THE TIMES, NEW BL00MFIEL1), PA., SElTEMBElt 13, 1881.
WAS IT A VISION ?
ON the 2(tth of AugUBt, 18(12, I was la
the Union army, and the regiment
to which I belonged wan deployed as
skirmishers In front of Longst reefs
(Confederate) corps, not far from
Gainesville, Vft. During the day there
was some firing on the part of the
opposite forces, but no sustained
engagement, although we cotlnued to
press upon the enemy until darkness
settle! down and put an end to further
mana-uvers.
At nightfall, I with four or live com
panies of niy command, remained In
the position occupied by them iluiiug
the day, while the rest of the regiment,
detailed for picket duty advanced to the
front.
I was in excellent health and spirits,
but being greatly fatigued, full asleep
almost Immediately after the arrange
ment for the night had been perfected,
and soon began to dream.
For some considerable time my mind
wandered over the events or dwelt upon
the scenes which were familiar, aud
which, upon awakening 1 found no
difficulty in locating.
After a while, however, I wandered
into a dreamland where all seemed
-strange. I fancied myself in a line of
battle with my comrades lying In apiece
of timber fringing an open field for some
considerable extent, the farther side
of which sloped geTitly forward form
ing a ridge parallel to our frout. Upon
the ridge I could distinguish something
like a dozen cannons, and could see the
Confederate artillerymen resting upon
the earth or lounging in little groups
with their guns, as distinctly as I could
have done with my natural vision.
I could almost perceive the puff of
smoke from the rilles of the enemy's
sharpshooters and hear the reports of
their firearms, and the ding aud thud of
the bullets. I might here mention as a
further description of the field, that the
wood in which we lay was quite clear
' -of underbrush ; that we occupied the
edge nearest the foe, with a rail fence
between us and the cleared space of
which I have spoken, aud this fence
some three hundred yards, more or less,
to our right turned oft' at a right angle
aud ran quite up to the Confederate
Jine. As was the case where we lay, so
it was on our right. The fence separated
, the cleared field from the timber, which
latter constituted two sides of a paral
ellogram, the angle being, as already ob
served, not far from the right wing of
my regiment.
While I was taking in these details,
and experiencing meanwhile the pecu
liar sensation which sometimes annoy
even old campaigners when compelled
to remain inactive under a drooping fire,
I thought an order came for us to charge
the batteries before us.
About midway in our line, running
parallel with our line, I noticed a de
pression commonly called by farmers a
"Dead furrrow" it being the "finish
ing oft'" place in ploughed fields. We
passed over this and continued our
charge across the open space and up the
slope to the very muzzle of the cannon
tionirades falling by scores at every step
and then, all at once, we seemed to be
enveloped in impenetrable darkness.
My senses were left blank. The next
moment, however, light returned and I
was lying on the ground, fighting still
going on about me, but whether wound
ed or not, my dream, or whatever it
was, did not inform me.
While thus prostrate and helpless, I
. gazed about me and saw, a short distance
in the rear of the guns, a small cabin,
and in its gable, which was towards me,
& window.
About the building were grouped
many wounded men, some standing,
others lying dowu. In the immediate
vicinity of myself there seemed to be
hundreds who had fallen in the con
test. Casting my eyes in the direction from
which we had come, I beheld the rem
nant of my command in full retreat.
I also noticed the sun, which was shin
ing brightly, and appeared to be in the
vicinity of an hour above setting.
At this point I was awakened from
my slumber, and learned the time to be
about 2 P. M., of August . 0. Having
my dream as I considered it, in my
jnind, I made Inquiries and ascertained
that during my nap everything had re
mained uuusuully quiet, only a few
shots having been exchanged on the
picket line.
An hour after we were on the march
to Hauaxsasand the baltletleld-of Grove
ton. i I must really confess that the realistic
character of my excogitations during
sleep affected me considerably, and all
the more because the scenery depict
ed was altogether strange. My memory
though questioned to the uttermost,
failed to recall any locality through
which I had ever passed that at all re
sembled It, Consequently I felt unusu
ally gloomy and depressed in spirits,
and all the morning carried In my heart
a presentlmeut, the nature of which can
scarcely be described, of approaching
evil.
The old battlefield of Bull Hun was
reached early In the forenoon, and about
12 M., we were advanced a mile or so
to the northward, where we were as
signed our position in the line of battle
then forming.'
The statlou occupied by my regiment
happened to be in a timber skirting an
open field, which terminated at a dis
tance of some 000 or 000 yards in front
of us In a ridge crowned with several
Confederate battrles, the guns In plain
sight.
The enemy's sharpshooters lay by
their artillery, concealed from view,
but the puds of smoke from the mus
kets sufficiently Indicated their locality,
and disclosed the fact that our opposite
lines were parallel.
On our left the country was open, but
In the opposite direction, beginning at a
distance of some three hundred yards
from our right, the timber extended up
to and beyond the ridge already de
scribed. '
The excitement consequent upon the
fighting going on about me and the
skirmish firing drove the dream tempo
rarily out of my mind, although its im
pressions were allowed to remain.
About 5 o'clock in the afternoon, as I
could judge, we were ordered to charge
the position in our front; and the vari
rous regiments of the brigade, niy own
occupying the second place from the
left, advanced to the dangerous under
taking. Moving from our place of shelter, we
were greeted with a severe shower of
grape, cannlster or shell, the first dis
charge of which we encountered as we
were climbing or in some manner get
ting over or past a worm fence of five or
six rails high, and which had Interven
ed between ourselves and the cleared
field beyond.
When about half the distance of the
ridge had been traversed, one of the
men nearest to me fell; aud although
going at a double quick, I noticed as I
hastily glanced down at him, that he
had fallen In a " dead furrow ;" but yet
the event of the night previous did not
recur to me. I was thinking of some
thing else about that time.
We charged ahead aud reached the
hill. The enemy's gunners had lied.
The crest was almost gained, as we
(or at least, I) thought, when suddenly
I found myself in total darkness. A
pressure upon my throat, a ringing in
my ears as though my head was plunged
in a stream of running water; a sensa
tion of dizziness, numbness, suffocation,
aud of falling, and then a shock as' I
struck the ground ; how well I remem
ber it all now.
The concussion of the fall seemed to
restore my sight (consciousness had
never left rue) and to this day the in
cidents then transpiring are as fresh as
though they had occurred within the
year.
For instance; While I was momen
tarily reeling, just at the time of being
hit, preparatory to a fall over backward,
I heard a comrade remark ; " There
goes " (mentioning my name,)
and I remember thinking, even on my
way down to the Mother Earth with
the back of my head, that I was "gone"
instead of going.
But to continue : So soon after fall
ing as possible, I constituted myself a
board of survey to assess the damages
sustained, and forthwith entered upon
the investigation.
I found that as a personal matter the
injuries were quite serious a minnie
ball having penetrated my throat.passed
between the jugular and windpipe, and
found an exit at the back cf the nec"k,
quite low down, and close by the spine
which is slightly fractured.
After making up and sending in this
report, aud doing what I could to stop
the flow of blood by forcing into the
wound some lint, and a handkerchief I
fortunately had with me, I crawled, as
best I could, in my paralyzed condition,
to a more sheltered position, which,
however, was exceedingly difficult to
find.
It was the hottest place I was ever in,
and hotter than I hope for in the future,
The loss was terrible, more than half
my command being either killed or
wounded, the other regiments of the
brigade suffered in proportion.
(Speaking of hot places in a battle, one
does not cannot understand what
they are until he is struck down on the
field, there to lie, utterly helpless, while
bullets are humming and singing like
ten thousand swarms of bees, pattering
on the ground and casting up little pull's
of dust and dirt.as the rain drops during
a heavy shower do on the waters of a
lake, or crushing into the bone or strik
ing with a dull thud the quivering flesh
while grape and cannlster shot and
shell are bowling, hissing screaming
over and about bis prostrate form I say
one must need experience all these
things in order to fully understand the
meaning of the term " a hot place."
Then, if he thinks at all be will be
Inclined to believe that the cauldron of
bell, with the cover off, Is but an Ice
cavern compared to the particular local
ity fate has fated him to occupy. The
fighting continued only a short time
after I fell ; but before It was thorough
ly over I dragged myself into a cut of
an abandoned railroad, which ran along
its lilll-slde almost at its summit, and
where the Confederate army had lain.
As I did this I caught sight of a small
cabin standing Just beyond the batteries
we had bo vainly tried to capture.
I could perceive the roof, and as low
down as the eaves. The gable stood
facing me and In it was a small window.
At this moment I remembered my
visions of the previous night. In
stlnctlvely I turned and looked in the
direction of my comrades. They were
In full retreat, followed rip by the victo
rious foe. The sun was low down In the
heavens, Just as I seen it In my sleep.
Boon afterward the Confederates car
ried me back to the cabin. Hundreds
of our wounded were there as well as
the enemy's besides a large number of
men who had died. Everything corres
ponded with what I bad gazed upon
four hours before.
The vision was verified. Now comes
the curious feature of the case. The
nearest I had ever been to the locality
described, previous to the day on which
I was wounded, was upon the old Bull
ltuu battle-field, some two miles distant,
and from which It was absolutely Im
possible to get a limited view of the
field upon which I lay. I had never
seen a sketch or photograph of the coun
try. These are facts upon controversy.
How then is the matter to he explained V
Was it simply a coincidence, or was
the circumstance to be properly classed
among those strange cases of "second
sight," of which we read V
I can understand an ordinary dream,
for the visions which it brings to view
are almost invariably based upon some
Incident of the past. The visions may
be grotesque or distorted, but yet, if we
search long aud carefully enough, we
cau reasonably aocouut for them. As
heat will restore the date on a coiu other
wise uudistlnguishable, so sleep wlU
frequently restore, through the agency
of dreams scenes and events long since
forgotten aud gone from the recollection
during waking hours. But if the coin
never bore a date then nothing exists to
be restored. But if there be no foun
dation in fact, how can a simple dream
bring to view scenes through which the
dreamer subsequently passes that are
verified in every important particular
by his actual experience t
It Is a knotty problem.aud one I have
tried again and again to solve, but with
out success.
The facts are submitted as they actual
ly presented themselves in my case, and
let blm who can, or thinks he can, fur
nish the key that shall explalu them
satisfactorily.
A Chapter on Pens.
DOUBTLESS the first Instrument
ever used by man for writing was a
stick, with which marks were made on
the earth and next to that a stone for
making more durable marks upon bard
substances. But in the most ancient
periods of civilization we find allusions
to the stylus and the sheets of wax.
The ancleut Egyptians used a particular
kind of reed for writing with ink.
Along the shores of the Oriental sea this
reed is still found, and is still common
ly used as a writing utensil. It is very
hard and about the size of a goose quill.
Pens made of this reed were well
enough adapted to writing the Eastern
alphabets, which consist for the most
part of straight and thick strokes, with
aspringllng of dots. But when the dif
fusion of the Latin language demanded
finer Instruments, the feathers of the
large birds began to be used, such as the
swan, the ostrich, the turkey, the goose,
and the crow. Of all these, the goose
quill was found to be the best, and this
became throughout Christeudom the
universal writing implement about the
year 000 A. D., and held its ground uutil
within the recollection of living men.
Indeed, there is still a considerable num
ber of persons who still prefer the goose
quill to any other implement.
Both the goose and man have been
great gainers by the introduction of
metallic pens. The consumption of
goose quills lu forty years was enormous.
Oreat Britain imported in one year -0000,
000, from St. Petersburg alone,aud in all
civilized countries the trade in the article
was very large. At the schools the mend
ing and making of pens was a serious task
to the teacher, every boy being supplied
dally with from two to six pens, all of
which bad to be mended after being
used. I can well remember when teach
ers were obliged to spend all the odd
moments of the day ia mending pens ;
for this was one of the tasks which a
boy could not be trusted to attempt.
He was extremely likely to waste a
quill, and cut two or three fingers, as
the knife had to be extremely sharp.
The goose was also a great sufferer.
It was discovered that the quill feathers
could be taken every year from the 11 v-
blrd, and so leave room for another crop
to grow. The operation was performed
by farmers' wives, who first caught the
goose, and then thrust Its bead Into a
stocking; after which the quills could
he drawn without danger from an aveng
ing bill.
Millions of men aud geese felt the In
convenience of the quill pen, which or
dinarily had to be changed or mended
after twenty minutes of continuous use
The first attempt to substitute metallic
pens was made In England In 1804; but
the attempt was not very successful.
The pens then were made In the barrel
form, similar to the quill pen in shape,
but thick and clumsy, being wholly
made by hand. They were kept in a
case of bone for carrying in the pocket,
and were used to some little extent by
commercial travelers. The great objec
tlon to them was that they, cost a dollar
and a quarter each, and the point was
very soon oorroded by the action of the
ink. They were not worth their cost
and soon fell into disuse.
The first American patent for metallic
pens hears date 1810, aud was Issued to
Peregrlme Williamson, of Baltimore.
This patent also seems to have borne no
fruit, and little was beard of steel pens
until, about the year 18i9, when a cer
tain Mr. Perry produced an article that
really answered the purpose.
What People Say.
ONE of the perpetual stumbling blocks
in the way of happiness Is that re
curring question, "What will people
say!1" We would wear our old clothes
and be comfortable, live on half our in
come and put half aside for a time of
need, do without a great many things
which are unnecessary but fashionable,
and choose for our acquaintances and
friends the people we like best, but
" what will people say V" as if people,
which does not mean the few for whom
we really care, but the great abstract
world, have any thing to do with it.
Do people pay our bills when we buy
what we do not want to please them t
Do they think any more of us when we
have climbed by infinite pains aud in
convenience to their standard? Much
more likely they see through our foolish
tissue of worldllness and toadying, and
despise us for the very effort we made.
There is nothing so futile and fleeting as
popular favor. The people who from a
sudden fancy or caprice, may take us up
to-day will drop us to,morrow ; the
man or woman who lives with this
end in view will be disappointed and de
serves to be, for working for popular
praise, or from a fear of what people
will say, can never be productive of
good. Shakespeare has said, " Be thou
as pure as ice and chaste as snow, thou
shalt not escape calumny," and the cen
sure of the world a light thing so it be
undeserved. There are sweet and gentle
natures which shrink from its adverse
criticism. They believe in "people."
iney tuioK tue woriu a kind of alma
mater, instead of censorious judge, uutil
too late, they find that they have ex
pended all their strength and courage
in trying to please and failed, and they
never rally from the shock.
The Blind Miner.
About two weeks ago a man came to
Warrior Station (a mining region tweu-ty-one
miles north of Birmingham, on
South and North Alabama Railroad)
seeking employment as a miner of coal,
When it was discovered that he was
blind be was laughed at, and it was
thought an impossibility for a blind
raau to dig coal. He persisted lu his
efforts to secure a place, only asking
that a fair test be given blm. After a
short time he was ttken to the mine and
proved bis efficiency as a miner.' He
works without a lamp, as that would
be of no benefit to a person deprived of
eyesight. The coal mined by this man
is said to be as clear of slate and dirt as
that of any one employed in the mines,
and the yield from his room as great as
that of other miners. His little son
leads blm to the mines and into bis
work room, leaving his father during
the day, who digs coal, separates it from
the dirt and other substances, keeps the
the roof of bis room propped up, loads
the small cars aud pushes them out to
the main track, as if be possessed the
eyesight of two persons. At night the
dutiful son returns to the mines, takes
bis father by the band and leads him
borne. W. A. Graves is bis name, and
be is a native of Union County, Ga.,
was a Confederate soldier, and on April
9, 18G4, at Appomattox Court House
had a minnie ball pass through his tem
ple, causing the total loss of eyesight.
lUrminyham Observer.
Skill In the Workshlp.
To do good work the mechanic must
have good health, IT long Hours or con
finment in close rooms have enfeebled
bis band or dimmed bis sight, let blm at
once, and before some organic trouble
appears, take plenty of Hop Hitters.
His system will be rejuvenated, bis
nerves strengthened, bis sight becomes
clear, ana his whole constitution be
built up to a better worklug on run
ton. 37-!18
'r- St
EEnillEDY.
FOB
E
9 itiBii win r
w w Tr mr k m e. ii
Nauralgia, Sciatica, Lumbago,
Backache, Soreness of the Chest, Gout,
Quinsy, Sore Throat, Swellings and
Sprains, Burns and Scalds,
General Bodily Pains,
Tooth, Ear and Headache, Frosted Feet
and Ears, and all other Pains
and Aches.
No Prr-psratlon on enrth equals Pt. J On. na
ft i,mri', fmfnml rhrttp Kxterrml Remedy.
A trial entail but the comparatively trifling outlny
of BO Ontn. mid every one fmflerliiK with paiu
can have cheap and positive proof of Its claims.
Direction! In Eleven languages.
BOLD BT AIL DRUGGISTS AND DEALERS IN
MEDICINE.
A.VOGHLXR & CO.,
linltimnrr, Sfd., V. 8. A.
May 3, 1881 ly
jusTalleiT
CENTRAL STORE
.NEWPORT, PENN'A.
Now oiler the public
A KAKE AND ELEGANT ASSORTMENT OF
DRESS GOODS
Consisting of all shades suitable for the season
BLACK ALPACCAS
AND
Mourning Goods
A SPECIALITY.
BLEACHED AND UNBLEACHED J
M U8LINB,
AT VARIOUS PRICES.
AN KINDLE SELECTION OP PRINTS'
We sell and do keen a, ennd duality rtf
SUGARS, COFFEES & SYRUPS
a 4 -..,..... 1. 1 .. i t ji . a
auu ovciwiiug unuer me ueau 01 ?
GROCERIES !
Machine needles and oil for all makes ol
Machines.
To be convinced that our goods are
CHEAP AS THE CHEAPEST,
IS TO CALL AND EXAMINE STOCK.
No trouble to show goods.
Don't forRet the
CENTRAL STORE,
Newport, Perry County, Pa.
TJ iS S3
PURE
TINTED GLOSS
PAINT !
DOi'V'T
make experiments on your buildings with untried
aud unreliable amides at your expense.
for water and benzine fl.CO to I2.C0 per gallon.
IiO U Ti
the Lucas reliable and guaranteed Tinted Gloss
Circulars and Sample Cards of Paint mailed on
application.
JOHN LUCAS &-' CO..
141 North Third Street,
13 6m Fhiladelpula, Pa.
II pi n Yourselves by makinir money when i (rolden
HHI Wchauce in oner!, thereby always keepm
lllvL.1 ioverty from your door. Tkoeo who always
take advantage ot the mxxl chances fur niakinr mousy
that are ottered, Keneraliy hucome wealthy, while tuoeo.
who do not improve such chances remain lu poverty.
We want many meu, women, boys aud Kirls to work fop
us rltrlit in their own localities. The business will pay
more ttiau teu times ordinary wskcs. We furnish au
expensive outnt aud all that you need, fre. No ou
who eiiM-SKee fails to make niouey very rapidly. Ynu
cau devote your whole time to the work, or only your
spare momenta. Full iiiforiontiou and all that is needed
sutfree. Address STINSON CO., Portland, Maine
'
ESTATE NOTICE. Notice Is hereby given,
that letters of administration on the estate
of Rev. 8. 8. Richmond late ot Torone township.
Perry Couutv. ha., deceased, have been crauied.
to the undersigned. P, O. Address Laudisburg,
Perry County. Pa.
All persons Indebted to said estate are request,
ed to make immediate payment and those having
claims will pi osent them duly ftutheulicated lor
settlement to
ALBHRT E. RICHMOND,
Chas. H. Rmilrt, Att'y. Administrator
MaylO. 1SS1.