Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-19
MEN UNDER THE BED
The Mythical individuals Popularity Sup
posed TO Exist Only in the Fertile
ImaginatiOns of
Nervous Females, Not Always Myths
Tragic and Humorous Incidents
Bad Frights.


From the Detroit Post.
The man in the moon has probably never
been the subject OF half as much scientific
investigation tRat other skeleton in the
family, the man under the bed. This Is an
awesome feeling to a tinid, shrinking, sensi-
tive woman, to remember Just as she has put
the light out, and crawled into the safe and
comfortable retreat where she expects to
peacefully lay her head on a smooth pillow,
and sleep ii not snore-that she has forgot
ten to look under the bed. In a moment
she Is as wide awake as if q confirmed VIC
tim OF insomnia; she imagines 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 riHg
in her ears, the perspiration starts
out and bathes her in clammy folds. She
has locked the door, and he will murder her
if she moves, In Z very ecstasy OF terror
she slips one white foot out on the carpet, it
touches cold rubber shoe of her own that
is lying beside the bed, and with a 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, II thought ! heard rat in the
ROOM
The man under the bed does not always
prove a myth. Perhaps ii is an actual TACT
that women who pray look for him with
more regularity than others OF less spirit
nal turn of mind; when the good woman
kneels at the bedside to offer her devotlons,
it is the most natural thing in the world Tor
her TO first explore that historic territory
and satisfy herself that no concealed burglar
Is listening 1t Ia also q well authenticated
fact that pious woman in the suburbs Of
London did discover the legs OF bold, bad
housebreaker sticking out just as she began
her petition. She did not shrek, but went
on with prayer for that particular sinner
that would have melted the heart of New
gate thief. / wish that il might be added
that he was converted on the spot, came out
and was pardoned, and afterward 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 the 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 men
toned the fact that she had been followed
and watched by a Misunderstanding 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 a light
burning in front of a mirror. No sooner was
her head on the pillow than she had dis
tinct view of the man with the red hair
crouching under the bed. She made no
sound, but reached softly for a scarf she had
laid near, made running moose, and waited.
The next morning when the servants 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 raving maniac, from whom reason
had forever gone.
Some time ago prominent Judge in Biz
mingham, \. H, found murdered in his
own house and no clew to the murderer. 1t
was Immediately after an adverse decision
he had made in a case of great importance,
and the murder was supposed to have been
instisated by desire Tor revenge. But, as
all the parties were respectable people, ii was
impossible to fasten the guilt on anyone.
The Judge was a widower, and lived alone
with the exception of young daughter and
the servants. This daughter was beautiful,
and on the evening in question had returned
home from ball at a 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 armp'
little thinking the idle remark of such conse-
quence as it proved to be in the tragedy that
followed. The girl both saw and heard her
fathers murderer, but as he was masked
failed to distinguish his features, but always
declared she should know his voice if ever
she heard it. Several years passed, and in
another city she was standing in a crowd OBJ
serving some passing sight, when she was
conscious OF the curious regard OF a stranger
who stood near. Looking at her with a SIN
gular intensity, he made this remark: "Oh,
the beautiful armp She knew the voice in
an instant, and, throwing herself bodily on
the man, denounced him her fathers muir
derer He was arrested tried and convicted
a..l '~iI LA-s LA rad lain hidden under fhe
bed and heard the idle remark of the young
girl which she herself had been scarcely con-
scious Of He had recognized her on meet
ing her, and Involuntary betrayed himself,
as he had been stranger and an unsus-
pected party.
1t is not a pleasant thing for any woman
to waken in the night and see a masked
burglar standing over her with pistol in
his hand. Yet such an occurrence happened
10 Miss Mary Scotch, sister of Mr.. Daniel
Scotch, of Springwells, only a week or two
ago. Miss Scotch is lady we'll known in
Detroit, and she is the one woman who did
not, up to the time mentioned, believe IN
either ghosts or burglars. So much faith
had the lady in her kind, that she failed TO
use the burglar-chain across her own door,
and retired TO rest without a misgiving. To
a representative OF this paper she said
81 never for a moment had thought of
burglars getting into the house, and when i
awakened and heard the chain at the door
rattle, l supposed it was a mouse; then 1
heard board creak, but thought that was
the servants. But in moment man with
a white handkerchief tied over the lower
part of his face stood in the room, with bit
of lighted candle in one hand and pistol in
the other; he pointed the pistol at my head
and said: If you move I'll blow your head
off" / didn't move"
What were your sensations at that Eu-
preme moment, Miss Scotten?o
81 had none; i think / must have been
partially stunned. The man repeated the
same threat over to me, and his eye
caught the basket of silver on the chair he
snatched il up and hurried out. Then
sprang from the bed and shut the door, while
l screamed loud enough TO waken the whole
house. My brother opened his door, and i
called to him not to come out-that..there
were armed burglars in the house and they
had taken the silver"
"And did he try to stop them?"
No; he said: Let them have it; they're
welcome to it. hope they'll get it all and
leave us in peace
Miss Scotch expressed herself in kindly
christian words about the men who take
their own lives in their hands rather than
work and earn an honest living; but it is
forget that midnight intruder, nor the wicked
CLEAN Of the menacing pistol he levsed at
her.
People should take every precaution to
receive burglar as he has all the adyan-
tages on his side; he is wide awake and clear
headed; he has a loaded revolver in his
hand, not under his head, nor in the bureau
drawer, or locked satchel-and he does not
value human life, though he does not wish
TO kill either women or children, and noted
burglars have declared that they hated to
contend with screechiDg women. The noise
unnerves them.
Not long ago an elderly maiden lady in
New York City was about retiring for the
night, and she stood before the mirror
diyesting herself of suPerfuous portions Of
her anatomy, she saw a man standing behind
the door. With series Of terrific shrieks
she began to readiust herself, when the bur-
glar walked out, saying, as he slammed the
door after him: You're enough to brighten
the devilrf