Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1918-08-14
A STRANGE DREAM
By ELLEN HUMPHREY.

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| Copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa-
| per Syndicate)
Mrs. Hill had been alone all day
Even her hired maid was gone, as it
was her day off. She was very lonely.
It was her seventy-third birthday and
she had not even received a card. Had
they all forgotten her? All she had, of
her very own, were her three grand
daughters, Laura, Bertha and Marion.
They were all married and had homes
Of their own, SO why should they think
of her, although she had loved them
| all.
| A sadness had come over her today
| that -. had never felt so strongly
| before, if some OF them were only nt"J
| her.
Jane came in and called to her q
| cheerful goodnight. Jane was a good
girl and Mrs. Hill liked her, but she
was young and had friends of her
own.
81 will go to bed and forgS," sighed
Mrs. HILL
That night she dreamt she was OF
the street Of the town in WhiCG she
lived and there was great excitement;
people were hurrying in one direction,
so she asked a man what the trouble
was. He told her that the Leslie &
Marsh banking corporation had failed
Why, that was the bank where she
kept her money. The excitement
awoke her and she was very glad tc
find it had been only dream. After &
while she went to sleep again and had
the same dream, only it was more real
this time. When she aWOke the sec
Ond time she could not quiet herself
enough to sleep any more that night.
The next day Mrs. Hill decided to
draw her money out of the bank ana
keep it in her safe at home.
Weeks passed, nothing had hap
pened in the bank and she told herself
she was ''superstitious old silly"
She had about made up her mind to
deposit her money in the bank again,
when one morning, after breakfast,
Jane came running in from her shop
ping "trip ali excited.
ooh, airs. Hill, there's great excite
mcnt NcWn$treet. The Leslie ard SEINE
thing bank has failed!"
'What bank:" exclaimed Mrs. Hill.
1.-THE Leslie and some other name I
didn't quite get--Why, did you have
any money il it?'
NO" answered Mrs. IIiI quietly,
but it is strange"
Three days later she received three
letters from her three granddaughters.
They all knew her money had been in
the bank that had failed. She opened
Bertha's letter first ana it read:
'Dear Crandma--J have just heard
the awful news about the bank failure.
What are you going to do? l would
ask you to come and stay with Us for
q while but we are going away for the
summer and could not leave you alone
very wei. Please write and let me
know what you are going to Go, as /
an very anxious about you.
'Lovingly, BERTHA"
Mrs. Hill took up the next one ana
read:
Dear Grandmother-I was shocked
when 1 heard Of the banks failure
where you kept your money. What
will you do? Can't you let your house
uAtt hcCi) q IOCIil IL IL ! IL NOuiO Sttll1
more like home than anywhere else.
will go to see you as soon as 1 can.
"YOurs with love, LAURA"
"Wen," said Mrs. Hill, and she took
off her glasses to wipe the tears out
of her eyes, Il wonder what Marion
will want me to do?" and she opened
the third letter with trembling fin
gers and quivering lips"
Dearest Grandma" wrote Marion.
Il was very sorry to hear that the
bank where you kept your money had
failed, but that isn't nearly as bad as
if something had happened to you.
Now, grandma, dear, George and
want you to come and live with us;
we have a nice room and you can
bring some of your things if you want
to. 1t is beautiful here on the farm
now, so don't hesitate, but write as
soon as you can after you get this let
ter and tell us what day you will come.
Hoping to see you soon; lots Of love
from Marion and George"
Grandma Hill read Marion's letter
twice and decided she would go.
Two weeks later found Mrs. Hill in
MariOn'S home; she was made very
welcome. Marion and her husband !
seemed to be very happy. After she |
had been there some weeks she over |
heard them anxiOusly talking about a
debt. They did not know that she |
could hear them. Then evening came. |
"Now is the time" she said, and as |
they sat in the sitting room that eve !
hing she arose and started to go up /
stairs.
you're not going to bed so early, |
are you, srandma?' inquired Marion.
Il was going to read you a story from
the new magazine that came today"
II will be back in a few minutes
replied grandma, and when she did
come back she was carrying a large |