Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-04-14

L In ihis state he was conducted ~ hi.
:hamber-a fine lofty Gothic apartment,
with bedstead that Seemed coe val with
the bui5ing. i say seemed; for that was BY
no means the case; 1t being in reality a
modern piece Of structure, IL was of dark
Nnahogany, with its foor posts ext, ndinc
comple,eIy TO the ceiling OF the chamber.
The bed. however was NOT more than n bout
TWO feet from the floor, the better to enable
he parry 10 get into IL. The Scolchman,
with good deal of assistance sas suSn
lndresSed, and had his body DEPOSITED in
his place Of repose. All The party then
etire1. wishing him q good night. and re.
having the candle for lear ui accidents.
| When The door was closed, was, for the
irst time, made acquainted with the slrac
iure Of the bedslead, wlch cur hosg con
idersd rs his masterpiece. Upon The
Touching Of n spring, outside the door, the
bed was SO acted upon by pulley, thatit
1scendcd slows and smoothly ihrpugh the
four posts, until it came within two or
three feet Of the ceiling. The snoring OF
the ScotchInsn was the signal for touching
the spring. aud he was soOn at the proper
altitude. 5ltrlrs rag ESQ 'ar a1a
The servants required no instructions how 60
act IL enc moment the house was in an tiproar;
cries of sire frer' were heard in different
directions. A pile Of shavings was set in a
blaze opposite the window where pour Sawney
slept. The lrndl1rl's voice was continually
heard, eKclaiming, Good heavens save the
poor Scotch gentleman, il possible; the latAes
have gni into the room just under him !" o u
Al this moment, we heard him fall, and bel
l.. II ~
light was extinguished, and the whole hc,.sc
seemed TO be buried in the most profound re
pose The cochmInH voice could alone be
1sard, roaring on, in the high dlaiect of his
country, for assistance. H..a2 e1s .9t7sl ia-
AZ length, two Of the men-servan's, in their
shirts, entered the room, with candle Just lii
and yAwning, as IL jutt arorseA from their FIRST
sleep. They found him sprawling on the hOur.
90, dear, sir, what i. the matter with you ?''
''Mauerl" says he; "why, isn't the house on
FIRE pr EEL. 'a-h 'fsi ,.i"'.37 L"hh ~
hss.Nos ,t All .;rn 1est syai sa" sf.s 10.
'a"lyhat was the reason OF the cries OF FIRE,
then ?" o. 'H .',
"Bless you, sir, You mast have been dream
| ing; why, there's no, so much as a mouse stir
ring, andhis honor and the whole family have
been asleep thesethree hours"
| Az A'Su.SN'H III now gave up al cIcuil III the
testimony Of his own senses.
81 must ha' been dreaming indeed, and ha
hurt myself by falling ont Of the bed" III.
"Hurt yourself, sir mot much, hope, the
bed is so low j. and by this time it had been
nude TO descend 10 its first level. ...f. 3
The poor Scot was quite confused quite
ashamed at disturbing The family; begged a
thc;.ara f-ao;.s, accompanied The servants &C
the door, cIosedit after them, and was once more
left in the dark. tir, " - sE ,.
But the last act Of the pantomime was ~ -
| formed. The spring had been imPNff n RN l.
81, slose s ss .; SSr guest We could hear
him cropping ahoats and ulleriug frequent eIacu-
lations Of establishment. He easily found the
bed posts, but il was in vain he conld endeavor
10 get in. He moved his hands UP AMI down.
His leg was often lifted by way of stepping in
but ALWAYS encountered The floor upon its de-
| scent, He uttered excla,n iliohs Of surprise moi
lond, but deep, for fear Of again disturbing The
family. He concluded himself to be in the pos
session Of some evil spirit. a,. erti o.
In short, when it WAS founl, by his silence
that he hld given mp the task as hopeless, ana
| had disposed Of himself upon Que of the chairs
| the bed was allowed to slide down again, and IN
the morning Sawney cpull not bn' express his
asionshment at not being able TO find it in the
dark Extract of letter written in 1892.