The Argosy — page 267: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

250 The Shapes that Dreams may take. rescue. He told his wife at the time, saying he hoped that no shipwrecked crew stood in need of his services. On going to sleep again the dream was repeated with still greater distinctness—the men were seen to be on a wreck, in intense distress, and needing the utmost despatch if they were to be saved. The captain, waking, went on deck, and on the impulse of the moment altered the course of the vessel two points without any tangible reason; and then giving orders that he should be called at dawn, he retired to rest, and slept undisturbed. At daybreak he went aloft with his glass, and then discovered a ship far to windward with distress signals hoisted. Owing to the state of the wind and the waves, it was some hours before he could reach the wreck, whose crew had by that time betaken themselves to the boats, and were at once assisted on board © Captain Smalley’s vessel, just as the rising storm strengthened to a perfect hurricane, which raged for four days, and ultimately com- pelled Captain Smalley to take refuge in Gibraltar, instead of putting into Lisbon as he had intended. Another picturesque and pleasant story comes from America, , equally well attested by names, dates, etc. It was narrated in the | Hartford Times of 1874, the editor vouching for its genuineness. There was at that date resident in Hartford a Mr. John Eiswirth, © a German by birth. He and his wife had been settled in America | for nearly a quarter of century. Soon after they came over, they had — a letter announcing that the wife’s brother was already on his way — from the Fatherland to the States. They naturally expected soon | to see him, but he never came, nor did they ever hear of him from — that date for a period of nearly twenty-five years. But in the spring ~ of 1874, Mr. John Ejiswirth, peaceable citizen of Hartford, dreamed® a dream. It began in a sufficiently common-place way, by his’ seeming to take a seat in the railway cars at the Hartford depot. He was not aware of any intention or wish to go anywhere, but felt | simply whirled through vast expanses of country. At last the train — slackened and he got out, but did not know where he was. Moving, on with the other passengers, he asked the first man he met for the name of the place where he had arrived. The man answered “St. | Louis,” and the dreamer was more puzzled than ever since he had no business there, and wished himself back in Hartford. While»: standing in a state of miserable hesitancy, he suddenly saw his wife's _ long-lost brother approaching him, and they greeted with joyful effusion! The next moment the worthy German found himself) awake in his bed, in his own house in Hartford. But the dream, had made a great impression on him, and he thought he would! follow it up by sending a letter to his brother-in-law, directed to St. | Louis, marking outside the envelope, ‘‘If not called for within ten: days, return to John Eiswirth, Hartford, Conn.” In afterwards telling the story, he declared that he felt this was but a foolish’ action and sure to lead to nothing. Judge of his surprise, when CONNIECLIOO KS yee ah)