Catoctin clarion., 1918-09-12
A STRANGE DREAM
BY ELLEN HUMPHREY.
Copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)

Mrs. Hill had been alone all day.
Even her hired maid was gone, As 1t
was her day off. She was very lonely.
II was her seventy-third birthday and
she had not even received 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 she had never felt so strongly
before, If some Of them were only near
her.
Jane came in and called to her a
cheerful goodnight. Jane was a good
girl and Mrs. Hill liked her. but she
was young and had friends Of her
own.
"I will 60 to bed and forget" sighed
Mrs. Hill.
That night she dreamt she was on
the street Of the town in which she
lived and there was great excitement;
people were hurrying in one direction,
SO she asked man what the trouble
was. He told her that the Leslie Il
Marsh banking corporation had failed.
Why, that was the bank where she
Kept her money. The excitement
awoke her and she was very glad to
Hrd it had been only dream. After
While she went to sleep again and had
the same dream, only 1t was more real
this time. When she awoke the Sec
pnd 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 and
keep it In her safe at home.
Weeks passed, nothing had hap
pened in the bank and she told herself
she was a "superstitlous 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 all excited.
"Oh, Mrs. Hill, there's great excite
ment downstreet. The Leslie and some
thing bank has failedw
What bank?" exclaimed Mrs. Hill.
"The Leslie and some other name l
didn't quite get-why, did you have
any money in it2"
NO" answered Mrs. Hill 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
Berths's letter first and 1t read:
"Dear Grandma-I have just heard
the awful news about the bank failure.
What are you going to do2 would
ask you to come and stay with us FOR
a while. but we are going away for the
summer and could not leave you alone
very well. Please write and let me
know what you are going to do. as
am very anxious about you.
Lovingly, BERTHA"
Mrs. Hill took up the next one and
read:
Dear Grandmother-I was shocked
when / heard of the banks failure
where you kept your money. What
will YOU do? Cant you let your house
and keep room in 1t? 1t would seem
more like home than anywhere else.
| will go to see you as soon as l can.
"Yours, with love, LAURA
"Well," said Mrs. Hill, and she took
off her glasses to wipe the tears out
of her eyes, II wonder what Marion
will want me to dor and she opened
the third letter with trembling nm
gers and quivering lips"
dearest Grandma" wrote Marion.
II 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 l
want you to come and live with us;
we have 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 Marlon's letter
twice and decided she would'g0.
Two weeks later found Mrs. Hill IN
Marlon'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
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
ming she arose and started to 60 up
stairs.
you're not going to bed so early,
are you, grandma?" inquired Marion.
81 was going to read you 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
safety box. She sat down by the table
near Marion and opened 1t.
"Why, Grandma Hill. where did you
get all of that money! exclaimed
Marion.
count It," answered grandma.
-Four thousand dollars" cried Mar
ion. "Why, grandma, didn't you lose
your money when the bank failedT
NO." replied grandma, rather hap
pily. "and it is all yours now. You
have given me love in place of 1t, and
perhaps 1 would have not had either
had I not had such strange dream"
Then she told them of her dream