Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-22
THE MAN UNDER TIE BED.

| The man In the moon mas prODAOLy nosoh
been the subject of half as much sclentinc
investigation as that other skeleton IN the
family, the man under the bed. Tins Is
an awsome feeling to timid, shrinking,
sensitive woman to remember-Just as she
has but the light out and crawled into tne
safe and comfortable retreat, where sne ex-
poets to peacefully lay her head on smooth
pillow and sleep, if not snore-that she has
forgotten to look under the bed. In
moment she is as wide awake as If con-
| tirmed victim of insomnia. She lmaglnes
| she can hear some one breathe; she
knows he is there, dressed in brigandish
suit-red- flannel shirt, military boots,
SLOUGH hat, and mask and whole arsenal
of firearms her heart beats thick and fast,
strange noises ring in her ears, the perspi.
| ration starts out and bathes her in clammy
folds. She has locked the door, and he
will murder her if she moves Ia very
ecstasy of terror she slips one foot out on
the carpet, it touches cold rubber shoe OF
her own that is lying beside the bed, and
with shrek that rouses the whole family
she tears open the door, and when the
alarmed household inquiries the cause OF
her fright, she coolly answers, thought
l heard rat in the room.
The man under the bed does not always
prove a myth. Perhaps it is an actual
fact that women who pray look for him
with more regularity than others Of less
spiritual turn of mind; when the good
woman kneels at the bedside to offer her
devotions it is the most natural thing In
the world for her to frat explore that his
toric territory and satisfy herself that no
concealed burglar is listening. 1t is
also well-authenticated fact that
pious woman in the suburbs of Lon.
! don did discover the legs of bold, bad
hcusebreakeE clicking olt Just as she be-
gan her petition. she did not shrek, but
went on with prayer for that particular
sinner that would have melted the heart of
Newgate thief. l wish that it might be
| added that he was converted on the spot,
came out and was pardoned, and after
wards married the petitioner. But truth
compels me to add that the good woman
was interrupted in the most solemn part
of her prayer by peal of laughter from
her graceless younger brother, who had
enacted the part of burglar.
More tragic was the story of the lady
who, travelling alone, stopped at an inn
and mentioned the fact that she had been
followed and watched by villainous-look-
ing man with a shock of red hair, who she
feared had designs upon the valuables she
carried with her. As nothing was seen of
him at the inn, she retired for the night,
carefully locked the door, and was soon in
bed, leaving light burning in front Of
mirror. No sooner was her head on
the pillow than she had distinct
view OF the man with the red hair
crouching under the bed. She made
no sound, but reached softly for q scarf she
had lar1 Ia ~
waited. The next morning when the SER
wants broke open the door they found the
lady sitting up in bed, grasping with both
hands the moose, in which she held the
fearful weight of the dead man ; she
had strangled him, but was herself raw
ing maniac, from whom reason had forever
gone.
Some time ago prominent Judge in Bir-
mingham, n. H., was found murdered in
his own house and no clue to the murderer.
1t was Immediately alter an adverse deci-
sion he had made in a case OF great import
ance, and the murder was supposed to
have been instigated by a desire for re-
venge. But as all the parties were respect
able people, it was impossible to fasten
the guilt on any one. The Judge
was a widower, and lived alone
with the exception of young daughter
and the servants. The daughter was
beautiful aud on the evening in question
had returned from ball at q late hour
and gone directly to her own room, where
she stood before her mirror taking off her
Jewels. As she did so she held her
white and rounded arm above her head,
and conscious of its beauty said aloud,
"What a beautiful arm little thinking
the idle remark of such consequence as
it proved to be in the tragedy thatfollowed.
The girl both saw and heard her fathers
murderer, but as he was masked, failed to
distinguish his features, but always de-
clared she would know his voice if she ever
heard it. Several years passed, and in
another city she was standing in o
crowd observing some passing sight, when
she was conscious OF the curious. regard
Of stranger who stood near. Looking at
her with a singular intensity, he made
this remark "Oh, the beautiful arm 70
She knew the voice in an instant, and
throwing herself bodily on the man, de-
nounced him as her fathers murderer.
He was arrested, tried and convicted, and
told how he had lain hidden under the bed
and heard the idle remark OF the young
girl which she herself had been scarcely
conscious Of. He had recognized her on
meeting her, and involuntarily betrayed
himself, as he had been q stranger and
an unsupported party.
A LAPP LEGEND legend is very
familiar throughout Archangel Province
and among the Lapps. Anika came yearly
to take tribute OF the fishes. None knew
of his coming or going, but he was always
seen on the shore when the boats came in
from the sea. He periodically challenged
the fishermen to fight, but lis enormous
size frightened them. For many years he
was the terror OF Ribatschi. One day
young man presented himself and induced
the fishermen to take him fishing with.
them. On landing the stranger cleaned
the fish With incredible rapidity fisher
mans gloves being wet, the youth, in
squeezing them between his hands, crushed
them to dust, while the fishermen mar
veled at his strength. Anika appeared.
and the youth spoke boldly to him,
aud slightiDgly. "He, he |" laughed the
giant, be careful, or III demolish thee"
They agreed to fight in this ring on the hill
and in the following fashion Each COM
batant was to turn somersault and strike
his enemy in the chest with his feet. Anika
took the first turn and struck the youth.
who did not bulge. A second blow, and
| the young man recolied yard the third
| time, fathom. twas the strangers turn
now. At his first somersault he drove the
Viking back fathom at the second, three
| fathoms at the third, he flung the huge
| ea.robber seven fathoms outside the ring
dead. They buried him and erected the
stone heap over him. THANK God, each
of you," said the youth "your enemy IL
no more. Henceforth none shall molest
your fishing God be with you" Then
he disappeared The White Sea Penin-
sula-Rae.
IScRUsTATIoSs IN WATER SUPPLY PIPES.
A correspondent of an exchange writes
One Of the most annoying accidents that
can happen to the steam engine runner, il
to have his water-supply pipes choked up
with lime and other solid incrustatious.
Especially in the hot water pipe, lime ia
apt to settle and incrust on the iron pipes,
till they become completely filed up, so
that no water whatever can pass to the
pump or injector which forces it into the
boiler. In such cases it is customary to
take up the pipes and try to loosen the
solid matter by pounding on the pipe and
breaking it out, or by making FIRE along
it's whole lenghth and burning it out. In
very recent obstinate case one end was
stopped up with plug, and standing it