I confessed, and we have had many a hearty laugh over it since; but I had not ventured to confess it to the family for fifteen years.
A PROPHETIC DREAM.
On pages [76-77] above, in the chapter devoted to the “Mediumistic Vein in our Family,” is given an account of my aunt, Mrs. Elizabeth Higgins, having seen a prophetic vision, miscalled “dream,” which nearly nine years afterward was actually enacted over her grave, which now speaks for itself in the cemetery of Sodus, Wayne Co., N. Y. I omitted there to mention another instance in which she “dreamed” of a strange event, some weeks in advance of its actual occurrence. I was a child at the time, but perfectly remember it, besides its having often been talked about in the family.
When the family migrated from the city of New York to Sodus, Wayne County, N. Y., it had been intended to go by the canal. Grandfather had preceded the removal of the family by about a year. One morning Aunt Bessie (afterward Mrs. Higgins) announced that, “We shall not make our journey by water.” “Why not?” asked her mother. “Because I dreamed last night that we travelled by land, and there was a strange lady with us. In my dream, too, we came to Mott’s tavern in the Beech Woods, and they could not admit us because Mrs. Mott lay dying in the house. I know it will come true.” She always felt that certainty in regard to certain dreams. “Very unlikely indeed,” was the reply, “for but a year ago, when you stopped there, Mr. Mott’s wife lay dead in the house.” “You will see.” “Then he must have married again, and he will lose his second wife.”
Every particular came to pass as she had predicted. Mrs. Johnson, a stranger to the family at that time, accompanied them. By a change of plan they made the journey by land, as by that means (by grandfather’s orders) they took the horses (three teams) to use in the new home in the “West.”
When they reached Mott’s tavern, late in the evening, they were told they could not be accommodated, as the house was full, and Mrs. Mott was dying. Bessie said to the clerk, “I was here just one year ago to-day, and Mrs. Mott lay dead in the house.” He replied, “Mr. Mott was married two months ago, and it is his second wife who is now dying.” It was arranged, however, for them to stay in the adjoining house, owned by Mr. Mott and occupied by his son.
Referring back (see page [75]) to my great-grandmother’s visions of phantom funerals (sometimes more than a year in advance of their actual occurrence), I desire to add that such pre-visioned funerals were not of persons whose age and state of health might have suggested such anticipation, but that they were of persons of all ages, and on two occasions the deaths were by accident, namely, by drowning and by a fall from a house.
In the case of Mr. Urie (page [82]), the runaway that caused his death was not that of a single horse, but of a high-spirited span of horses. The mistake was an accidental one made by a copyist.
I may add, generally, in regard to many of the strange occurrences related in this volume, there are witnesses still living who can attest the correctness of my statements.