Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-06-18
WHOLE NO. 1885.
Seeing Visions.
HARRIET HOsMER's NARRATIVE OF A SINGULAR
OCCURRENCE.

a
OCCURRENCE.
Lydia Maria Child's article on Spirits, -
in the May number of the Atlantic Month
: ly, contains the following interesting pass
age:
When Harriet Hosmer, the sculptor,
visited her native country few years ago,
7 | had an interview with her, during which
our conversation happened to turn upon
dreams and visions.
81 have some experience in that way"
said she. Let me tell you a singular cir
cumstanee that happened to me in Rome.
An Italian girl named Rosa was in my
employ for long time, but was finally
obliged to return to her mother, on account
of confirmed i'll health.-We were mutu-
ally sorry to part, for we liked each other.
When ] took my customary exercise on
horseback frequently called to see her.
On one of these occasions | found her
brighter than had seen her for some time
past l had long relinquished hopes of
her recovery, but there was nothing in her
appearance that gave me the impression
OF immediate danger. left her in expec-
tatiou Of calling to see her again many
times. During the remainder of the day
| was busy in my studio, and lido not re-
collect that Rosa was in my thoughts after
l parted from her. / retired to rest in
good health, and in quite frame of mind.
But woke from sound sleep with an
oppressive feeling that some one. was in
the room. / wondered at the sensation,
for 1t was entirely new to me; but in vain
/ tried to dispel it. peered beyond the
curtains of my bed, but could distinguish
mo Oh . L.
gather up my thoughts, soon reflected
that the door was locked, and that put
the key under my bolster. felt for it,
and found 1t where | had placed it, 1
said to myself that had probably had
some ugly dream, and had walked with
vague impression of it still on my
mind.-Reasoning thus, | arranged my
self comfortably for another nap. am
habitually good sleeper, and stranger
to fear but, do what / would, the idea
still haunted me that some one was in
the room. Finding it impossible to sleep.
| longed for day to dawn, that L might
rise and pursue my customary avocaions.
1t was not long before was able dimly to
distinguish the furniture in nv room,
and soon after heard, in the apartments
below, familiar noises of servants opening
~
ringing vibrations proclaimed the hour.
/ counted one, two three. four, FIVE. and
resolved to rise immediately Nv bed
was partially screened by long curtain
looped at one side. As | raised my head
from my pillow, Rosa looked inside the
curtain, and smiled at me. The idea of
anything supernatural did not occur to
me. | was ssimply surprised, and exclain-
ed, Why, Rosa How came you here,
when you are so H.? In the familiar
tones to which | was so much aeeustom-
ed, a voice replied, Il am well now With
no other thought than that greeting her
joyfully, sprang out of bed. There was
no Rosa theret | moved the curtain,
thinking she might perhaps have playful
ly hidden herself behind its folds. The
same feeling induced me to look in the
closet. The sight of her had come 50 sud-
denly that, in the first moment of sur
prise and bewilderment, did not reflect
that the door was locked When 7 be
came convinced there was no one in the
room but myself, recollected that fact,
and thought I must have seen vision,
''At the breakfast table l said to the old
lady with whom boarded, Rosa is dead
What doyOu mean by that?' she inquired.
You told me she seemed better than COM
mon when you called to see her yester-
day related the occurrences of the
and told her had strong i'm
preston Rosa was dead. She laughed,
and said had dreamed it all. l told
her 1 was thoroughly awake, and in proof
thereof, told her 1 had heard all the Gus
tomary household noises, and had counted
the clock when it struck five. Shereplied,
All that is very possible, my dear. Real
sounds often mix with the illusions Of
leep- am surprised thata dream should
make an impression on young lady 50
rec from superstition as you are.' She
continued tojest on the subject, and slight
Y annoyed me by her persistence IN be-
ieving it dream, when | was perfectly
hure of having been awake. Tosettle the
question, summoned a. messenger and
ent him to inquire how Rosa did, Here
urned with the answer that she(lied that
norning at FIVE O'Clock"
lwrote the story as Miss Hoshler told
to me, and after had shoHnit to her
asked her if she had any objection to
5 being published, without suppression
t names Shereplied, ''You have report
d the story of Rosa correctly. Make
hat use you please of it. You cannot
mink it more interesting, or unaccounta-
le, than | do myself"