, 1877-09-21
About Dreams.
BY G. B. LEWIS.

BY G. Il. LEWIS.
Even no longer than forty years ago a
large majority of the residents Of country
towns and neighborhoods were firm be.
levers in ghosts, and one who asserted
his belief that the spirits of the dead did
not sometimes make midnight excursions
through graveyards and along lonely
highways was locked upon as little better
than an infdel Intellectual advance
ment has almost overpowered supersti-
tion,yet if vote could be taken to-day,it
is quite likely that fully one-third OF the
adult population of the United States
would be found believers in dreams, to
say nothing of signs. Almost every hour
in the day one may hear the subject OF
dreams mentioned, and the daily news
paper very often records what came Of "a
Strange Dream" The belief in dreams,
good or bad, is but relic Of the days Of
witchcraft, although entertained and sup
ported by men and women of such high
social standing that the superstition no.
where receives the contempt it deserves.
What is dream5 A philosopher will
reply that a dream is the workings OF the
mind and yethe will also say that dreams
come with Sleep and that IN sleep the
muscles rest, the mind is lost, and the
senses depart for while.
When sleep comes we lose conscious
ness we are rs the dead; and on awaken
ing we remember what we dreamed. The
live, present mind picks up and recalls to
memory what the second or dead mind
thought of during the trance or sleep.
What causes us to dreamY Physicians
will answer too hearty meal, overload
ing the stomach, position, or strsngeness
of location. A believer in dreams will
answer that dreams come from some
spirit, to warn him of good luck or i'll
luck. In past ages kings and queens
were ruled by dreams, and dream inter-
prefers were in great demand. We laugh
at the idea, and yet in this the nineteenth
century every bookstore has its stock OF
dream books, and lottery tickets are pur
chased and real estate sold on the strength
of dreams. Men enjoying regulations as
keen business men have been known to
purchase largely or sparingly of goods, as
dictated by dreams; women of sound
mind have kept their children from
school because they dreamed of fire; and
out of one hundred young ladies who
may pass the night in strange room,
ninety of them will put their shoe under
the pillow, or "name the bed-post," in
order that their dreams may bring good
luck.
1t would destroy many pleasant 70.
nance and belittle many thrilling story
of imagination if readers were convinced
that angels do not whisper to sleeping
babes aud bring the smile which delights
the mothers heart, and that the spirits
of kind friends do not warn the living Gas
they Sleep of danger close at hand or of
i'll luck to come. The delusions Gf they
are delusions) are widespread, popular,
and nothing but time and higher intel
lectual standard will destroy them.
Having suffered a serious injury not
long ago, and being in q city of strangers,
the writer was sent to q public hospital
for treatment. One day, after the pain
of the wound had been greatly reduced,
and comfortable rest could be obtained,
he fell asleep. 1t was very quiet after
noon; the ward was still, and the sleep
was heavy. A dream came. I dreamed
that stood on the bank of river and
saw and heard the swift waters breaking
over rocks with great noise. Great
trees, rails and logs were carried down
and / saw some Of them ground to splin-
tiers Oh the jagged rocks. Leaning over
the bank to get better view, lost my
hold and fell-no, awoke. A fellow pa
4ient in the ward was reading aloud to a
friend, who was worse off than either OF
aus. There was no other noise, and, con-
Guiding that his tones had shaped the
current Of my dream, determined Ia
make some experiments. At the other
end of the ward was a patient who had
received knife-wound. Limping over
to him, found him snoring away in a
sound sleep. Sitting near his head, and
speaking in low but distinct voice,
repeated part of Poes "Rayen, commenc,
ing:
Once upon midnight dreary.
j had repeated only three lines when
the sleeper ceased to snore. AT the fftl
line he moved little. AT the tenth
saw perspiration on his forehead, and hi
was nervous. AS finished the fifteenth
he awoke with shout. He had had ,
horrible dream. He dreamed that h,
was struggling in the water, swimming
to reach boat, which kept dancing oil
ahead of him, always just out of reach
He was at length exhausted, and as h