The daily gazette., 1882-03-31
A sOMNAMRULIsTs DOINGs.
QUEER FREAKS OF A MAINE MAN As
DESCRIBED By HIMsELF.
Lewiston (Me.) Journal,

casually tolu one Oh MS mlunlRnJ aOVen-
lures to q Journal reporter last ever
ing. "I've never given the matter much
thought" said be, "but suppose am a
somnambulist. My sleep-walklng has
never given me any permanent incon-
venience, and / have always regarded Its
ludlcrous side rather than lis physical
bearing. Perhaps after tell you my
story tome learned scientist may come
along and say am no somnambulisi;
where will you be theD" "Well, we'll
call you q somnambulist until somebody
eau prove you are not. Let's hear about
your sleeping feats. When did you first
become aware that you were sleep
walkeiP"
81 remember The circumstance with
great vividness although it was twenty
years ago, when was mere boy.
was In strange 'house. | arose from
ny bed, walked the length Of long
corridor and successfully evaded the
stains. l fumbled around the latch of q
room occupied by gentleman boarding
a. the house, causing bim TO shout, but
not to deter me. entered his room and
carried on an animated conversation
with him before came to my senses. II
was fortunate that he recognized me In
the moonlight, as he would otherwise,
probably, have rewarded my pers steDcy
with SHIT or two from ar9Volver, vi hich
lay on chair by his bedside. He told
me, afer awoke, that was trying to
find my folks and knew they were in
there somewhere. The sensation ex-
peIienced Wss DoVel assure you, aud
Far from agreeable. 1t was with feel
ing OF relief that / returned to my blank
cts alter gained consciousness. Con
sciousness came to me suddenly, and ]
felt SO CT estfallen at my discovery otmy
actions, that didn't stay to make many
| inquiries.
"Tbese phenomena did not happen
very frequently. 1t was fully year af-
ter this happened that next displayed
my sumbulistic tendency. My father
tuddently realized the discomforts Of
somnambulism. had wandered down
sairs, simply put on my hat and over
coat over my chamber regalla, lit being
the winter season,) had placed my books
under my arm, and was going over the
threshold Of the front door, when he
reached and restrained me. 1t was not
until returned to my normal state that
felt cold, although wasi in my bare
feet At the ins.ant Of returning con-
sciousness, however, tbs senators were
s5vere, and it is wonder that illness
did not result.
"Another me, my folks were aroused
in the night by racket down in the. sit
ting-room, The sound was as il saw
mill had been started somewhere in the
vicinity. They thought of me, though
the first thing, and down stairs they
rushed. They didn't arrive any Coc
soon. 1t was hard story to believe,
but had actually found my way to the
wood-shed, got the saw, aud was LusilJ
engaged ia saving the legs from the
sitting room furniture. ruined one
chair. was perspiriEg over the las
leg when was pounded into conscious
nes1. think we would have had {
better supply OF kIndling wood than We
neered chairs II l had been allowed II
operate. Upon awakening, ! retained
we'll defined impre ssi0n Of the motive
which had seemingly ac.uated me.
seemed to be impressed with The ide
that amputation was necessary to saw
the chalIs from general tipping ovei
crash and smash. In my nightmar
the furniture had assumed abnor
nal proportions. II seemed to be o.
stills and to be susceptible OF tumbliD
over at The least jar. So weird are th
somnambulist's fancles. was but fo
owing an impulse which urged me t
slve the establishment from disaster
dissolution-chaos-by this heroic treat
ment.
AS | have grown older, my expert
1 - L. tu1 !, haa.. fn los
frequent. But within five or 81
years l have made two or three den
onstrations and have succeeded ]
alarming the household. One fal
during political campaign, / Wa
discovered about o'clock q. n
standing in undress in the middle {
the floor, wildly gesticulating an
making a not very we'll connected pC
litical speech. l talked for two {
three minutes in Q rambling way, az
my folks put q stop to to IL. But no
am going to tell you Of one Of tt
most ludi0rous and dramatic Of the.
midnight performances ] will gIN
you the details as distinctly remen
ber them, and will describe the scen'
n depicted by my imagination, as
they were real,
M II saw the figure Of man standir
by my bedside. His face and for
\ looked SO real and so plainly define
u in the moonlight that, If / were q
q artist, could reproduce him on pap
4 now. / remained motionless for
g few moments aud watched him.
] said nothing. l sprang up and g
4 claimea: sWhat do you want her
Get out of this' The figure seemt
0 TO dissolve, but | saw a shadow +
- across the threshold of the door leat
an an ing from my room to another ro0I
N lighted a match and stealthily fC
- lowed. The man was seen standil
Ss in threatning posture in one &C
lon ner of the room. / said: what dc
this mean2' He made no reply.
nd grasped what seemed to be club a
Of struck ct hina. Anoise as If q wi
steer had entered a tin shop cauR
me to rub my eyes and pinch myse
Gee9 My consciousness had returned.
Az .OS had brought the coal hod down
,OOl the sitting room stove with a grI
.9S0 thwack, and was moro bewildeI
AS then than at any time before or sin
eco My wife says she heard me fumbli
,9oe and muttering. She shouted to
'sn0 two or three times, but the only re-
eco vouchsafed was dramatic 'Shl
So still! I'll fix him. After awaken
.~ l remembered everything but {
sIOs dialogue, and was not aware thai
. or | had sDoken to nv wife,