The Haunted House | Page 8

and you all growled at me, but
yet could talk, and, what was very strange, you all had eyes as large as horses' eyes, only
they were as red as blood. While I was talking to you I heard a noise in the street and on
going to the door I saw hundreds of black bulls with blue eyes, very bright blue eyes,
coming towards the house, blood was dripping from their mouths and their feet made fire
come out of the ground. On they came, roaring very loudly all the time, right straight for

the house. They broke down the fence, I shut the front door, locked it and then ran to the
back door and fastened it. Then they all commenced to butt the house so violently that it
nearly fell over. It shook so that I woke up and found that I had fallen out of bed without
waking Jane. So I got in again and soon fell asleep; but the dream is still in my mind. I
can see it still, and wonder what it means until I get the head-ache. What do you think
about it Olive? Do you think there is any truth in dreams? Did you ever know of one to
come true, or do you think it was all caused by the pint of butter-milk and my going into
the cellar in my stocking feet, and the rat?"
"Well," said Olive, "I never could make up my mind fully on that subject; but of this I am
certain, whatever Dan dreams comes true; there is no doubt about that. But don't tell him
anything about this dream, Esther, or he will be floundering around all night trying to
find out what it means; or Jane either, because, perhaps, it will scare her so that she will
be unable to sleep."
"Don't believe it, Olive, I have told Jane, and she says it was all caused by the butter-milk
I drank. She says it made me see a rat in the cellar just after I had drank it, and that it was
no wonder I saw bears and bulls, too, after I went to sleep. Oh, my sakes alive, if I only
had a dream book, like the one Mrs. Emery used to have, I'd soon find out what it means.
Do you know, Olive, I have a great mind to go out to the Indian camp this very afternoon
and try if that fortune-telling squaw who told Maggie Teed's fortune, and Mary Miller's,
too, can't tell me all about it. I want to know if it means that something terrible is about to
happen or not."
"Well," said Olive, "Esther, don't talk any more about it but read your Bible, go to church,
say your prayers, and ask God to take care of you; then you need never fear dreams or
anything else, for you must always remember that God has more power than the devil,
and always will have."
"Oh!" replied Esther, with a smile, "it is all very Well for you to talk in that way, but I
shouldn't wonder if the devil saw more of me than he ever has yet before I die."
"Oh, Esther, how can you talk so; you ought to be ashamed of yourself, and to think that
you were brought up by grandmother too."
And so the afternoon passed slowly away, the beautiful blue sky which had been so clear
all day began to assume a darkish aspect, and threatening clouds spread themselves
between the earth and heaven. By the time Dan and the rest had come home to supper, it
looked very much like rain. Dan said it was going to rain sometime during the night; he
knew it, because his rheumatism was bad.
Supper being ready, they all sat down and enjoyed it. After supper Dan took a smoke,
Jane went to her accustomed seat in the parlor near her plants, William Cox and John
Teed went out to see their girls, Olive put the boys to bed, and Esther sat down on the
front door-step all by herself and sang "The Sweet By-and-bye" in a low voice.
The hands of the old fashioned clock in the dining room indicated ten minutes to eight,
when a carriage drove up to the gate, and a well built young man jumped out, opened the

gate and came in. As he entered the house he shook hands with Esther, saying as he did
so: "Go and put on your hat and sack and take a ride with me Esther, and I will tell you
why I did not call last evening as I promised." This young man was Bob McNeal, by
trade a shoemaker, and a fine looking young fellow he was, too. His hair and eyes