Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-01-04
Barnum a Boy.

While was q clerk in the store in Bethel, Con-
necticut, my father kept the village tavern usu-
ally slept with my younger brother, Eder but
when our house was filled with travellers we were
obliged to " sleep three in bed by taking in our
honest Irish farmer, Edmund as sleeping partner.
After the store was closed at night, frequently
joined some of the village boys in party at the
house of their parents and what with story telling
and various kinds of "childs play" couple OF
hours would glide away, and at IL o'clock at night
which was later than my parents permitted,
would syly creep up stairs and crawl into bed
with the greatest caution, lest | should wake my
brother who would be sure to report my late hours
to my parents.
My brother contrived all sorts of plans to catch
me on my return home, but sleep would overtake
him, ard would elude his vigilance. Sometimes
he would pile trunks and chairs against the door
sothat could hardly open it without upsetting
the barricade, and awaken him by the noise. /
would generally manage, however, to open the door
by degrees, and to get in bsd without disturbing
his slumbers.
One night / found the door fastened on the in-
side by nail firmly driven over the latch. Deter
mined that he should not outwit me, I descended
the stairs, found short ladder which l ascended,
and entered our bedroom window without being
discovered
These continued eontrvances of my brother
made me always suspicious of some trap on my
return home, and l generally approached my DOR
mitory with the great st degree of caution. One
night / returned as usual about / o'clock, and
opened the door few inches with great care, run
in my arm in order to discover any Instructions
which might lie in wait for me. My hand soon
touched small cord which found was attached
to the door latch by one end where the other was
fastened l could not imagine, and the darkness
would not enable me to discover. 1 drew knife
from my pocket, and cutting the cord very eau
tiousy, opened the door and got into bed without
discovery. On awaking the next morning, found
the other end of the cord attached to my brothers
big toe This very Ingenious contrivance he
thought would wake him up, and it undoubtedly
would have done so, but for my timely discovery.
Another night he sat himself up in the middle of
the bed and bolstered himself up with pillows de-
termined 10 keep awake until | returned But
sleep at last overcame MIN, and when arrived and
found him in that position, snugged myself in !
costly across the foot Of the bed and went TO sleep
In the morning he found himself sitting bolt up |
right just as he went to bed the night before Civ
ing me kick to wake me, be exclaimed
"You worked it pretty well last night, but I'll |
catch you yet.
You are welcome to do if you can" replied |
1" but you will have to get up early in the morning
to catch weasel asleep"
The next night he fastened spur upon his na-
ked heel and went 10 sleep, thinking that when |
got into bed l should bit the spur, aud perhaps |
rake my skin the pain Of which would cause me to
cry out and thus awake him. ! retired with my |
usual caution that night, and discovered no contri
vance, | concluded my brother had abandoned the |
chase and turning my back to him, l was soon
wrapped in the arms of Morpheus.
1t CHANGED that night that number of tin ped
dlers and others travellers arrived at a late hour,
and every bed being engaged, our Irish Edmond
was obliged to sleep with US Perceiving me stow
ed on the back side of the bed, and my brother as
usual plump in the middle, he quietly laid himself
down on The front part of the bed, and went to
sleep.
At about two o'clock was awakened by a fear |
ful noise. The full moon streaming 10 at the ,
window, making our bedroom as light as day.
"I1l tache We to go to bed with spur on, ye |
little scamp ye" exclaimed Edmnnd, as be held my
brother high in the air. hand grasping his neck
and The other holding the offending leg with the |
spur on. just over my head.
What is the matter, Edmund ?" l exclaimed |
in surprise.
"Not thing is the matter, except this brother !
of yours has run his spur into groin matter of
three inches" replied the indignant Irshman, who
was suffering under the smart of his wounds
a did not mean it for you meant it for |
Taylor whined out my brother, only half awake |
"Niver hair do | care who you meant it for, SO
that got it,, replied Edmund, at the same time
giving my brother several slaps which made him |
yell like young Indian.
Edmund then unbuckled the spur, and arranging |
all in bed again, he turned to go to Sleep simply
remarking to my brother The mkt time We try
to ride me for a horse, ye will find NE kicking
one, We young varmint !"-P. T. BarRums Auto-
biography.