The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-08-19

Sleep w takers

a soihhalnDullst IS peculiarly susceptible
o impressions on his muscular sense and if
tue race, BODY, or limbs be brought into an
an attitude suggestive Of any particular
emotion, a corresponding mental state IS
Immediately called up thus if the angles of
the mouth be gently separated from one
announcer, as IN laughter, a disposition to
laugh Is "a once produced; and this express
sion may be turned into moroseness by
drawing the eyebrows toward each other.
and downward upon the nose. AS in frown-
ing. The movements of the somnambulist
seem almost guided by "a supernatural hand.
Tor he VIII walk Oh paIapets, roofs of houses
ana preclplces without the least accident.
A story is told of a boy who climbed a prec-
lplce and took away an eagles nest during
his sleep-a feat he would never have at
tempted IN his waking hours, as is proved
by the fact that he disbelieved the story till
he found the nest under his bed. DR.. Aber
crombie relates instances of a young bot
aDlst out on a scientific expedition: of a
servant-glrl, rather dull than otherwise.
dlscoursing on astronomy, which she APP
p%arently knew nothing of in her walking
moments; of an orphan girl electrifying a
whole household with the angelic strains of
a violin, and of her conjugating a Latin
verb, speaking French, etc., all of which
were most unlikely accomplishments to her
during the day. Another writer tells US of
a s0mnambullSt who walked two miles
long a dangerous road to the quay OF IAN Irish
sea port, jumped into the water, and swan
about for an hour and a half before being
rescued. Sir Walter Scott relates that one
of the crew of a vessel lying in the TaguS
had been murdered by a P~ortugeses and it
was said that the unfortunate mans spec
tire haunted the ship. One Of the mates.
an honest. sensible Irishman, said the ghost
took him from his bed every night, led him
the ship, and in fact worried his life OUT
The captain watched and at midnight the
mate got up with CHASTITY looks, lighted a
candle, and went to the galley, started wild
ly about ard then sprinkled some water out
of a can, after which he seemed relieved,
and returned quietly to his bed. The cap
tain asked him next morning whether he
had been disturbed, and he replied in the
affirmative, and said that after sp1inkllng
some holy wale the spirit lett him. To be
told that it was water out of common can
had the effect Of banishing the spectre al
together from the Sleepcr's mind. If by
some chance be had burned his finger with
the candle, he would have carried home to
Ireland an iDcontestable proof that the
spirit had left an indelible mark upon him.
Profe ssor Fischer describes a remarkable
case observed 10y himself and others when
a boy at school. Y young man, apparently
of a hale constitution, and tac from eXhibi-
ting any symptoms of "a nervous tempera-
mont. was habitually subject to somnam-
bulism. His frs came on regularly about
ten o'clock at night. The scene was q
large apartment, containing sixty beds ID
four rows. He ran about violently, rom
ped. wrestled, and boxed with his compan-
ions, who enjoyed the sport at his expense.
II think says the professor, Il can per
fectly we'll remember that while running,
he always held his hands before him, with
his fingers stretched out. He was remarka-
bly agile, and would leap over the beds
and his companions could scarcely ever
catch him. When he escaped through the
door. he flew through "a long gallery to hi.
own apartment. There he rested, frequent
" taking up a book, and reading softly. OF
with a loud voice, conducting If my re
collections serves me accurateiy-his out
stretched fingers over the lines. Ills eye>
were alternately open and closed; but ever
when open they were incapable of vision
being convulsively drawn upward showing
only the white. The general belief tina
somnambullst see by means OF the point
of their fingers, as we'll as the observation
, that while running our so~mnambulist al
: WAYS carried his hands and outstretchel
fingers before him. as if these were his or
cans of sight, as also his reading las 1T ap
reared to u.s. by means of the points OF III
fingers. led us to the idea of trying glove:
. upon his hands and stockings upon his legs
d. Besides. we had been informed that during
= his nightly wanderings he bad been knowl
to plav at skittles-a game he was yer!
FOND of when awake-and that he had a!
\ wavs accurately counted the number o
, pms Knocked down by stretching out hi'
!, fingers in a direction toward them, so cor
rectly, indeed, that IL was impossible tt
deceive or impose upon him. In short, w
! seized the opportunity of his most protoun'
5 sleep and insensibility to tie on the glove
; md stockinos. At the usual time he ros
! ND and sprang out of bed; but although w
: be gan to tease and provoke him. he did no
: move from the spot, but appeared puzzle
and perplexed, and, grouped and tumble
about like a blind or drunken man. n
lenoth he perceived the cause OF his tlstres