St. Landry democrat., 1882-04-22

his words would become coherent,
though he was sound asleep-sleeping
so scundly, indeed, that by no possible
means could he be awakened until, as
morning approached, his sleep became
spent. Boy-like, | had keen relish
for the entertainment which the freaks
and naturally did for him the worst
possible thing that l could do, by reply
inc to all his unconscious talk, thus IT.
ritating what was rapidly developing in
to malady.
At the beginning of his experience as
somnambulist, he confined.himself to
words, but these were soon supple
mented with deeds. To my surprise. he
suddenly arose, one moonlight night,
partially dressed himself, and almost
before | could realize his movements, so
quick were they, he had thrown up the
window-sash, and feet first had darted
through the opening as nimble as a
squirrel. My toilet probably never was
arranged more quick y than then, Tor
only moment later | was through the
window and in hot pursuit. / caught
but a glimpse of my companion as he
disappeared drought the doorway of
a barn located about 800 yards distant.
Hurrying to the barn my entrance
through the front door was the signal
for his exit through the rear, and then
began an uneven chase. had boasted
not q little of the nimbleness OF my
feet, and on this occasion they were
not handicapped with shoes and stock
ings, but they were no match for the
feet of the sleeper. In sixty seconds,
possibly less time, I was distanced
and with weird laugh, made doubly
| weird by the circumstances attending
it, the somnambulist had disappeared
in the darkness of the woods beyond.
Thoroughly alarmed, l returned to
the house, aroused the sleeping family,
the head of which, Mr.. Manning, to-
gether with a near neighbor, started
with me in search of my unconscious
companion. We secured the woods in
which he had disappeared. Finally, on
the banks of the Kalamazoo River, a
stream on which these woods were To-
Gated, we found some of the clothing Of
the missing boy. fastening to our
home for instruments with which to
drag the river for the drowned body, our
joyful surprise can only be imagined,
when, on entering the house, the family
reported that the lost had been found;
that he had but moment before en-
tered his room through the window
from which he had taken his flight a few
hours earlier, and that he was then on
the bed, and in profound stupor.
Entering the lodging apartment, we
found him as the family represented.
The clothing which he had worn during
his unconscious detour lay upon the
floor, drenched by his midnight bath in
the river. We sought at once to arouse
the sleeper. We shook him, and then
raising him up in bed, dashed cold water
in his face, and to all of which he
laughed again, and exclaimed:
'Do so some moren'
"Where have you been?" inquired.
"In a swimming was the laconic
reply: go
"With your clothes on?''
"Certainly. Why should I disrobe
for little bath? You see 1 could have
the fun Of swim, and at the same time
| do the work of a laundress.
With this explanation the boy lapsed
into silence, closed his eyes, and refused
to communicate further. The next
morning he had dreamed of enjoying
a delightful swim" In attempting to
arrange his toilet he missed his vest,
in the pockets of which he had carried
watch and considerable money. In
the search for the lost valuables the
route he was supposed to have taken
the night before was tramped over, but
without success. The place where we
supposed the bath had been taken was
along the highway, and here we be-
lieved the missing garment had been
left, and here was picked up at day
break by some lucky passer-by.
| Possibly a week had elapsed. and
young Roberts had become reconciled to
the loss of his property, when one
morning, on turning over half-bushel
measure in the barn through which he
had passed on the first nights adven-
ture, the vest, watch, money and all
were found. | had turned up the prop
erty where the owner had unconscious
ly hid it.
From the time of his first adventure,
the somnambulist rarely remained in
bed an entire night. Scarcely did his
head touch the pillow before he would
be asleep, and then up and off. The
novelty wearing off, and confident that
he could take care of himself, we ceased
to follow him, and only learned Of many
of his movements by his own reports
after, given in most graphic style, and
always referred to as to what he did
yesterday"
When in his somnambulistic state
the few faculties which he then COM
manded appeared to be intensified. Into
them he was capable Of concentrating
all his mental and physical strength.
When awake he was an Indifferent con-
yersationalist; asleep he often became