Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-05-01
A MIDNIGHT DREAM.
BROTHER AND SISTER REUNITED IN
A STRANGE MANNER.

Meet After Half Century -stiilwaRner
Prayed For Divine HeIp-His Sisters
Residence Revealed to Him In n Vision.
Story 10 vouched For.
Jacob Stillwagner, an aged resident
Of Boydtown, a small village three
miles east of Shamokin, Pa. has just
returned from Stetsonville, Wis, and
tells a remarkable story of how he and
one Of his long lost sisters were reunited
through the medium of his prayers and
dreams. He claims that he was born in
Iowa SO years ago, where he lived, to-
gether with his parents, sister and two
brothers, until he arrived at the age of Z
years, when both of his parents died
suddenly, leaving the four small chill
dren without any means of support.
Kind neighbors provided for the lit
tie ones until permanent homes could be
found for them, but within year of
their great bereavement they were scat
tered far apart and soon lost all trace
of each other. Mr.. Stillwagner says
that his adopted parents drifted east
ward, and just as he arrived at the age
of manhood he located at Boydtown,.
where he has since resided.
He made frequent attempts to find
some trace of his brothers and sister as
the years passed by, but it was not un-
til early last fall that he met with any
success in this direction. Then while
walking across the mountain from
Boydtown to Shamol1in he was seized
with an overwhelming desire to find his
long lost relatives, and kneeling ON the
fallen autumn leaves earnestly prayed
God to direct his steps toward his broth
ers or sister, and allow them to be re-
united before being called to their
eternal home
The desire to find his loved ones be-
came the sole object of Stillwagner's re-
naming days, and about three weeks
after his prayer in the forest he dreamed
that he was at Stetsonville, Wis, where
be found his sister, from whom he had
heard no tidings for more than half a
century. He distinctly saw the interior
Of her home and had her features and
the external surroundings of her house
| indelibly stamped upon his brain.
When he related this dream to his
friends. they laughed and tried to con-
vince the old gentleman that it was
merely the result of his continual think
ing and talking ON the subject that was
absorbing all Of his time and attention.
He could not be discouraged, however,
and resolved to investigate ON the lines
laid out in his dream.
The name of his sister, the most i'm
portant olew, had not been revealed to
him in his midnight vision, but he COM
municated with the postmaster of the
little Wisconsin village, describing the
house and inmates he had seen, and
closed by asking whether such habita.
tion and family really existed there.
Several weeks passed before he received
reply, but the auxiously looked fol
letter gave the history of the woman oc
oupying the home he described, and con
vinced Stillwagner that it really was his
sister.
So confident was he on this point tha
he left for Wisconsin, and upon his re
turn east he startled his friends by an
nouncing that the woman he dreamed o.
was none other than his missing sister
who is now surrounded by happy fam
lily. Mr.. Stillwagner adds that since hi
return east he visited Philadelphia
where he found acquaintances Of thu
family that had adopted his sister nov
residing in Wisconsin, who verified hel
story and completely established hel
identity.
His remarkable story is vouched foi
by the Methodist minister Of who's,
church he is a member, and the ageC
dreamer is now earnestly imploring Goo
to give him traces of his two missing
brothers Philadelphia Press.