The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-08-22
My BedfellOW.

1nIO country JOWn, anu turing COUT
week, once rode on horseback at tht
end of a weary day, passed in contin
nous mud hole, studded with stump.
and ornarhented with logs, that be-
nightcd country called road. Nigh
had already closed in, and l was guided
to the hotel by thousand and one boys
of the place, and the hoise issuing from
the bar room, no less disagreeable. ]
found the landlord shut up in a corner
pen, dealing out liquid insanity to his
customers To my request for supper
and bed, he responded that l could eai
my fill, but there was not bed uncnga
ged or not occupied in the house l per
sisted until the wretch informed me tina,
there was ''feller' iii filimber six oc
cupying douole bed, and could "roll
in there" if so minded.
1t was dismal, but my only hope; SC
after the evening Indigestion climbed
the rough stairs to number six. / was
told by the landlord to walk in without
knocking and did So.
1t was cherries room, without car
pet upon the floor, or curtains to shut
out the blank night of the windows that
seemed to stare blindly in on one, and
wink as the candle flared in the wind.
foHnd my companion heashting OFF lis
dreams by snores, and undressing "roll
ed in," as the landlord had suggested
My stranger turned over with something
like growl and grunt, as I crept to
his side.
Tired as / was, / could not sleep
The bed-tick felt as if it were stuffed
with grasshoppers; and the pillows were
of the sort to slip up ones nose in the
night, and be sneezed out some time du-
ring the day. Besides this, my bed fel.
low snored abominably. 1t sounded
like giant trying to blow "0ld Hun
dred' through tin horn, witioit know
ing exactly how. bore this inhiction
as long as l could, and at last gave my
friend dig in the ribs, exclaiming at
the same time:
81 say"
"Hillo-sh-what is it~ be asked,
in confused way.
Il am sorry to disturb you, but ]
think it my duty to inform you that !
walk in my SLEEP"
"Well; Walk"
"My Christian friend, am we'll aware
that this is free country, and if 8 ttian
wishes to walk i'll his sleep there is no
constitutional provision to prevent him
But wish to remark that if / do walk,
you had better not interfere with me. v
"Oh walk; won't say word about
it."
"Well, don't. When addressed OF
interfered with, / am apt to get furious
l nearly Drained poor man with dog.
iron the other night"
The deuce you did"
"Yes, did"
sWell, that's rather disagreeable. A
fellow might, under an impulse, blurt
out something to you'
= "Better not"
"No, l should think not
A long pause followed this. At last
the now wide awake lodger asked alb
ruptly!
did You notice my hat on the floor p
~ believe did,"
"If you walk, you know, Id rather
you wouldn't step in 1t"
s'I'll bear that in mind"
After another patise He again asked !:
''Did you notice that door on the
left p
81 saw a door on my left "
''Well, if you walk, I'd advice yon
not to 60 out there. 1t opens on 3
porch, only the porch hasn't been built,
and it's twenty feet down into the stable
yard"
81 don't believe shall walk out of
that door,"
"Don't think 1 would if l walked
much"
1 supposed my inquisitive friend was
dropping Into sleep, when he again
broke cut:
II say, did you really brain a man
with dog-iron?"
81 tried pretty hard"
Then came iii d silence that was moi
broken. After a little while l heard tht
bedfellow creeping softly from the 9th
er side of the bed. 1 could hear him
feeling about for his hat and his clothes
Then l had the satisfaction that the
door had closed softly ON my retreatite
tormentor. l rolled over and slept the
sleep of innocence.
The next morning on descending to
breakfast l found an old friend seated
at the table. We had not met for years
After cordial greeting, I said:
"Are you stopping here?"
II have been trying; but l am nearly
dead / slept on a bench in the bar.
room, amid lot of drunken brutes
who sang Bingo for wagers of drink
all hight"
"Could you get no bed p
"Yes, had double bed to myself
when that stupid landlord sent up era
zy fellow, who walked and struck ou
with dog irons"
"Good heavens, Gillespie, was thai
you?'
"And hang you, Weston, you dom
meat 80 say that yos served me tha
trick p
1t was case that called for diplo
matte explauation.-Galary.
Arthur Helps, iii bis new volume
on "War and Culttire," says women are