Two Strange Dreams.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7803, 20 April 1905, Page 4

Two Strange Dreams.

Tho Manchester Guardian Is responsible for two of the latest examples of t'ho extraordinary In dreams, those fascinating and baffling phenomena in which all of us take a never faMfng' interest: The first, which concerns two' close friends, a novelist and a well-known London stage manager, recalls Mr Rider Haggard's dream about his dog. The novelist dreamed that his friend came to him with his neck' bandaged, and an expression of extreme agony on his face, and, pointing to his neck, tried [to speak, but failed, So strongly impressed was the author by the dream that next morning 'he said to his brother : "It gave me the impression that S had been hanged." On telephoning to his friend's house, he found that he had been in bed for two days, and was seriously ill | through an accident. The novelist, on going to see his friend, found him in bed with his neck swathed in bandages, and it appeared that he had strained his neck during a rehearsal, and had been in great pain ever siince. Afterwaivls the visitor said to his friend's wife, " I hurried round because I had a- dream that S had been hanged." "That's I most extraordinary," was the reply, |" because the doctor said' he had j dislocated his neck in exactly the 'same way as people do when they are hanged." The second story is more striking, in that there was no bond of sympathy between the pcojple concerned, A lady living in London recently engaged a man and his ~wife as butler and housekeeper. She engaged the man withput having seen him, as he was at! temporary [work in the country, tile characters produced and the woman's appearance, being so satisfactory that she [determined to take the risk. A few nights after the housekeeper had tak[en up her duties tho lady dreamed that she was lying awake In bed, and she saw a man at her dressing- | table with her jewel case open bejfore him, picking the stones out of .their setting with- « small instrument. The man turned his face toI wards, the bed several times, and laughed to himself. The impression ;of the man's face was so \lvld that it haunted her. throughout the next day, and the nexs night she dreamed exactly tho same dream. On the following afternoon the new butler arrived, and on seeing him the ]<?rtv gave a loud exclamation, for he was the man of the dream. Instead of dismissing the couple, as many nervous people lrfight have done, the lady decided to let things take their course. She told her friends that Sho was a sceptic in such matters, |and if anything were going to happen she would like to see it through. She took the precaution, however jto sleep with a telephone at her itoedside, and to lock up her jewels in a safe. When the last English mail left, her friends were anxiously awaiting the sequel.