, and II 1t appeared at all dan
gerous to attempt to stop the train be-
fore reaching 1t. Accordingly. soon
after the rain was over got ready
and started. had never before had
occasion to visit the station in this d.
rection. and was therefore entirely UNI
acquainted with this part Of the coun-
try. But l found everything just as 1t
had appeared In my dream.
Immediately after starting passed
through the wood l had seen in my
dream, and then entered the open field
and found the two farmhouses, one
inhabited and the other deserted. In
fact, everything was as natural as II
I had really been this way before.
walked slowly, and late In the after
noon came to the stream, which
flowed rapidly and seemed much
swollen. But the bridge, instead of
being broken down and mingled with
the broken cars and mangled passen-
gers. was still standing, and though
its timber looked quite old and
weather-beaten, there seemed to be
little danger of Its breaking down be-
meath the weight of passing train.
There was heavy freight train due
from the west about o'clock, and
resolved to wait until Mt least 1t came,
and II 1t passed over in safety there
could be, thought, but little DANCE.
OF accident TO the lighter passenger
train.
In due time 1t rame laundering
along and passed safely over the bridge.
by Rut: though Y might have been owing