J. C. Middleton of Cleveland, vice president of the Canton & Akron railroad, was prevented from sailing on the Titanic by a dream. He told friends of the dream ten days before the tragedy and two of these friends have made a signed affidavit to that effect. Mr. Middleton said:

"I was to have sailed on the Titanic, having booked my passage on March 23. On the night of April 3 I experienced this terrible dream. I saw the Titanic go down in midocean and hundreds of people struggling frantically in the water."

"The next night I had the same dream. When I told my wife she immediately importuned me to cancel our passage and I did so after ascertaining that business in America did not necessitate my return at this time."

Why aren't such cases more common? Many such dreams aren't acted on. Passage was costly and decent berths limited. If he hadn't told his wife the dreams, without her urging would he have acted on them? Had Mrs Middleton had the nightmares, would he have canceled to please her, in the face of his company's possible wrath? Only a combination of factors--recurring nightmares, his wife's strong reaction, and his company's assurances that business could wait--tipped him into action. And it should be noted that most casual accounts omit the fact that this was a couple's decision, and that it saved two lives, not one.

If there is a moral here, it's to tell such dreams to those you love; 'for better or for worse' includes 'for dream or for nightmare'. The life you save may not be your own.

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