The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-24
DREAM VISIONS,
TRUE AND FALSE
Curious Stories That Point 10 Occult
Powers Of the Mind.
INSTANCES THAT BAFFLH SCIENCE
Vivid Impression Received bv Per-
sons in sIumber That Are Not to BE
Explained by Ordinary knowledge.
One Dream That Deceived and
One That Proved Only Too True.

Writing in the Metaphysical Maga-
zine w. A. Gay narrates this curious
epide: 'In the latter part of October,
1896, 1 took the train for Spokane,
Wash, leaving Seattle at $40 p. m. 1
was accompanied to the station by my
business associate. Our conversation
was of the ordinary sort between
partners. Nothing was said about the
trip or of problematical dangers. /
was delighted to find in the smoking
room of the Pullman sleeping-car some
congenial friends, with whom 1 en-
gagged in conversation about the ap-
preaching election. Our talk lasted
until about II o'clock, when we all re-
tired to our berths.
'I had made several trips over the
road, and knew it's general condition
to be first-class. 1 had no apprehen-
sions; in fact, was no sooner in my
berth than l became drowsy, sinking
into a deep slumber. l am somewhat
of a profound sleeper. not usually pre-
disposed to dreams which 1 can after
ward recall in my waking hours. How
ever, I slept through the entire night,
but was awakened suddenly in the
morning by a most vivid dream. l
had dreamed that 1 was on board a
train, slowed comfortably away in a
Pullman berth; that the cars were
| about to approach bridge spanning a
river, and that was awake. 1t seemed
to me that L was warned-from the
source the exact nature of which / do
not recall-of an impending danger,
the only escape from which was by
| jumping from the train. / thought l
refused to jump and laughed at the
warning; that the train went slowly
on, I noting all the scenes en- route;
| and that we soon came to the approach
Of a bridge which spanned a large
stream of water. 1 carefully examined
| the bridge, it's approach, and many
surrounding details. l thought that,
as we neared it's centre, span broke
and we were precipitated toward a deep
whirling stream of blue water. From
the time l was warned to jump, the
train beginning to Slow the fences
| and trees along the right of way, the
| approach to the bridge, it's 'bents,' the
| water, and the disaster were all most
| wonderfully real-so real that l awak-
ened with a cry, IS l thought the bridge
and train were sinking toward the
water.
THE VERY PLACE.
IT found myself sitting in my berth
| shuddering with terror. Everything at
| first was unfamiliar. The trains was
| pursuing it's regular course and all
seemed well. Suddenly l saw a fami-
| liar object-a stump, with a log at
tached. In an instant other familiar
| objects came in view. At first 1 could
not distinguish them, but in a moment
the thought was forced on me that
| they were the scenes l had beheld in
my dream. The engineer had reduced
| speed somewhat, and familiar scenes
| and localities became more distinct.
| At once / passed the place where l
| was warned to jump and had refused.
I looked in amazement. 1 could then
| jump with safety, as the train was go
ing slowly, but I did not attempt it. l
was bewildered. We entered the APP
proach of a bridge-the 'bents' were
the same, the train was moving the
same, and the water was blue and
| deep, as in my dream. l was so fright
ened that I sat in my berth-holding
firmly to the bar under the window
and waited for death. But '''o train
| passed safely over to the side!
There were no accidents on t.. OF any
| subsequent "Trip.
ANOTHER INSTANCE.
| Another tale more singular still is
thus narrated: In 1891, while the late
| Wiley S. Scribner was recorder OF
| Cook county, Illinois, he had in his
| employ an old gentleman named
Speare, who was taken i'll and obliged
to leave. Mrs. Scribner who had
charge of one department of the Of
| flee, knew casually of the occurrence
but, as the illness proved a lingering
enc, the mans place was given to an
other In an Office of two or three hun
dred clerks, the matter soon passed
| out of mind.
Some months later, in the murky
watches of a Chicago night, Speare
suddenly appeared at Mrs. Scribner's
bedside, and said, placidly and dis.
| tinctly: You see, l am well at last
Mrs. Scribner; and / wanted to tell you
that all along the doctors mistook my
case and treated me for erysipelas
while the real trouble was blood-pois.
oning." With spring, the startled wo'