Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-04

T HERE is very Old Dellet mat
dreams go by contraries." Su5-
- picious wives and husbands listen.
ing in the night 10 words murmurcd by
sleeping mates have never been quite sure
Of this. And. some scientists. headed by
the distinguished DR.. Sismund Freud.
have comparatively recently thrown much
doubt upon the matter, asserting that our
dreams actually reveal our most secret,
hidden desires.
Now. by a decision Of Judge ]. t. Rush.
OF Chicago, the older idea has received
judicial approval. The ruling is calculated
to give great aid and comfort to husbands
who have the habit of talking in their
sleep and to rcassure jealous wives is to
their loyalty. But, OH the other hand, 1T
must give much discomfort 10 those whose
ramolings in slumber have seemed per.
fectly innocent and innocuous TO the
eavesdroppcr. The burden has not been
shifted from the talk but only from one
to the other Of two kinds OF takers.
IF he talks in his slcep--it isn't true"
This. in effect. is the nugget in Judge
Rush's decision. brought forth by the COM
Dlaint Of a wife whose husband did talk
in his sleep and upon whose slumbcr
words, largely. she brought suit for Il
separation before the Chicago courts.
This being so, 1t follows that a startled
wife who hears husband, while in deep
s,umhcr. murmuring such endearing terms
as "swcc,ic," "dcarie" and other sugarv
expressions o! love. all addressed 10 some
one clearly not herself can turn right over
and go of to sleep again, blssfully certain
that the dreamcr's heart is hers and hers
alone, But conversely. IL she should hear
him in sleep deliver himself OF lofty, high.
minded sentiments, iraGnentary dis
courses upon the duty Of husband. re-
Dukes to vampires and sirens and so on
then that gentleman would seem TO need
careful watching.
OR in tho exact words OF Judge Rush in
delivering his ruling:
ut is the courts opinion that what q
ncrson may say While dreaming or sleep
ing may hc absolutely the opposite of what
that nerson may say or think in actual
consciousness Therefore, testimony con
corning what person may say while
dreaming is not proper evidence ana shall
he ordered stricken from the court record
The case which brought forth tho de
cision was that OF Mrs Anna vai!as
against her husband. William II. Vallas
Sr wealthy manufactures OF Chicago
Mrs Vallas demanded separation and
maintenance. The two had been married
in England more than a quarter OF cen
j. fury ago The greater part or her mar
rcd life, she told the court, had beer
happy. ,
The Vallascs had two sons-Wiilian
and Lionel All four seem 10 have had
interest In the conduct of the Nallas bust
ness.
MIR. vallas had also conely youns
stenosrapher, MES. knecht, or wnom a:
the novelists say more later.
Lionel. the mother testified. speedil!
turned into the business dictator OF tn,
family William and she found them
selves in matters OF policy uniformly line'
I'D against Lionel and Nlr. Nalas. Quar-
rels arose, Mrs. Vallas and William object
ing to the form OF partnership agree
ment drawn mp by Lionel which, the
thought, was unfair TO them
And right here. Mrs. Nalas testified
before even she had heard her husban
say suspicious word IN his sleep. sh
began 10 have her doubts. For. she ais
testified the comely young stenorraphe
lined herself up on the side OF Lionel an
Mr.. Vallas: and. what is more, she fonn
out the stenographer had drawn up In
offending agreement.
Looking closer, she soon had reason
believe, she SAID, that Constant dSSoClallo
had caused her husband 10 succumb to tn
charms Of ,Irs. knecht. "a evidence
tie extent Of his infatuation she intr
duced testimony To show that Mr.. Natla
had once taken the young woman 10
church sCciable'
Mrs. Nallas demanded that her hnsban
discharge Mrs. Knecht, but he refused
contendins that she was efficient and hi
reputation unassailabic.
Suspicion grew; then fell the blow
MY husband talked In his sleep" sal
Mrs. vallas. He would mutter the nam
OF sis and 'Sissie'"
lie muttered il, she thought. endea
ingly. coupling II with affcctionate adje
lives
Mrs Vallas had never been called Isl,
or "Sissie" in her life Who was II
dream woman OF her husbands sumbe
Gus wanderings who was SO called?
la,
sAe discovered!
ISIS" and "sissre" were pct names
Mrs. KnechL the comely young sieno
Tapher!
1t was this part OF the wifc's eviden
that Judge Rush ordered ctricken from u
record, later denying Mrs. Valias Il