The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-23

dreams that are far from pleasing; emo tions of terror and horror. These sen- sations are never aroused in our waking hours, I am now speaking of the majority of us; but when asleep we experience them to their limit of suffering De Quincy has left on record some of the most horrible conceptions of torture re- alized by him in dreams. One of the most appalling of dreams on record is that in which De Quincy saw the univer- sal eclipse and heard the fasting farewells. He awoke in struggles and screamed, q will sleep no more." De Quincy, it will be remembered, was 8 user of opium.
 I sometimes awake trembling with fear. My special horror in dreams is excited by burglars. They silently creep into my room, and from the most unlocked , for quarter they thrust out their hands at my throat. and just as they reach mel awake. The burglar-class of my dreams are not talkative people. They never demand that I hold up my hands They never speak. But they turn their eyes upon me and pierce me through. all the while drawing nearer, nearer and still nearer, until I am clutched at the throat, and awake.
 Sometimes in dreams the profoundest emotions are excited by the most ab- surdly insignificant object. submit a curious illustrations:
 An artist and a friend occupied adjoin- ing rooms in hotel for the night. About o'clock the artist was startled by terrible groans followed by piercing screams eminating from his friends room. Supposing his friend was being murdered, he sprang into his room, and found his friend sitting up in bed, fast asleep and crying like a child. After shaking him and appealing to his man. hood, the artist was told by the sleeper between sobs, Don't you come, it will get you, too. o. it's horrible" What Is it?" demanded the artist. "Boo-hoo," walled the dreamer. T have had such terrible time and have been in such danger" "It's all right now, old man. tell me what 1t was" pleaded the artist. The crying man dried his eyes with the sheet, gulped down a sob and meekly said, 70. have had such an awful time: l have been chased all around the room by piece of brown paper.''
 Often the most absurdly grotesoue combinations of thought and things are conceived in dreams. and one looks upon them without a smile. and, indeed, with gravity. No particular emotion is ex- cited, and nothing beyond the moment has any allusion; it is simply a men, tai prank. A gentleman of social posi- tion and dignity, dreamed that he had opened up an undertakers establish ment. He was selling coffins right and left, and doing a prosperous business. He went off for short vacation, and upon his return to his business, his assistant said to him: 70, sir, that old gentleman you buried on last Tuesday has been here again. and Says that fAs coffin is a very had fit, being three inches. too short. He says that he never had such an uncomfortable cof- fin in all his life before.~ He to whom the assistant gave the message felt q profound sorrow that one of his cus- toners should have been so uncomfor- table In his coffin, where, of all places in the world, man should Ind satis- factory rest.
 Now. in the name of all that is mys- terious. what suggested such a dream?
 DREAMS PARALLEL LEDIN LIFE
 Few people are without these start lingly mysterious dreams. Whether or not the supernatural element has place here, no one can say. but 1t often sesnls