St. Landry democrat., 1882-04-22

widower. The circumstances were
never mentioned by him when awake
SO deep was his chagrin, however, when
asleep, that it became the burden of his
talk. Once he even preached the sub
ject of suicide, saying: Eve a razor in
my trunk. Guess Tve made a legitimate
use of it long enough took care
that the ugly weapon was no longer
convenient to his purposes.
One night, after beng in bed possibly
a half-hour, my companion arose,
dressed, went to the sitting-room, lit
the lamp, and, taking up the book, sat
down to read. His extraordinary freaks
had excited the neighbors, some of
whom had expressed their desire to
witness him at his best They were
therefore sent for AS two or three of
them came filing in, Johnny laid down
his book and began lively converse
ton, answering questions glibly and
with degree of intelligence unequaled
by any one in his presence. Suddenly
he ceased talking, took up basket of
apples which had been left on the table
hard by him, and began devouring the
ripe fruit with all the rapacity of Il
sem-famished beast. A moment later
he seized a pitcher and from it tossed off
a quart of water as easily as at
daybreak he would have quatfed a half
glassful. From the bedroom | called
to him to bring me an apple. He COM
piled by bring the basket into the room
and emptying the contents over my
head, saying: "There are your apples,
take one.n Instantly he returned to the
sitting-room in the center of which he
threw himself upon the floor and APP
peared to lapse into an absolute suspen-
sion of all sensibility. Our efforts to
arouse him were for several minutes
without effect. Then suddenly he
sprang to his feet, fastened through a
rear door and out into little building
used as farm workshop. Roberts was
gone but a moment when, as suddenly
as he had jumped from the floor, he
burst into the sitting-room, holding in
his hands an old army musket. Level
ing it at our host, Mr.. Manning, and
essaying a tragic air, he exclaimed
"Stand back, sir! Another step and [
fire." Except Mr.. Manning, we were
all paralyzed with fright. We believed
ourselves at the mercy of one who was
betraying all the characteristics of a
desperate mailman. We heard the
quick click of the weapons hammer as
it was drawn back, and helplessly and
with bated breath expected tragedy,
when the host coolly walked across the
room, and, just as the trigger fell.
seized the muzzle of the gun and
wrenched it out of the sleep-walker' S
hand, at the same time explaining that
he knew the weapon to be harmless,
Inasmuch as, anticipating such an adj
venture, he had a few days before
drawn out the load and carefully con-
cealed the ammunition.
On another occasion, soon after we
had gone to bed, Roberts began mutter-
ing something about an attack made on
him while in the army by a soldier,
armed with a knife and crazed with
rum. He then arose to a sitting posture,
when, by the light of the moon which
streamed in through our little window,
l discovered his eyes directed at me and
glazing like the eyes OF hungry tiger.
have always noticed that nature has
an honest way of compromising one for
any natural shortcomings. For in
stance, if poor listeners she endows us
generally with that garrulity which al
most solves the mystery of perpetual
motion; if exceptionally ugly, behind
the irregular features generally may be
found room for exceptional intelligence;
for his frail arms she compensates a
coward almost invariably by giving him
sinewy leds. My legs were thus en-
dowed on the evening in question. | slid
discreetly to the foot of the bed, which
had been showed against the wall, and
on the back part Of which had been
stretching, vaulted on the footboard,
and quickly hustled out of the room,
slamnling the door just in time to escape
a lunge which the somnambulist made
at me with his clenched fist The door
was no sooner fastened than my uncon-
scious assailant began beating the wall,
making the loose pieces of dried mortar
rattle down between the lath and
Notwithstanding. On the night subse-
,quent to the adventure. just narrated,
Roberts said:
81 met the same old drunkard again
YESTERDAY. He came at me with his
knife, buC L got away" Win nm. l
knocked him down into the cellar.
knew he was knocked down the cellar
stairs, because Iheard his bones rattle. -
The sleeper had curiously COMPOUNDED
the rafting of dried mortar with the
rafting of a drunkard's bones.
A more conscientious boy, and one
more correct in his habits and language
than my young companion, have new
err met. LII his wakeful moments, an
oath was as much a stranger to his lips
as to the lips of deaf mute. In his
sleep, occasionally, he would make the
air sulphurous with his profanity. When
awake, the only knowledge he pos
caccod Of what ha had done in hic slaan