The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-11-24
VICTIM OF A DREAM.

yous diseases told the following story
Of a case that he is treating, and the
other doctors present agreed that it
was one OF the most remarkable they
had ever heard of.
"A short time ago" said the doctor
"a man called on me and asked me
il ] had ever heard of a mans having
a bad dream so often that it finally
made a wreck OF him. told him that
had had patients who had bad dreams,
but had generally managed to trace
the trouble to over-indulgences of one
III or another.
We'll he said, that isn't my case.
Now l want you to take a good look
at me. am a big, strong man, am |
not?'
"'Hou certainly are I said.
"'And you don't see any indications
of excessive dissipation about me, do
you?'
II was a fine specimen of health,
save for some lines in his face which
! attributed to his recent trouble. l
told him that he didn't appear to be
a man who had let his stomach get
away with him.
livery we'll he continued, I'll take
it for granted that you don't think
| have any mental trouble. for l have
not. The fact of the matter is that
| am a wreck as the result of a bad
dream that m to me almost every
night.
"A each recurrence Of this dream
my horror of the situation in which
1t places me gets worse. ] fight. strug-
gle and am finally overcome. and when
wake up I generally find myself in
some remote part Of the room, a ply
steal and mental wreck.
CHOW any mar could stand a dream
like this nee in awhile, but to get it
right along is too much. had it first
about a month ago. During that first
week ] had it three times.
1.-The next week ] had it fonr times
and during the past three NIGHTS had
it every night. | cannot attend 10 bust
ness, | am nervous and exhausted. and
every night when ! 90 To bed it is with
the horror of what the next few hours
nave IN store TOR me.
The entire thing is a mystery to
me. never suffer from insomnia. and
before this dream came to me / hadn't
any bad dreams than fall TO
the average man. Now what am I 90
ing to do? It's nervous prcstratfon
for me unless do something
81 confess that ! was Interested.
had many queer cases. but this was
the queerest. / told him that ! would
like TO know all about the dream, and
here's the story he told NE:
al go to bed ard fall aslcep like
a child. Sometimes tits several hours
before the dream comes to nc. What
happens is hard to tell you. for while
it is clear to my mind. cannot express
the horror of it in words.
ut begins a way, way off, and it
with a small whirling spot.
When | first see il | cannot see that it is
whirling. for it is too far away. But
know that it is going around and
around and that it is coming in my
I know that it is a huge
revolving mass. shaped like a cone.
that the apex of the cone is down to-
the earth and that just at its end
Is a small hole.
81 cannot see any of these filings at /
first. hut I know they are there. al
my enemy is still far eff in
The approach is very gradual. |
motive power coming from the
constant revolving and during II Tsuf-
fortunes. I know it is coming for
me and that | must resist it. I know
resistance is futile, too, but still ,
feel that | must fight.
"'Closcr and closer it comes. larger
md larger it grows. swifter and swift
n il goes around and around. and then
Is II towers over me | realize that the
witt revolutions are creating n sue
ion and that it is irving, 10 draw
ne into that hole. which I cannot
and vet which ! know is there.
it is a little hole. that scarcely
hand can be pushed THROUGH it. and
ct am drawn closer and closer to
t. by a power that is greater than
ny | can oppose to it.
might after night I have fought
his thing, night after night have lost
he fight. Each night now I realize
hat to fight is vain. and vet | know
must ficht. FIGHT 10 the hitter end and
ever give mp Hntil Tam drawn through
hat hole by the rushing wind. And
II the time there is a horror to it
hat | cannot explain. am terrified.
feel a fear that no man ever felt.
lin the end | am drawn under.
lowly hut surely I am sucked IN
through the hole. 1t is an agonizing
our; my bones crack, my heart
humps. my organs are forced out Of
and I feel as though I must be
rushed to death.
Finally I am through, ard then I
nm feelthe conc moving upward again. f.,
has come for me. got me and is uoiro
ack into snace with me. lam whirled
round inside the cone, but somehow
gradually feel myself rising to the
~.
"'And in the end 7 reach the ton.
ne edge of the howl of The cone. .
Iake a dozen fierce revolutions and
m then hurled out into space. nj I
which time | wake up. That's !
there is TO It. Doesn't sound so ,
nd. but il is killing me- !