Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-11-14

visited with some lnkilngS OF civilization, bu
| upon further consideration, it was agreed We
| owed the size, as well as the number of the
| couches, to the necessity of the case, the gar
ret being of such figure as to stow a dozer
| truckle beds more cOmmodiously than hall
that number of double ones.
Nevertheless, we were all well pleased
with the arrangement; nor did any difficulty
present itself, until the Drawing gentleman,
RECALLING us with moderate burst of his mu-
sic, by way of calling attention, demanded,
''who the nation was to sleep with the Yam
kee - question that no one answered until
ne had hrst popped into, and SO secured pos
session OF the cot; after which each swore.
with an oath as terrible as ever was sworn i'm
Flanders, the Yankee should not sleep with
nm. Upon this point the determination was
quite unanimous. | might, indeed, except
myself, having made no rash VOW on the oc-
caslon which was the more unnecessary as
had, partly by accident and partly from
choice, fallen heir to the narrow bed of plank
spoken of before, in which there was no dam
ger ofbeing troubled with a bed-fellow.
We had scarce arranged this important
matter, when the supernumerary guest and
extra ledger, who had perhaps been detained
securing his property for the night, came up
stairs, bearing his saddle-bags and candle.
and with hesitating step and modest counte-
nance, stole through the room looking for an
empty bed, but of course without finding any.
"Perhaps, gentlemen" with an extremely
solemn, wo-begone voice ofinguiry, 'ssome of
you can tell me whereI am to sleep to night"
sin paradise, suppose said the Drawing
gentleman, ''for I'll be hanged if there is any
room for you here. You see the beds are all
full.''
u do, said the stranger, Sand they are
shocking narrow ones too. But rather cal
culate the landlord meant me to have half
one, somewhere or other among you.''
swell, that seems but reasonable said
the Mississippian, 'and should be very willing
to let you have half of mine; only-here he
turned over the bed clothes and displayed a
huge bowie knife lying on one side of him,
and pistol on the other-s'only that | never
sleep without my arms, and they are some
what dangerous when dream at night. as |
always do after bad supper. Pom NV soul.
sir, nyou had seen me how | slashed my bed
to pieces last night, and shot off the bed post!
Had to pay ten dollars damages to old Skin
flint, the landlord
The ankee recoiled with trepidaton from
this perilous bcd-felow, and preferred his re-
quest to the Iennesseean, representing very
piteously that he had an affection of the head
though of what kind he did not inform us
which was always aggravated by want of, or
evenuncomfortable sleep.-The Tennesseean,
however, swore he was just as bad as his
nelghbor, the Mississippian, though in anoth-
er way, he never could sleep with any BODY
without beginning to fight the moment he fell
asleep and 1T was but a fortnight apo, he said.
that he had gouged an unlucky bcd-fellow's
eyes cut.
The Alabamlan declared he chewed tobac-
co in his sleep, and that his guilds were to the
full as dangerous to a bed-mate's ewes as the
Iennesseean's fingers. The second Missis-
slpPlan had taken position directly across the
bed, his head sticking out on one side, his
legs on the other, in which position only, he
swore, he could sleep with any comfort; and
therefore desired the Yankee to apply to some
one else (which he did, though with no
better fortune; some eXcusing themselves on
pretensions as ridiculous as those have men,
toned, while one or two others, whose wit was
not so ready, met his duplicating chances
and hesitating applications with downright
refusals. AS for myself, the narrowness of
my couch was so manifest as to secure me
from application.
The poor ankee, thus rejected on all sides.
and with the prospect of remaining bedless all
night, took the desperate resolution of prefer
ring a complaint to his majesty the inn
keeper. Fer this purpose he opened the door
and called twice or thrice, but with timid
tones, to niino host; who, having already re-
tired to bed, and not choosing to be troubled.
took no notice ofthe first calls, and only re-
Piled to the last by threatening to turn his I'M
fortunate customer out Of the house if he did
not remain quiet.
10 be turned out of house in which he
was so lnhospitably treated might have SEEM
ed no very disagreeable alternative; but I'M
luckily, dismal rain had now commenced
falling, and there was no other pIace of raf,cro
within eight or ten miles.
Nothing remained for the extra lodUer brt
to stretch himselfupon the floor; which he at
last did, but with sundry groans and COM
plants, pillowlng his head upon the saddle
bags; In which position he lay until his fell
low travellers, myself with the rest, had all
dropped sound asleep.
We had not slept, | imagine, more than a
quarter of an hour when we were all. at the
same moment, reused up by terrible toice
crying In the midst Of the room, ssIf there's
no other way with them, cut their aristocrati-
cal threats.
The words and voice were alike alarming;
but Judge our astonishment when, starting
from our beds, we beheld the Yankee RISING
halt naked from the floor, as grim and raunt
as Don Oulxotte himself, holding bowie knife
to which the Mississippian's was as a pen
knife to razor, and bTandishing it with looks
OF blood and fury. ''By snakes and nippers!''
crled the praying gentleman, with something
ike alarm, she dreams harder than | do
awake him, he will do mischief.'' exclaim-
cd others for we all thought the door fellow
was suffering under some frightful dream.
The Tennessecan, bolder than the rest.
seized him by the arm, upon which he drop
ped his knife, and his countenance cbanoinp
from RAGE to tTepidation hmm diatoI,- ~,