428 F. From the Journal S.P.R., vol. viii. p. 128.

The first account which follows is taken from an article on "Dreams," by Miss Giddings, which appeared in The Metaphysical Magazine for September 1895.

Some few years ago I was the guest in the home of an intimate friend, whose unmarried sister, also an associate of my own, was away at the time. My hostess, whom I will call Mrs. J., was taken suddenly and seriously ill. The family doctor was summoned, but as he was away, a strange physician was called, and he was in attendance upon Mrs. J. when at midnight her own doctor arrived. Early on the following morning I received a telegram from the absent sister, saying: "Is anything wrong at home ? Answer immediately." I replied, and before the day was over a letter addressed to me, and mailed when the telegram was sent, came from the absent sister, saying: -

"I have had a peculiar and impressive dream of home. I saw A. lying on the bed as if very ill; while in the dressing-room, as if in consultation, were two doctors - Dr. L. (the family physician) and a stranger, a tall, dark man, whom Dr. L. addressed as Dr. Rice. So impressed am I that something is wrong, that I write to you in order to know as soon as possible the meaning of this strange vision".

Her dream was as vivid a portrayal of what was actually occurring at her home during the night, as I, personally present, could have given. She was almost correct as to the name of the strange doctor, whom she heard addressed as Dr. Rice, but whose name was Reed. It will be offered in explanation that she was anxious about home, and naturally dreamed of her sister. But this explanation will not suffice, for she was a girl much away from home. The married sister was never ill, and no member of the family had ever seen or heard of the strange physician. That the sick sister was thinking of the absent one, I know. She was a woman of determined will and of unusual magnetic power, as her success as a public speaker attests. May she not, through her desires, have unconsciously thrown upon the mind of the absent one certain photographic revelations of what was actually occurring?

Miss Giddings writes: -

37 Walnut Street, Somerville, Mass., January 8th, 1896.

Dr. Richard Hodgson, - Dear Sir, - ... The dream related occurred to my friend Mabel Jenness at a time when her sister, Annie Jenness Miller, the well-known lecturer on "Dress," was ill at her New York residence. The facts are as I have related them.

I was at that time editing Mrs. Miller's magazine, and the letter to which reference is made came to me. I did not keep it, but Mabel Jenness, now Mrs. Wm. A. Venter, Coates House, Kansas City, will verify my statement, or so... would Mrs. Miller, 114 Fifth Avenue, N.Y....

(Miss) Laura E. Giddings. Mrs. Venter writes: -

Coates House, Kansas City, Mo. February 3rd, 1896.

Mr. Richard Hodgson, - Dear Sir, - Your letter of January 28th has just reached me. I will endeavour to give you as nearly as possible the facts concerning the "vision " of which Miss Giddings has told you. I was in the West on a lecture tour, and the last night of my stay in Detroit, Mich., I had a dream in which I saw my sister, Mrs. Miller, lying ill. There were several people about her, and all was excitement. There were two physicians in consultation; one I recognised as Dr. Louis Sayer, of New York (now deceased), the other I did not recognise, but his name came to me as Rice. In appearance this man was above medium height, very slender, and had dark side-beard.

The exact date of this experience I cannot give, but I should say it was about the middle of December 1889. The dream greatly impressed and annoyed me. I tried to put it from me, but it persistently recurred to my thought - a haunting fear. I could not make it seem a dream, and after several hours I sent the telegram to which Miss Giddings referred. The message was sent from Ypsilanti, Mich., at about noontime, on a Monday (I remember well the day of the week); the answer to it was received at about 9.30 o'clock in the evening of the same day. That which to me was a dream actually occurred in detail while I was dreaming; and the physician who was in reality in attendance with Dr. Sayer was the embodiment of the one in my "vision," but his name was Ried, instead of Rice as I dreamed.

I have had other and similar experiences, but none so authentic. The others I cannot prove to have happened....

Mabel Jenness Venter.

Mrs. Miller writes: -

St. Denis Hotel, N.Y., February 1st, 1896.

Mr. Richard Hodgson, - Dear Sir, - ... The dream experience related by Miss Giddings occurred just as related in her article. The date of the illness was December '89. She was my guest at the time, and consequently knew the details.

When my sister's telegram arrived Dr. Louis Sayer (he died immediately afterward) was sitting upon the side of my bed, and I remember that he was profoundly impressed by the inquiry, knowing it the result of a psychological impression received from a dream.... A. Jenness Miller.