The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-06-29
CONCERNING DREAMS.
They Occupy Only Few Seconds and Are
Affected by Events.

They Occupy Only a Few Seconds and Arc
Affected by Events.
Doctors assert that dreams occupy a
few seconds only-at most the space Of
about three minutes. This statement
is startling to those who have not no.
ticed for themselves what part time
plays in such connection. The writer
has had several opportunities of prov
ing ltE correctness herself, and many
might arrive at a similar knowledge by
asking to be awakened a minute or so
after falling into a first sleep. All who
dream will do SO Immediately on fall
ing into unconsciousness. Another reli
able test is to be found il the sleep that
/ follows upon the morning summons for
rising. A few more moments snatched
for tine tempting after doze will not un-
frequently mean dream of very elab-
crate nature-one which implies almost
| as many hours as seconds.
Are dreams affected by the events of
our wakeful hours? is the question that
has been asked over and over again, but
the result Of observation leads one to be-
heve in such being the case or not, ac-
cording to the Importance with which
we treat them. In connection with such
a question events and individuals can
scarcely fail to require separate consid-
Grafton. Events that are all important
to some do not commend themselves in
that light to others, and this fact leads
one to express the opinion that, accord
ing to the intensity with which outward
events occupy our thoughts, will our
dreams be in any way affected by them.
To one woman the exercise of hos
pitality means the entire surrender of
her mental domain to all the worries,
real or imaginary, consequent upon the
preparations for the contemplated en-
tertainment. To another, the needful
directions once given, there is an imme-
diate return to considerations which out
weigh in her opinion the more material
ones that held a whilom place in her
thoughts. In tho one case culinary fail
ures and visions of indifferent service
will probably haunt the dreams that
precede or follow that entertainment.
In the other no such tortures are in
volvcd in the sleeping hours.
There have been startling instances cf
the brain s power to solve difficult ques-
t1ons during sleep. A case in point is
that of lawyer engaged i'll criminal
defense. The examination of one wit /
ness after another seemed only to add to |
the proof OF his clients guilt. Wearied
one night With trying to find some point
which mignt turn the scale in the pris-
oner's favor, he fell asleep, and in
dream the desired point stood out clear
ly. On awakening it was Immediately
worked out. and the verdict of mot
guilty" was found consequent upon that
revelation afforded during the hours of
sleep.
When exercising the imaginative ia
cultieS to any great extent. the dreams
will always preserve the ideal charac-
ter of the wakeful hours. The composer
will dream Of the melodies which pro-
vide his own lullaby when dropping
into slumb ber, and the artist and the
writer enter the land of dreams in COM
pany with these that the pen or the
brush are guided to depict with such
loving hand. Plots have been furnished
and subjects tor the canvas have been
over and over again in the
luiet hours of the night, when to all
appearances there is nothing
out the most peaceful slumber on the
part of the sleeper Com
nercial (s:Zrtte