Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-10-13
The girls had placed two beds some six

or eight feet apart, and lald leather bed
on the floor between them, and they were
then exercising themselves by iuiaping
from one bed to the other. There was one
fat girl, about as broad as she was long, and
in no way calculated for physical exer-
tions; but she had got upon the bed, and
stood swinging her arms TO and fro, making
every indication for desperate jump. BY
this time was out on the floor, and nv
place at the curtain supplied by another
sprig of mischief. He leaned down and
whispered-the fat girl was going to Jump.
"Oh, golIy !" said he, eff Fan only falls,
won't she roll over nicer' '
was determined TO see this, and climb
ing up again, we both occupied the "tot.
tering pile" With one hand over our
mouths, and pinching our noses, TO pre-
vent burst of laughter, we stood breath
less awaiting the awful calamity.
"There she goes, by jingo" excaim-
ed. She didn't do it, thoug her feet
just resting on the round of the bed, she
balanced but for moment, and fell back
wards, head down and feet in the air, roll
ing and putting like porpoise, but display
ing no mean agility for SO embarrassing a
situation.
We could hold in no longer, but shook
with laughter. The chair tilted, and down
all came together, with crash like young
peal of thunder.
"To bed-to bed, boys" said I, ''and
! leave the rest TO me-"
| In an instant all was quiet; everybody
in bed and sound asleep, with the excep-
ton of myself. Oh! such attempts to
snore, as might have been then heard-but
we. were used to playing the "possum,"
and | now concluded TO give the approach
ing tutor and wife sample of somnambu-
lism. ID. ...
"Now don't laugh for the world, boys,
and see me do the thing"
raised the table on lis legs, ard getting
on it, was concluding my speech that had
written and committed to memory for the
day-and here the trainers Of young ideas
entered, but still | continued
"Friends and fellow students Over
whelmed, as | am, with your kind atten-
! lions, | cannot refrain from expressing
thanks, yes, warm and heartfelt thanks
and to you, dear sir, this of course meant
the tutor, and at this point my vacant sta
ring eyes were upon him. will my heart
ever yearn. look upon this moment OF
my life with pride that swels my young
bosom almost to bursting and when man
hood shall close my youthful career, and
my country shall call me to her halls Of
Legislation, there will I exercise every
truth and virtue in:tilled into my heart by
your kind and iatherly tutoring. These
boyish tears ofjoy will yet swell to gush-
ing stream of ambitious glory-and then
will look back to these days, and with you
uppermost in my thoughts, exclaim, twas
you, yes you, sir-that made me what I
am"
"Bravo! bravo! my boy" they both ex-
claimed.
/ got off the table now, seeing l had the
game in my own hands, and walked slowly
up to the window, gave myself up to deep
sobbingS, and really appeared much at-
tected.
The tutor approached me and called me
softly by name, but | answered him not
and turning slowly from him, l walked to
the other side of the room, avoiding the
rays of the lamp, which the mistress was
directing upon me.
ale is asleep, my DEAR" exclaimed the
tutor; and it must have been the dragging
OF the table over the floor that made such
a rumbling noise. Give me the lamp, and
60 bring me basin of water-I will effect
lasting cure upon our young somnambu-
list"
| heard many suppressed filters, and
could see sundry corners of sheets going
into sundry mouths. This nearly Destroy
ed my equilibrium but l mastered myself,
and again went to the window, though the
mention of the basin of water caused mo-
mentary Shudder to shoot through my
whole frame.
The good dame returned with what |
magnifed into an uncommonly large ves-
sci of water. But ii was no deluSion-for
in her haste she brought the ''filterer," and
| knew certainly it was cold ducking
was to have Could escape it would
try.
walked first to one bed, then to an
other-the tutor following with the filterer,
his wife playing ''torch-bearer," while the
heavy breathing of the possuming sleepers
added to the solemnity of the scene. l
stlll walked on, turning away every time
he proposed to douse me! They had com.
pletely cut off the retreat to my own bed,
and saw at once should have to take it.
| walked boldly out, and placing myself
before him, he upset the contents OF the Jug
upod me. iFst
gasped, caught my breath, tottered, and
played the frightened boy so well, that the
deception was complete. heard merry
laugh in the next room-my schoolmates
ON their beds rubbing their eyes and inquir-
ing the matter.
The next morning the boys found that
the rag had been taken from that keyhdle.
| III BOILING,
| N. INob.,ar a., III,