…it! Jim was a burglar, mister, a real top-sawyer in his profession, and there wasn’t his equal in London. I knew it when I first met him, and he knew all about me — that I was one of the cleverest filchers — pocket -pickers — in Whitechapel. Well, mister, we took to one another at first sight, and, after a few months courting, agreed that, if we were to marry and have a quiet time of it, we must give up our present line of business. Burglary is all very well for a single man, if he is ‘pinched’ no one misses him, but when it comes to seven years’ penal for a man with a wife and half a dozen children, it isn’t good enough. Jim and I were sensible enough to see that, mister, and we both came to the conclusion that, after one more haul, we…

…while bathing in the sea.”The other dream, which occurred only last year, was to this effect: I was riding outside an omnibus in London when a bat suddenly flew past me. All my fellow-passengers cried out in a chorus, ‘How remarkable! A bat!’ and I awoke actually repeating those words. I was so impressed that I jotted down the dream in my memorandum book. Exactly a week later, I received tidings of my father’s death: he had been thrown from a trap, whilst descending a steep hill near Dublin, and killed on the spot. “In reference to motionless bats, a lady informed me, that one night she dreamed her counterpane was covered with bats, and bats being her pet aversion, she was so terrified that she immediately awoke, to find her whole body bathed in perspiration. The following day, she learned that an aunt to whom she was greatly attached…

…Bears have always been associated with the unpleasant side of the occult. Those, however, that made such short work of Elisha’s tormentors, although undoubtedly psychic (since to appear and cause to disappear with such startling suddenness is only characteristic of the super physical), were to my mind far more opportune than they were unpleasant. Indeed, I might go further and confess that I should not be extremely sorry were such a demonstration of the occult bear, as that recorded in the Scriptures, to take place periodically amongst the ill-mannered and superfluous children of to-day. Many places are said to be haunted by evil spirits in ursine guise. I have myself visited a house in Chelsea where the apparition of a shaggy bear is seen, and it is a well-known fact that the Tower of London was once (and perhaps still is) haunted by the phantasm of a bear. A…

…Rats, whether white, black, or brown, singly or collectively, import illness, death, and serious misfortunes.The night before his son was drowned at sea, a man I once met dreamed his bedroom was full of enormous black rats with grey eyes that raced round and round the bed, and eventually leaped into the empty grate and disappeared up the chimney.Another person, a lady in London, if I remember rightly, dreamed that she saw her youngest daughter sitting on the floor playing with a big brown rat that suddenly sprang at her, tore the ribbon out of her hand, and raced out of the room with it. Some days later, this particular daughter developed consumption, of which she eventually died….

…see! And don’t stop to ask questions!” But his brother shook him off.How ridiculous! I shall do nothing of the sort! He said. “I came here to walk, and walk I shall.Ah! By Jove! There is Mrs. So-and-so. How well she looks!” and in the most gallant manner possible he took off his hat and bowed. A universal shriek was the result, and a piping voice — that of the charming girl’s small brother — was heard to cry out, “Look, look, Ethel! There are the DeJones, and they have nothing on!” Then a huge policeman bounced across the road, and in a moment the two brothers were hustled along the busy thoroughfare, with half London at their heels. I cannot remember what my friend told me happened to him next, but I well remember him assuring me that, until he woke up, he certainly had an exceedingly disagreeable time…

…their impending fate.T. Charley, in his News from the Invisible World, furnishes another example of this type of dream, namely, as follows:”Dr. Donne and his wife lived for some time in London with Sir Robert Daury. Sir Robert having occasion to go to Paris, took the doctor along with him, leaving his wife, who was in a delicate state of health, at Sir Robert’s house. Two days after their arrival at Paris, Dr. Donne was left alone in the room where Sir Robert, and he, and some other friends had dined together. Sir Robert returned in half an hour, and as he had left so he found the doctor, alone; but in such an ecstasy and so altered in his looks as amazed Sir Robert to behold. He inquired the cause, and after some time the doctor told him he had seen a dreadful vision. “I beheld,” he said,” my…

…of Leslie Montague, one of the best-known bankers in London. I examined the cutlery — the best firm in Sheffield, of course; the glass — nothing under-half -a- crown apiece; the serviettes — Damask linen every one of them; and I was about to slip out of my seat and examine the pile of things on the sideboard, when the door opened and a foot-man, carrying a tray laden with dishes, entered. Following at his heels were Mr. Montague and a lady, who, from the very affectionate manner in which Mr. Montague addressed her, I gathered was his wife.”And here let me say that I only concluded she was a lady from the fact of her being Mrs. Montague, otherwise her attire, which was flash and fast in the extreme, would have led me to believe she was some very common person. I’m no judge of ladies’ dress, and couldn’t…