Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-05-29
AS TO STRANGE DREAMS.
Some Remarkable Stories Suggested
by Rev. DIR. BuckIey's Recent Essay.
st. Louis Post-Dispatch.

uptown resort. One of them made
casual reference to dreaming, and
mentioned incidentally a paper read
the nightprevious by clergyman on
the phenomena of dreams. Two OF
the party scoffed at the idea that per
sons ever dreamed of events to come
They admitted hat they seldom had
dreams, but when they did dream the
fancies had little continuity and rele-
vancy. One gentleman, however
boldly affirmed that he had had sever
al demonstrations that the mind did
often carry out in sleep the designs of
the day.
when I was II years old" hes said
like most boys of that age, my prirl-
cipal occupation was deviltry of one
kind or other. An old man, heartily
deCested by all the boys, had died in
our neighborhood, and every evening
his widow and grown daughter had to
pass down a lane running parallel
with our fence, along the top of which
was laid fiat boarding. Noticing the
nightly trips of these two females an
idea occurred to me. Keeping my
own counsel laid my plans. in
tended some night when my parents
were out to wrap a sheet around my
body and, climbing the fence, run
along it when the women came by.
"Now, here is the curious fact. Two
days after, and before [ had a chance
to carry out the plan, all the people
about were greatly excited. A ghost
had appeared, and there could be ne
mistake as to it's identity. 1t walked
down the lane and distinctly said, I
am the ghost of old S. This
was sworn to by two witnesses. I
wondered who had forestalled me. [
asked all the other boys, but none of
them, that | was sure, knew anything
of the matter
''The next night there was battal-
ion of watchers, | among them. All
patiently, some trembling, awaited
the coming of the specter. Twelve
o'clock, / o'clock passed, but it didn't
come. Then we all went 10 bed. The
next morning it was announced that
a gentleman had seen the spook later
in the night, and heard it's cry. By
this time my soul was filled with envy
to think of the unknown who was
kicking up such a row. A night in
tervened without disturbance, but on
the following night it was laid for
ever, and with it the BELIEF of many
that souls can return from the other
shore.
1.-TWO men had watched. At last
they saw the CLEAN of white at the
end of the Ian. Suddenly it occurred
to them what was the cause of the
ghosts giant statue. 1t was walking
on the fence. They laid for it, grab
bed it by the arm, tore away the sheet,
and, with such endearing terms as,
D-n little imp of help they awoke
the spirit. Clan cling wildly about me
| became unconscious. The mystery
was solved. The neighbors were en-
ragged until it was found I was really
sick from fright. I was sent away to
school soon after, and never told un-
til long years had succeeded that the
scheme | carried out III sleep l hatch
ed while wide awake.
Several years afterward I made up
my mind to strike out for myself, and
leave home. Most Of you, no doubt,
have gone through the experience, SO
there is no need to speak eff my home
sickness. / had been away two weeks,
and had, besides some money, a stock
of attachment for sewing-machines.
but | had not the skill or bOldness to
dispose of them. One day [ went to
the Grand Central Depot, and took
the first tram for home. Arriving at
Stamford, Conn, / felt impelled tC
stop over. It was the first time ha /
ever been in the town, and yet ever z
thing seemed familiar--streets, nous IS,
the very trees shading the walks. At
last it all came to mel had seen
Stamford In a dream. Details re Curn-
ed to my memory, and walking along
| could tell what was to appear next.
l know that, In a triangular space,
formed by the junction of two streets,
| should find brick building, the
lower floor occupied as a dry goods
store, with a sign over it in black and
gold. In this store [ sold my stock to
a man whose face had never before
looked in mine except IN dream.
Some time before [ had a suit of
clothes made by tailor III town 20
miles distant from my home, and on
wearing them found the vest did not
fit | decided to return the garment
for alteration and went to bed. In
the morning it was missing, and the
most thorough search could not find
it. About ten days after it came to
me by express, with a note from the
maker, hoping that it would prove all
right. Investigation showed that ia
the night had decided to return it l
had gotten out of bed at 1920 D. m,
gone to the express office. and had
written note to the maker, stating
the alienation to be made, and then
expressed the package. All the time
must have been sound asleep. In
1881 a friend of mine went to Wiscon-
sin under engagement to a manuiac-
turing concern Ia Racine. Two
months after I had a dream in which
l fancIed myself on a train boand for
Albany. Waiting in the depot in
Springfield, Mass, I saw nay friend
coming toward me, and getting down,
shook hands with him and asked him