Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-05-11
PlTTsFJELD, APRIL 28.

Sonanam5ulism.-Mr. Timothy Dean,
OF Adams, in this county, son of the late
Doctor Dean, had employed himself for
some weeks in thrashing, during the
past winter. One night as he was about
closing his labors for The day, he ascend
ed ladder to the top of the great
beams in the barn, where the rye when
he was thrashing was deposited, to as
certain what number of bundles remain
ed unthrashed, which he determined to
finish the next day. The ensuing
night, about 9 o'clock, as was supposed,
Mr.. Dean was heard by his mother TO
get up and go out, and had no further
recollection ofhim during the night--hc
repaired to bis barn, being in sound
sleep, and, altogether unconscious Of
what he was doing, set open his bara
doors. assembled the ladder as he had
done the day before, on TO the hay-mow,
thence on TO the great beams of the
barn 10 where the said rye was deposit
ed, and threw down a flooring, and a.
gain descended and commenced thrash
ing lt--when he had completed it, he
raked off the straw and bound it into
bundles, and showed up the rye to one
side Of the floor, and then carried the
straw up the ladder and deposited it on
some rails that lay across the great
beams of the barn-then threw down
another flooring ofrye, which he thrash
ed and finished as belore-thus he con-
tinued his labors until he had thrashed
five foorings, and on returning from
throwing down the sixth and last; in
passing over part of the hay-mow, he
fell off where the hay had been cut
down about six feet on the lower part
oft, which awoke him-he at first i'm
asined himself in his neighbours barn,
bat after groPing about in the dark for
long time, ascertained that he was in his
own barn, and at length found ladder
on which he descended to the floor
closed his barn, which he found open,
and returned to his house-on coming
to the light, found himself in such a
protuse persplration that his clothes
were literally wet through--he went 10
bed, and the next morning, on going 10
his barn, found that he had thrashed,
during the night, five bushels of rye
had raked the straw off in good order,
and bound if up, and deposited it on the
great beams, and showed up the grain to
one side of the floor, all in workman
like condition, without tho least con-
seriousness OF what he was doing, until
he fell from the hay. Mr.. Dean was
disposed TO have concealed the extraor-
binary facts, until his ne;ghbors inquired
the cause of his thrashipg nights, when
his family disclosed the particulars.
Capt. Blair, OF the ship Flora, from
Liverpool. reports that he passed, near
the Banks of Newfoundland, abouttwo
hundred floating mountains of ice, the
largest at least mile in circumference.
and about 800 feet high, and severat
others nearly the same size.
Prem'um.-The proprietors of the
"New-York Mirror and Ladies' Literary
Gazette" offer premium of fhv dol
lars to the author of the best Prose
Essay, TO occupy not less than one, nor
more than three pages Of the Mirror.
ardto BE forwarded to Messrs. HOPKINS
s. Morris, No. 8 Nassau-street. before
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