Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-05-26
rom Dickens Household Words.
The Napnscd Bed.
By MARK LEMON.

sonby at the door with his baggage, I'll
be wlipped!' cried the head waiter at
the - hotel, on the evening preceding
the regatta. 49,. .-.#. -
"afr. Ponsonhy, you don't say so!
and I'd given him up, and Just put that
weak-minded gent rs come at 10 O'Clock
in Forty -two-Mr. Ponsunby's room as
| call it: and there's not bed to be had
in Cowes for love or money"
whats that you say, Betty ?" said
the new conner; ''not another bed but
mine, ell ?' .........
That's it, SIR" replied Betty; ~
kept it for you till the last train; now
as that has been in an hour, gave you
up, sir. What will you do?"
"Awkward," exclaimed Ponsonhy,
&" the old clock in the room will break
its heart; but l must sleep on sofa
Not one disengaged, sir" said the
waiter. .. -. ..... .....
"No, sir,n added Betty, "not one, sir.
There are four small children pat to bed
in chest of drawers now in Twenty
four. We let everything before we
,coutd let Fortytwo.n
THAT the gent that's got your room,
whispered John, as he ushered Mr..
Ponsonby into the coffee room.
The person alluded to was very mild,
milky looking young gentleman of
twenty-one. His present position was
evidently a new one, for he was con-
stantly employed in pulling up his shirt
collar and using his tooth-pick.
John, )" said Ponsonby, y" | must have
bed. Bring me n broiied bone and u
glass Of brandy and water, and put them
on the table next to the young gentle
man, whilst speak to Betty"
What the nature of Mr.. Ponsonby's
communication to Betty was, l don't
mean to reveal but she }" laughed con-
sumedly," and was shortly after seen
entering No. Forty-two with warln-
ing-pan, and then returning without it.
The bone and brandy and water were
place at the table. The mild gentleman
pulled his collar more frequently and
piled his tooth-pick with increased en-
ergy.
Waiter" cried Ponsonby, here
take this thing away
"Capitai bone, sir" said John; some
what astOuishCd.
"Don't tell me capital bone" cx-
claimed POnsonby. ".The bus driver
was complaining of the mortality among
his horses. Take it away"
The mild gentleman looked alarmed,
and paused in the act of pulling up his
| left collar.
Wrctchcd house this, sir" said Pom
sonby contidentially, "never come here
/ If can avoid it; but at regatta time
| glad tn get in anywhere !"
Yes, Sir" said the mild one.
They served me rascally trick
once, ana shall never forget IL. won
der who sleeps i'll that room tonight
poor devilW
May inquire what the trick was,
sir ,"
/ "Oh! certainly" said Mr.. ponsonby,
"though should hardly like to tel the
story, IN ease you should doubt my We
racity."
"Oh! sir"
I "WcIl, it seems absurd to talk Of
haunted chambers in the nineteenth
century, and Ponsonby paused.
Not at MI, sir, " said the mild one,
cnc0uragtngly.
But that there is one in this house
| am ready to swear" exclaimed Pom
sonby II room with large, old-fash-
ioncd clock in it,"
mo. Forty-twon gasped the mild
ono, that's my rOom!"
Hush, for heavens sake - said Pom
sonby, had known that, wouldn' t
have said word for the world"
My dear sir, don't say that; pray go
on, sir. I'm not supcrstitious, neither
am | fooiishly increduuus," and the
mild one wiped his forehead, and emp
tied his tunhlor at gulp.
"Well, as you desire it, / will relate
my story" said Ponsonby. 1t was
exactly three years ago this very day,
that and my luggage found ourselves
in No. FOrty-tWO, the last room $50 the
chamber-inaid told me- unlct in the
house,
Exactly what she told me--a cocka-
tricew interrupted the mild one.
was tired by my days journey,
and went TO bed exactly IA the clock
struck twelve. Though fatigued felt
no disposition TO sleep, SO j placed my
candle on the bed steps and began to
read. | had read about five minutes,
when suddenly l received most vio-
lent blow In the stomach, and the clock
struck Il quarter. | started up there
was no one--nothing to account for the
phenomenon. At last / concluded it
must have been fancy. ! read on for
another quarter Of an hour, when / re-
ceived two blows of greater violence
than the former one. | jumped out of
bed resolved to secure my assailant.---
No; there was no one the clock
chmcd the half hour"
" Another glass of brandy and wa
teri" cried the mild one.
1t was brought, and ponsonby pro-
cccdcd -
81 seized the bell rope but sense of
shame would not let me proceed. l
therefore resolved to keep watch for q
short time. As sat up in the bed my
eyes fell upon the face Of the old clock
in the corner. | could not help think
ing that was in some way connected
with the annoyance had suffered As
looked, the minute hand gradually
approached the / X on the dial, and the
moment it arrived there, received
three distinct and particularly sharp
raps on the crown of my head. The
clock struck the tliree-quarters | was
now convinced there was something
wrong. What was I to do! If dis
turbed the house and told this story, |
should be laughed at, and set down rs
drunk or dreaming. l resolved to brave
ly opening the clock case, stopped the
vibration of the pendulum"
Come, that must prevent the strik-
ing, thought ], and laid myself down
with something like chuckle at my
own briliancy."
"A chucklc.' murmured the mild
one.
/" / had not been in bed above five
minutes" resumed Ponsonby, "when |
heard the door Of the clock-case open
slowly, felt, confess, trenor -"
4" should think SOP
And ] saw the pendulum throw
soinersault on the floor, and deliberate
ly hop-hop--towards the bed
IL paused for a moment, and bending
its round, brazcn face full upon me,
said d---~n
"Spolsc?" I" gasped the mild one.
Said continued Ponsonby; not
needing the interruption, Sir, I am
very much Obliged to you for stopping
my labors. People think Illever want
any rest, but that l can stand being
perpetually wound up and kept on the
go. With your permission, III get in
90 bed;' and without waiting for an an
swer into the bed it got.p
. j SUPPOSE continued the penda-
ium, you are not aware that this is
our room.o
:. O7ir room ~ said +. ~..- 4. e..
Yes, mine and the rest of the works.
The man who made Its Iipd in fhta