National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-20
WORSE THAN SAVING WOOD.
rho wakorui Man Who Tried to Count
Himself TO sleep.

Lock MelOno IN me San Franciscan.
One night when had retired ut my usual
hour, about 10 o'clock. thinking sleep was
ready 10 go to bod too, found was laboring
under q mistake. Sleep wanted TO remain up
a while longer My thoughts got to wander
ing, and thought about--which no doubt is
truo that thoro arc plenty Of lode3, yet
undiscovered that are just as extensive and
rich as tho Comstook lode. It appeared to
me that it would DO o good thing TO
discover aud own ono of these hidden
lodos. For some time my mind was given TO
tho matter and with more earnestness than
tho probability Of finding such q lode called
for. 1t really got to be time that 1 was
asleep, If expected sny rest that night. But
sleep cluded me. | was taking too lively an
interest in tho mining industry. You can't
lay hold Of sloop bodily. as you would soizo
hold Of pump handle. VI would lie on my
right side while, then on my left, and didn't
feel good on either l folt tired-had been
working too hard in tho mines. Then /
would draw up my knces; next coil like q
dog. Still sleep did not tako pity on me and
20 to roost on my weary eyolids. Tho clock
struck ~, and heard tho chickens crow.
was glad to know they wero awake; that there
was something besides myself that couldn't
sleep. Counting myself to sleep occurred to
mo. / began.
When tho clock struck 1 / had 1000
counted. That didn't seem to BIO much, and
wondered if I couldn't do bottcr than that
in the next hour. / set out in the direction
of 2 o'clock, counting little faster. Tho
clock struck 9, and l had 10000 1 had got
together from 1 to Q, making 10000 in all. /
now began to think of how many could
count by 8 o'clock, il got down TO business
/ turned loose. As 3 struck / had 1900,
lacking about an inch, which | traversod
before tho sound Of tho strokes died away.
was getting warmed up to my work aud
wanted to wake up fellow in tho next room
and bet him that could got 10000 by day
break or @ o'clock. l didn't awake him,
| though; he was q stranger, and large. l throw
of ono of the blankets and sped away toward
A O'clock AS was tollcd of | had so close
to 1900 that claimed it. 1t was allowed
TO mo by the referee i could feel my heart
beat with excitement as l throw off another
blanket and started for the next station.
When tho clock began to strike l wanted
a few hundred Of having $4,000 but by u
spurt-counting about 100 to each stroke
of tho Clock--14000 was reached making
$4,000 so far. There was only an hour left in
which to count 1900, to mako the $1,000 that
| was struggling for. But my blood was up
and | would try it. AS swung away on tho
final heat 1 threw OFF from the bed the final
blanket and unbuttoned the collar of my
nightshirt. / was perspiring freely. camo
laundering in on tho home stretch, straining
every nervo to make 10000. AS tho clock
struck and the rosy dawn peekod in at my
window l lacked hundred or two of the
1900. but 1 skipped up to it on tho last
stroke. 1t was no cmbezzlemeut; nobody
was paying me four counting, and tho count
ing was doing didn't belong to anybody.
l arose from my couch to begin tho duties
of the day. / didn't fool rested felt more
like had been trying to head of q runaway
calf Counting may do for thin sort of pas
time-it is cheaper than billiards-but as an
excitement TO arouse sleep can't recom-
mand 1t.