, 1872-11-04
GERMAN BEDS.


- N going 10 LuIU N, Ea1U SIMPSON, With an
abysmal yawn. "By George! shall be glad to
get good, sound, comfortable sleep at last!
This car-seat sleeping has about played me out.
Awful jolly bed, that Of mina!" he continued,
she scratched an Intellectual match (every fourth
match lights. in Germany, on the average).
"None Of your great, broad, sprawlng things,
that you cali lie crossways and diagonal in, but
just NICE snug, comfortable little berth, such
as suits me to death. Come in and look at it,
Bel, old boy!" he added, as he lighted his candle
with his seventh match.
Now, have been in Germany before, and I
knew something about German beds and also
knew that my brother-in-law was rather taller
than the usual height, md one Of those lean,
angular fellows who stretch out q good way in
various directions. Putting these two items Of
knowledge together. I arose with alacrity and
followed his sleepy steps into his chamber.
"a splendid bed, sure enough, my dear fell
low y remarked T, walking up to it and patting
it approving!y On the post; and truly it dig
snug and neat strongly constructed Of
some plain, Vanished wood, and graced
by sort Of open-work quilt or anti-maccassar
spread all over it., and hanging: in picturesque
folds over each end. 1ndistinctly visible
through this we're the smooth, swelling pillow
and the white nicely Of the coyerlet Yes, it
was very attractive and my brother-in-law, who
was standing at the looklng-glass unfastening
his shirt-studs, made all the haste he could,
sng eDa9;sn and blinking snptsapSss IN asfsp' and aa
refreshing sleep. In an astonishingly short
time he stood ready robed as priest
of Morpheus, and advancing to the beside, he
whisked off the open-work quilt and looked down
white plain. The pillow was slightly dsar-
ranged, and ho graspcd it to put it in position.
It shrank like thin air in his clutch.
s' Halo feathers! and not half full at that!"
cried lie, squeezing it together in his bands with
some dismay. He likes q pretty solid pillow,
does Simpson. But having made up his mind
that he was going to be comfortable, he would
not, in my presence at least, allow anything to
the contrary.
'' You can double it up, you know, once, OF
side, what's pillow2 Your head will be high
enough without it,"
"Yes-there does Beem to be something un-
der there" said my b1other~in-law; S'what is it,"
and pulled out solid wedge-lke object, some
thing the shape Of q thick prism of cheese, COW
cred with ticking, and quilted like q mattress.
~ Now, that's what I call an ideal" e1-
claimed claimed he eqqss St{s, or waX nor a1iaa na o o
home Right shape, already cut out, no more
trouble and the pillow On top, to take the
hard off" With these expressions OF approval,
and replacing the wedge in it's proper position,
more, put the pillow-hattened down as much
as possib1e-oyer all, and then prepared to throw
back the coverlet. leaned forward with some
interest to watch this operation.
"Rather thick for summer, that!" muttered
he, as he felt obviously Of it's inch-dcep wad-
ding. He is Of rather sanguine aud nervous
temperament, is my brother-in-law, and hardly
uses comforter even in mid-winter.
s:But can throw it of and sleep under the
eheet alone. or The sheet and blanket. you know"
he said remained silent, and he proceeded to
turn back the coyerlet over tho foot Of the bed.
Then he camo to o sndden pause, rubbed his
chin, and cast Ride-glance at me. Neither
sheet nor blanket we're to be seen.
"That's queer now! All! I see -yes-pretty
early to turn in, that's : iact!" said Simpson,
| smiling with no very good grace. "Just touch
| that bell, will you, old fellow - -,
"No use in that, hrother-in-1aw," returned,
good-humoredly, smiling upon him with benig-
nifty. 'tBed's as much made as it ever is or can
be. Don't have sheets and blankets in Germany,
| you know"
! Simpson, incredulously, but sinking down upon
| the bad With a rather habbergasted expression,
"No sheets or blankets! why, what the devil do
they expect fellow to do here?"
'You have them all three combined IN
brother-in~laws attention to it. ''You see,
it's made on the principle Of pillow and pillow
.caBe. This white outside covering is q bag, and
that's the comforter inside. Never gets disar-
ranged-always is there. It's as good On idea as
! the bolster; don't you think SO ?"
| "Phew! and the bugs takeQ off and washed
| every month, suppose3" said Simpson, in q
| tone which he stroVe in vain to make as genial
as mine.
tsOftener, no doubt; once fortnight-or 9
week, even, perhaps. The comforter itself, Of
course, never needs washing"
| "Of course not!" assented my brother-in-
| law, taking an involuntary sniff Of it, however.
| He's absurdly particular about having every
thing fresh from the wash-tub, is Simpson.
Without more words he got into bed quite as
sleepy, if not entirely as cheerful as earlier in
the evening. he wo1med himself uneasily
let ~ over hia shoulders. His feet appeared be-
low, seeking vainly for their share.
"Tuck it in there at the bottom, can't you,
Bel?" he said at last, little irritably.
pleasure !" replied ], and stuffed it IN &C.
| cordingly, as tight as it would so.
aHold on! hold on!" cried my unreasonable
brother-in-law giving it vicious tug that quite
| undid my work "you've pulled it down of my
shoulders -
look here, :, Simpson," o1postulated ],
| your shoulders too. No one does in Germany.
| Choose which, and I'll fx you; but don't ask
! impossibilihes, you know"
| lily. .brother-in-law lay for about q minute in
sullen silence. At last he gave great kick, and
"Con-found the thing! + won't have it either
| way I'll sleep without anything!" and as the
| coverlet sld gracefully of on to the floor, he
pillow pillow and stretched out his forlorn feet They
| came into contact with the bare foot-board in q
| way that startled my brother-in-law.
| "What on earth /" he growled, turning quite
| red in the face, and raising himself on ono
| elbow. "You don't mean to say these bed
! steads aren't long enough to lie straight in
| Can't be this one looked seven or eight feet,
at least"
"Thate because it's 80 narrow" explained
] scientifically. "But it's long as any in
| the house, or in town either, for that mat
ter. Try getting your head q little nearer the
| top"
! the inclined plane of the Wedge-shaped bolster
caused him speedily to slip down again. And
| the bed, though an unusually long one, could
| not have been over six feet six.
"Might Just as well tell me to lie on the roof
and keep my feet out Of the gutter" grurnbled
be- after several Intellectual endeavors to relieve
| his toes st the expense Of his crown--
"It's this internal slippery bolster thing
Why can't they make them in civilized style,
the way they are at home7 By George, I won't
sleep in it any ways" and he W1athfnlly elected
It, But it left an awful hollow, which the pill
low. With its half measure Of fugitive feathers,
Was quite inadequate to I'LL. What sorry and
forlofn spectacle did the lately attractive couch
now present!