The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-25
|DREAM OF GIRL
PROVED FATAL
Screamed, Gould Not Be Gained
and Then Tainted Away.
Her DEATH SOON FOLLOWED
Physicians FaIlst TO H,lp HM and De-
cIarsd Heart Failure Caused BY
Frequent Nightmare.
HER DEATH SOON FOLLOWED

new ioIh, June Zo.-A terrifying
Aream. one OF many such that had un-
nerved her. frightened Miss Mary Hen
Erickson to death. The luckless young
woman lived at All Cumberland street.
Brooklyn. The last terrifying dream was
fatal TO her beacuse she suffered from
heart disease. Her heart, unable to re-
cover from the shock dealt by her sleep
ing vision, soon ceased TO beat.
Miss Hendrickson, who was still at
school. never had robust health. About
elk months ago a nightmare intensely
alarmed her. Again and again horrible
dreams awakened her trembling. Yet az
soon as she recovered her waking senses
she forgot what had so greatly terrified
her.
Il have no idea what caused these
Nightmares" said the girls father, Henry
Hendrickson. travelling salesman, yes
terday. often. after one OF them. her
mother and | soothed her and asked her
What she had dreamed Always she was
~ frightened she could not tell us. Her
dread seemed 10 deprive her OF memory
nN the time being. Yet, often after one
& these nightmares Mary was very ner-
vous aTN distracted for a day or two
= STARTLED BY A SHREK.
On the advice of a physician Miss Hen
erickson slept in room opening from
her parents bedroom. The family retired
about $3.50 o'clock on the fatal night. Two
hours later a piercing shrek startled Mr.
and Mrs. Hendrickson from their sleep.
Springing from bed they lighted the gas.
They saw their daughter in her night
robe. standing erect In her bed. Wade
staring the girl gleered straight before
her; an expression OF terror disfigured her
face They tenderly spoke. TO her and
sought to pacify her. She sank to the
- -. t..A~ ~4.xsw .tsaarl
hausted. For a minute or two her breath
came quick and shallow-like one
breathes who confronts a deadly dan
ger.
"oh. my footr' she exclaimed. then
tainted
SOON PASSED AWAY
Mr.. Hendrickson thinks that as usual,
his daughter had forgotten her dream and
that her exclamation In no way described
the imaginary danger she had confronted.
DR. A. G.. Howe. OF 307 Cumberland street,
was hastily called He found Miss Hen
Erickson In collapse, her heart futtering.
her forehead beaded with perspiration,
her lips and finger tips blue her feet cold.
He administered heart stimulants, adopt
ing every measure his skill could suggest.
But the girl sank into deeper and deeper
Inconsistencies and soon died.
Her mother and / cannot explain the
cause or the Nightmares tiiht so lrlgnten-
ed Mary" said Mr.. Hendrickson. yester-
day. "She led n most uneventful life she
never read. nor wished 10 read, sensa-
tional novels. In fact she read little else
than her school books. She was not bril-
liant at school and we did not try TO
hurry her studies.
SEEMED IN LJOD HEALTH.
Before she went TO bed Mary seemed
10 be I'm very good health. She and some
young girls of the neghborhood were
laughing and chatting on the sidewalk.
When l fell asleep she seemed TO be fast
asleep. The cry she uttered instantly
awakened us. and one glance at her
showed us she was dreadfully frightened.
We did everything to calm the poor child
sent for the doctor at once. But she
died few minutes after he arrived
DR.. Howe says Miss Mary certainly
died OF heart disease. AS In duty bound
he reported the case 10 the coroner. Ply
sicians who were consulted last night said
that nightmare is a symptom In certain
forms OF hysteria that affects young wo-
men, and that often such hysterical
state is accompanied by weak heart.