Sleep event

The dream corresponded with her [Marian's] inaccurate recollection of the fiction more than with the fi.ction itself. She fancied that the incident was supposed to occur as in my dream — a grown person walking with a little girl in the street. It is one of several faint coincidences of the same kind, but most are so uninteresting that we forget them. Another little case of thought-reading between us may have interest for you. I should premise that M. H. is my most intimate friend as well as my maid — copies all my writings for me, and shares all my interests. In the year 1 880, I was troubled by some circumstances which I carefully concealed from her. I thought that some actions of mine might have caused annoyance to a friend long dead, if he had been still among us, and the doubt stirred up much speculation in my mind as to the possible feeling in those who are gone. On the morning after I had been dwelling on this (which I did with a sense of vivid anxiety), M. H. said to me, ' Oh, I had such a strange dream last night. I thought I saw Mr. A. come alive in his picture in the wall, and stand out of the picture, and look down with sorrow and grief, as if he were much hurt ! ' I felt she had exactly read my anxious feelings, all sign of which had been carefully concealed fram her. She had never seen the picture which was very familiar to me. (408) From Mrs. Hunter, 2, Victoria Crescent, St. Helier's, Jersey. January 8th, 1884. The following happened in India some 13 years ago. My second daughter had been with me, while I was preparing for bed one night. Our talk was merry, and only gossip. At last she left me for her own room. In the middle of the night I awoke in an agony of grief, and sat up in bed, sobbing and trembling. In vain I reasoned and tried to believe ' it was only a dream.' For a time I could not ; it was so real. My dream was that a cobra di capello had bitten my daughter, and she raised a blanched, pinched face to mine, and said, ' Must I die, mamma % ' and I had replied, in agony, ' You must, darling.' Next morning, my dream hardly remembered, I was dressing, when she, as usual, came to me. Her first words were, ' Oh, mamma, I had such a horrid feeling last night while I was undressing. I felt sure there was a snake in my room, and had such a hunt before I got into bed ; indeed, I feel sure the wretch is there still, and I have ordered the hammal (male housemaid) to turn my bathroom upside down. It was a horrid feeling.'