The Osceola times., 1884-12-13
LIVING WITHOUT SLEEP.
The strange story ofs Newspaper Writer
Who Tried II.

pen in the lives of most seribblers on
the daily press. 1t may be remarked
that the curious mental and physical ex-
periences here set down are told Just as
they happened. That is enough to say.
During the period of silent fretting the
writer began a serial story for Sunday
paper. 1t was intensely interesting to
its author, if to nobody else. felt un.
commonly well, too. There was an
elasticity-an unconsciousness of bone,
brain and muscle-that was unaccounta-
BILE. l had been tired for twenty years,
quite that. But now this WEAKNESS de-
parted. There was sudden gathering
up of physical forces. They seemed
strong enough to roll the cloud of de-
preston away.
SUDDEN THOUGHT.
Friday morning l began to write the
serial. Sunday morning the first two
chapters were in the paper. Other writ
ing required part of my time also, and
was constantly occupied. So matters
moved on for three weeks. The pecu-
liar feeling of exaltation continued.
Suddenly, without moments warn
ing, in perfect health, as it seemed,
could not sleep. That was all. The
nights were spent in tossing from side to
side. back and forth, like a pendulum. l
would lose consciousness for five min
utes perhaps, and then awake as if l had
been shot out of gun. Presently it was
impossible to write more than little
while. Ibecame very weak and nervous,
If there is anything that has always
been detestable to me it is what women
call "having a good cry" Aside from
the loss of beloved friends, there is very
little in this world worth shedding a
tear about. But now the strangost thing
happened. ! would start in on my story
in. the morning. write for half an hour,
then would put my head down upon
the table and cry like schoolgirl. 1t
would be utterly impossible for me to
write line more. Plainly, the machine
was out of "whack." All the while, like
a devouring monster, the Sunday paper
waited for the next chapter of the story.
So matters went on. There came to
be frightlul, boring pain in the left
side at the top of my head. Sometimes
! did not sleep an hour out of the TWEEN.
ty-four. Again there were weeks at a
time when did not get an hours sleep
at once. Then one who had the right
said:
"You must consult physician. You
can have whom you choose, but some-
body it must be-"
think selected my medical adviser
mainly because he was man who had
written good novel, At the same time
he was an eminent authority in nervous
diseases. He said;
"You have anemia of The brain. IL
may result in softening."
do you mean that you are going to
have me out here in padded cell and
A STRAIGHT JACKET"
81 tell you plainly there is danger of
it. No remedies will do you anv good
at present. You must stop all work in
stantly."
But can't stop work Pm writing
serial novel, two chapters published ev-
cry Sunday. Heaven save US"
"Well, wherever in the world you
think you would rather go just now, it
will be good plan to go there
Old Point Comfort, Virginia Its
balmy airs, its fig trees and crepe myrtles
that live out doors the whole year
around, its glorious stretch OF blue, gls-
tening waters, its lazy, jolly negroes, its
infinitely selfcomplacent martial dudes
from Fortress Monroc-that was my
place. Kindly friends said | was suffer-
ing from o2erwork. But it was not that
Work, severe and solid. is good for soul
and body. 1t is worrying that kills.
The blood. vessels in my brain had been
engorged so long that they had lost their
and the veins and arteries up
there would no longer do their work.
That was the medical explanation of it,
| think. The result was apamia or
of the brain. My eyes be-
gan to pain me intensely. AT times l
was half blind. My eyes are blue. But
At this time they faded out almost white,
and took on stranqe, colorless look, inn
possible 10 describe. An oculist exam
med them, ut is a very interesting |
,ase," he said. "The retina of your eye |
s nearly bloodless."
DREAD OF OPIUM.
! was an interesting case, and | was
packed off to Old Point Comfort to the
Hygeia Hotel. And, there, on the
shores of the blue Chesapeake, began a
'eries Of stupendous mental experiences.
As | look back at them from this safe
distance they remind me of De Quincy's
,pium dreams, and of that only.
Except that mine were not induced by
'pium. There drew the line. / had
lone anything or everything to make
ne sleep except to take laudanum or
or any form of that drug.
lad a deathly horror of beginning it lest
should become an opium victim.