The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-11-06
THE OLD MANS
DREAM.
By Douglass H. Morse.

He knew that he was browsing in
his chair and that the light was burn
ing low. He thought that he would
arouse himself. presently, before he
had Quite-ah! what was that-did
some one knock just then, at the
doom? He could not be sure; 1t
sounded SO far away. He struggled
TO drag himself back to full con-
seriousness and to listen. He fancied
that he had very nearly succeeded;
he felt that he was almost poised and
then, in twinkling he had lost his
balance and he was slipping-slipping.
He had a vague sense of trying to
catch himself, OF clutching at threads
that snapped before him. Then be-
fore he was quite over the border he
heard. or rather sensed, once more
a rapping-very faint but very real,
and the realnes of 1t caught and held
him there irresistibly. His nerves
tingled in response, but it seemed an
age before he could speak. Then,
naturally enough, he cried, "Come
int" But his voice sounded foreign
and distant like some one else'S
voice. and he found himself wonder
Ing dimly whether he really had
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Presently it occurred to him that
the door had opened. His voice then
-of course. The cloud lifted i'm
mediately; it was astonishing how
clear everything became. Some one
was coming in. He was aware of a
strange. battered figure that stepped
forward uncertainty, screening
lighted miners candle with one hand.
Somehow or other even before the
figure spoke, he knew that it was
Dickie.
dad. I'm sorry to bother you
once more" the figure laughed nerv-
ously.
Yes. 1t was Dickie-of that much
he was certain. But it was perfect
ly impossible for Dickie to be there,
and he was equally certain of that;
for his SON had gone away, very far
away. and he would never come back
lat any rate never like that, in those
outlandish clothes. Spruce. fastidi-
GUS Dickie! It was so inconsistent
SO utterly absurd that he perceived
at once that he was dreaming, and
began to admire the logical soundness
OF his own inference To know that
ne was dreaming and yet to dream
on! He could scarcely restrain
self-satisfied smile as he leaned back
easily in his chair.
II have come back, once more.
against your orders" Dick was say.
ing, "and against my own resolve.
have no right. I know, after" he
paused and clapped his hand to the
back of his head in that old, awK
ward way.
After my folly, and your injus-
tice. swore. then. dt should be the
last time-but 1 was mad when 1
swore. And so went OFF to the
mines"
His voice broke huskfly. and his
face was so very white. The hand
which ne dropped from his head was
gloved with blood. and his brown hair
also was matted with black grume.
For the first time he noticed that
there was an ugly cash behind
Dickie's ear. This frightened him
until he remembered that 1t was all
a dream. He resolved that he would
not forget that ard become confused
again. But why should Dlckie look
so terribly serious? Perhaps he did
not know it was a dream. On the
whole the situation was rather anus
ing. and he was half-minded to laugh,
but then-he might awaken, and he
wanted to see the end.
Dickie,. who had staSted again,
stopped short and WINGED just a lit
tie at that flicker of a smile. Then
he frowned at his candle and con-
tinued:
Tonight was. working In an old
shaft. The timbers must have been
rotten All remember is the crash"
The other was listening now The
notion to laugh had suddenly lei him.
when ! came to. everything was
dark. lit this candle 1t is all /
have-wben it goes out will be