The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-07-08
Dreams Wife Is Drowning
VISION AND TRAGEDY OF AN
EvENTFUL LIFE.
Do dreams ever come true?

with began though ! suppose al
dreams are more or less strange.
had been quite i'll of typhoid fever
and was slowly recovering my
strength and one night l dreamed
such a dreami
! In my vision saw my wife far
from me on board ship. Beside her
in a steamer chair sat man of ex-
client build square shouldered, dark
Of complexion and handsome, except
that his smile that seemed SO captivat-
/ ing to her WAS to me but sheer that
his big, black mustache indifferently
masked.
II saw that dark strangers eyes
CLEAN as he bent toward her~my wife
the woman who had sworn to love,
honor and obey me- and ! also noted
with grinding teeth that this same
wife of mine returned his gaze with
an ardor that was hardly less than his.
Day after day | watched them as
the hot, semi-tropic sun beat down
upon the deck awnings which shell
tered them.
Such a dream! 1t affects me even
now. One night saw them meet by
moonlight They sequestered them
selves far forward. Most of the pas
sengers had gone to their staterooms
and they were practically alone. ]
saw him take her in his arms and
oh, | seemed pinioned by some
mighty force--and, though | raved and
struggled madly to break away and
70 and throttle this wrecker of my
life, could do nothing,
Well, suddenly the whole scene
changed ! saw the ship, the same
ship. in the midst of frightful storm. !
The vessel was first away up in the |
air and then all but submerged in the
deep gulf beyond the high hilltop OF |
water over which it plunged. saw
the boats lowered and crowded by /
frantic people and Immediately sunk
and the writing sea all busy with
he despairing. drowning victims.
"All the boats We're swamped, one
after another, and the terror stricken
passengers leaped overheard and
grasped with futile frenzy floating
'pars and other wreckage. AT length
he ship was left with only two cling
ng to the rigging. They were claspad
n each others arms and as the yes
el plunged down for the last time
hey went with it. still closely cling
ng together" I
And what next?" queried one OF
lis auditors.
Three months later | went Ia New
FORK to await the arrival of my wife t
rom the Bermudas," Mr. Beckwith /,
ontinued She had not been in the I
'est Of health and so sent her there
AT the first opportunity arranged
o meet her at New York and ! sent
Ter draft for all the money she I.
eeded. | had mentioned certain /
teamer for her to take and knew
ghen that vessel would bring her to
Jew York.
We'll, | was there on time and
rent at once 10 the company's Offices
nd asked II that steamer was not
ne to arrive the next day The two
Jerks who heard me looked at each
Their and then one said to me: You
aven't heard? That steamer went
own off Hatteras two days ago. Only
lree souls were saved
81 was stricken dumb for a moment:
len / gasped: My wife-Mrs Beck \
18th" n
" I'm sorry to have to tell You, but
, women We're saved, said the clerk. h
Were there twO-a woman and
an-clinging to the rigging at the Y
st" inquired,
Why, yes; so understand 4
Mr. Beckwith stopped again and
ere was moment Of silence. his II
lditors refraining from speech in n
ference to the feelings of the mar 4
tor n
Il dropped into a chair" he re Is
Imed at length and gave up 10 dis X
acting thoughts. OF course knew. x
lthout any telling, even before tho b
lcial spoke. that my wife was dead 4.
DIV with my conviction made alb ~
lutte certainty | considered ner fate n
all It's bearings and concluded that b
was best that she should go down n
Nh the ship. better FOR her and for n
o. as Of course. there could be no IS
Cancellation, nor even liberation on n
v part and better for the children. N
ho would now never suffer the grief "a
seeing their parents estranged and y
ing apart YES. II was beet that she p
ould be buried deep in the great n
iters. I was convinced" Al
And so your dream did come true n
literally" said one Of the hearers Il
ter a pause.
No. not az ALL" answered Mr.. Beck. u
m. beginning 10 smile. Is
Why, how's that? You dreamed &
and afterward you awakened and &
md the facts corroborated your VI
IN"
mo. that's the odd part Of it.
yer walked at ALL just dreamed
yht along"
'But you lost your wife?" put in
p other man
No. I'm a bachelor-Rever had
fe She was a dream. too"
Mr. Beckwith laughed outright now
lille his companions stared at each
ler.
I'm tell You one thing. though he n