Presesarestrahings!andsoaresympathies;andsns;ahreebinedmakeoerytowhichhumanityhasfoundthekey.Ineverlaughedatpresesinmylife,becauseIhavehadstrangeonesofmyown.Sympathies,Ibelieve,exist(forinstaweenfar-distant,long-absent,whollyestrangedrelativesasserting,notwithstandingtheiralienatioyofthesourcetowhicheachtraceshisin)whosewsbafflemortalprehension.Andsigns,fhtweknow,maybebutthesympathiesofNaturewithman.

    WhenIwasalittlegirl,onlysixyearsold,IonenightheardBessieLeavensaytoMarthaAbbotthatshehadbeendreamingaboutalittlechild;andthattodreamofchildrenwasasuresignoftrouble,eithertoone’sselforone’skin.Thesayingmighthavewornoutofmymemory,hadnotacircumstanceimmediatelyfollowedwhichservedindeliblytofixitthere.ThedayBessiewassentforhometothedeathbedofherlittlesister.

    OflateIhadoftenrecalledthissayingandthisi;fthepastweekscarcelyanighthadgoneovermycouchthathadnhtwithitadreamofaninfant,whietimeshushedinmyarms,sometimesdandledonmyknee,sometimeswatchedplayingwithdaisiesonalawn,ain,dabblingitshandsinrunningwater.Itwasawailingchildthisnight,andalaughihe:nowitledclosetome,andnowitranfromme;butwhatevermoodtheapparitionevinced,whateveraspectitwore,itfailednotforsevensuccessivenightstomeetmethemomeeredthelandofslumber.

    Ididnotlikethisiterationofohisstrangerecurrenage,andIgrewnervousasbedtimeapproachedandthehourofthevisiondrewnear.Itwasfrompanionshipwiththisbaby-phantomIhadbeenrousedonthatmoonlightnightwhehecry;anditwasoernoonofthedayfollowingIwassummoneddownstairsbyamessagethat