The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-10-21
Dream


ODe summer uAy Wueu aLmCA
Bingham was washing his hands at
the kitchen door preparatory TO the
MONDAY meal a tramp turned in from
the highway and asked for a bite to
eat He was asked If he would work
for it. and after a look in the direc-
lion of the cornfeld and a shake of the
head he replied:
I'm just out of the hospital with
three broken ribs and am not strong
enough. but I'll do a heap better than
to handle hoe. l turned in here be-
cause | dreamed Of this place last
night while l was sleepin in a barn
Eve miles away. Yes. it's the same
place-house, barn, orchard. blue pump
In the well and everything else. It's
just as II my dream had been photo
graphed."
What sort of a dream?' asked the
farmer. but without much curiosity.
Il thought / stood right there under
that pear tree and saw you come up
from the barn. You had an iron bound
box on your shoulder, and you could
hardly stagger under it. You threw
1t down just where that old hen is
scratchin and got the ak and broke
it open. Gee whizp'
"And what?"
well, the $50 gold pieces went 1y-
in all around here like snowfakes in
winter 1t was the beautifulest sight
my eyes ever beheld-great big yaller
coins. and how they did chink togeth-
er! 1t was their chinkin' that woke
me up"
"But there's nothing in dreams" said
the farmer, although he was beginning
to turn pale around the mouth.
"Mebbe not, mebbe not, but / never
had one yet that didn't come true. Are
you willin' to let me search your barn
and gimme half what findT'
'eYou sit down here and I'll bring
you out some dinner, and then wen
talk further about it."
Farmer Bingham was no fool. He
was a young man of twenty five and
was accounted above the average in
sharpness, but the dream hit him. He
had scarcely related it to his wife
| when she exclaimed:
'sYou carry that tramp out the big
gest dinner he ever had and then pump
him dry and get rid of him."
After the tramp had eaten his fill he
offered to help them about the box.
They made excuses.
Ladies and gentlemen" he said, 81
underestimate perfectly understand.
You don't want me around when the
box is found and opened. You don't
| 10 f1k. oh uly oh inl If
them WALLER boys. You think I'd claim
sheer for dreamin'. WAL. I'll move
on and let you have al the fun TO your
selves"
The tramp was watched out of sight,
and then the couple went to the barn
and began their search. They had put
In two hours and were still at 1t when
Mrs Bingham's mother arrived. The
idea was not to give her the slightest
hint about the treasure. but in the
! course of half an hour she had picked
the information from her daughter.
Then she said:
r Amelia, you want to see that you
get your rights in this thing. Half that
money belongs to you, and you want
r to stand up for it."
a But George will do what's right
I about it, Of course"
There's no Of course about it. The
minute he gets that box in his hands his
greed will be aroused. He won't want
to give you enough to buy an apron out
of It"
{ That old barn was almost turned bot
T tom side up. but no box was found.
o The farmers brother came around
next morning on an errand. and when
= he found George crawling out from I'M
u der the hogpen he wanted an explana-
: ton and had to have it. AS soon as he
= got it he said:
''You look out for Amelia. If ever I
saw avarice in a womans eyes it's in
\ hers. She'll want at least half of the
money to buy gimcracks with
II Before noon the wife's father and two
brothers and sisters were on hand. and
after them came the husbands father
J and other brother. There were wran-
Cling and quarreling from the start.
II When the dirt floor of the smokehouse
y was spaded up and the spade struck
an old tomato can. there We're pushing
is and showing and swearing. When the
farmer prepared TO drain off the wa
- tiers Of the goose pond and refused to
pledge himself to an equal division
- there was a fight, out of which grew
- bloody noses and black eyes. OF
"a course the affair attracted the atten.
ton of the neighbors, and they came
y by the dozen TO mix in and help along
e. things. The barn was pulled almost
III TO pieces, the ground dug up in fifty
Is different places and an old well on the
premises cleaned out. The house and
/ cellar were searched straw stacks
p tipped over, and there was fever in
al the veins of the searchers. The farmer
y and his wife had reached the poin
re where they no longer spoke TO eacf
J. other. their kin were quarreling a
every possible excuse. and the county
sheriff had about concluded to take
:. hand in 1t when the old tramp who haC
n dreamed was seen turning into tht
:, gate again. A rush was made for him
ia and as soon as he could get his breatt
he be explained: