Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-11
o

A Mechanical Bed Which Is in Great De-
mand by Young Husbands.
D%uselmeyer was a commercial tray
eler. He Travelled in wine. There was
also good deal of wine in Duselmeyer
when he travelled, as he always had his
sample cases handy. Duselmeyer was
very energetic. He rushed things. For
this reason he always Travelled by night
in a sleeper. He never slept except
when travelling. This became second
nature with him.
One day he received q telegram that;
his aunt had died abruptly. She was
rich, and she had left all her property
to Duselmeyer. He was a rich man all
at once. He ceased to travel for Other
people. He established himself in bust
ness. He had every luxury he could
think of. He desired to lead a ouietI
lite, but, alas! he could not sleep, He
had become accustomed to the noise and
racket of a railroad train. TWAS limos!
sible for him to sleep where it was oniet.
The silence kept him awake, It nearly
drove him distracted.
In a short time Duselmeyer, the rubi-
cund, Jolly drummer, began tn f,do
away. like a flower. He wilted yisiblv.
He subscribed to several humorous M.
pers and read them, too, but still he did
not sleep. He tried elec-homco. and
all the other pathies, and they failed to
make him drowsy. He became thin
and looked like a man on the edce Of
sarcophagus-
1t occurred to Duselmeyer to visit A.
neighboring city to consult a celebrated,
doctor. AS 500 as the train was in
motion he fell asleep. He slept as
sound as an entire board of alderman
in session. The shaking, humping. rat,
ting of the cars, the whistling of
the locomotive, the hanging of the car
door by the conductor made him drowsv.
Duselmeyer was in his element. He had
discovered the proper remedy for his
sleeplessness. Whenever he felt sleepy
he got on the train. After awhile this
got monotonous. 1t was also very ex-
| pensive.
A happy thought occurred to Dusci-
meyer. He knew q mechanic who wasa
genius in his way. Duselmeyer explained
that he wanted a railroad bed. He
wanted a bed that would rattle, Jump
about like q car. blow off steam, and
snor Ikea locomotive. The mechani-
cal genius went to work. and in q short
time he had the bed ready.
1t was brought into the bed room, and
that night he tried it. He touched u
button. The bed swaged about, ratified,
and Jumped. Every few minutes there
was a sound, as if 4 door was banged.
Every once in q while it snorted like u
locomotive. How happy was Dusel-
meyer! He slept like q top. He dreamt
that he was in Heaven, and he saw the
mechanical genius with a halo around
his head like q saints.
When he awoke he was being shook
up just US it he was travelling on o
limited express. 1t snorted beautifully.
Now" said Duselmeyer, '.I'l Just
slow up, and get out at the next sta
tom
He was not quite sure which was the
right button to press in order to stop the
bed. He pressed one of the buttons, but
the result was that he was nearly shaken
out of the bed. He had pulled open the
throttle-valve, and the bed was going
through all the motions OF a lightning
express train running at the rate OF sew
enty miles an hour.
Duselmeyer pressed another button.
Whew! There was a shrek Of danger
from the steam whistle. There was q
strange grinding sound. The bed began
to buck like a Texas COW pony. At last
it hurled Duselmeyer against the wall
with frightful violence, and tumbled
over on one side.
Duselmeyer was not fatally injured
by the bed being ditched. The mcchani-
cal genius was sent for. He explained
that he had forgotten totell Duselmeyer
about the attachment for jumping the
track. However, Duselmever had found
out all about it without any assistance.
Duselmcyer, III the meantime, had got
married. and his wife's mother carried
out a previous threat OF paving the IN
happy couple a visit. She even went so
far as to hint that she was going to make
him two visits q year-each one to last
six months.
What did the wicked Duselmeyer do?
He put the railroad bed-which out
wardly looked like any other bed-into
the old lady's room, and he sneaked in
after she was fast asleep and put the
machinery to work. How she beloved
and went on! In her frenzy she touched
the button that threw the train into the
ditch. Once more the bed asserted
itself. The old lady caromed on the
ceiling, and next morning she said she
preferred a quiet life at her w home.
Duselmeyer IGNORED her whims in this
respect.
Duselmeyer had another happy
thought. He went into partnership
with the mechanical genius, and started
u large factory, which turns out one
hundred such beds a day. which arc ad-
vertised as being exclusively for the com
fort and convenience of mothers-in-laW.
Dusclmever is now immensely wealthy.
as there is DO limit to the demand for
that style of furniture.-7ronslateG
from The German for Teayes Sjiings.