Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-03-29
(From Potters Magazine.J
FREAKS OF A SOMNAMBULIST
BY G. MORTIMER ROE.

johnny L. Roberts had been drum
mer boy III one of the regiments of New
York State Volunteers, and at the close
of the war, after lettering about his old
home In Auburn few months, impor-
tuned me to accompany him TO the west.
In our youthful fancy we pictured the
great west as an Eldorado, and Chicago
as its capital To this capital, therefore,
we directed our course, but, like thou
sands who had preceded us. we arrived
there only to~be disappointed. The po-
sizes we had expected to find seemed as
remote as the fountain OF youth to De
Leon. We were discouraged, however,
only after numerous adventures aud fail
ures common to boys who had for the
first time invaded a large city. Then we
turned our backs upon the mythical cap
ital, and sought employment at Mosher-
vile, among the agricultural districts of
Michigan. During our brief stay in
Chicago, my companion for the first time
developed the peculiarities of a SOM
nambulist. The excitement incident to
the days adventures continued with him
at night, and vocalized his dreams. The
phenomenon was novelty to me, and I
naturally encouraged it. Neither of us
had much experience In earning our
bread after the Scriptural code, and the
laborious life of farm, therefore, taxed
us severely. Upon young Roberts the
work was particularly arduous, and this
burden, together with the recent excite
ment experienced, tended to sggravate
his menal eccentricity materially.
By days we were inseparable and by
night we lodged in a small bedroom
opening into the sitting-room of large
farm house. To this room there was
but one window, which was within few
feet of the ground. We always went to
our room together, and rarely without
engaging IN some cheerful conversation.
So suddenly would my companion fall
asleep that In our converse there was
scarcely a lull, and the only means [ had
of determining that he had lapsed into
the land of his vivid dreams was by an
abrupt change in the subject of the
-colloquy, or by some irrational remark.
A few moments of silence would follow
this semi-unconscious state, and then the
silence would be broken. and his words
would become coherent. though he was
sound asleep-sleeping SO soundly, In
deed, that by no possible means could
he be awakened until, as morning ap-
preached, his sleep had been spent.
Boy-ike, I had Eeen relish for the en-.
tertainment which the freaks of the
young somnambulist afforded, and ma
turally I did for him the worst possible
thing that I could do by replying to al
his unconscious talk, thus Irritating
what was rapidly developing into {
malady.
At the beginning OF his experience as
a somnambulist, he confined himself tc
words, but these were soon supplement,
ed with deeds. To my surprise, he sud
denly arose, one moonlight night, par.
TALLY dressed himself, and almost before
I could realize his movements, SO quick
were they, he had thrown up the win
dow-sash and feet first had darte6
through the opening as nimble as 6
squirrel. My toilet probably never was
arranged more quickly than then, fol
only moment later 1 was through the
window and In hot pursuit [ caught
but glimpse of my companion as he
disappeared through the doorway of 8
barn located about 800 yards distant
Hurrying to the barn my entrance
through the front door was the sigma
for his exit through the rear, and then
began an uneven chase. l had boosted
not little of the nimbleness of my feet
and on this occasion they were moi
handicapped with shoes and stockings,
but they were no match for the feet OF