The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-06-22
TO woo SWEET SLEEP.

LidllKlllQ. soOnne fortunate lnQlVlQ-
uals, like Napoleon |, can command
sleep the moment they lay their
heads on the pillows, others find
themselves all through life sleeping
the sleep of the just every night,
without difficulty being experienced
as to occasional waketulness, except
when illness happens to supervene.
The duke of Wellington, who al
ways slept on camp bedstead, had
a maxim that when a man turned in
bed it was time to turn out: and here
it may be remarked that great SOL
diers appear to be peculiarly consti-
tuted in their power to summon
sleep at will. Possibly this may be
due to the habits of discipline which
they have learned. They say to
their brains, go to sleep" and at
once the word of command is obeyed.
WITH HEADS TO THE NORTH.
We are all familiar with the stereo-
typed advice in cases of this kind to
turn the pillow" ''to think of
something else," or to imagine and
count number of mountain sheep
going through gate Many time
and oft has the too wakeful brain
worker attempted to carry these and
similar prescrip ptions into practice.
usually with results disproportionate
to the efforts involved.
1t may be said without much ex.
agger alton that the man who can
first imagine flock of sheep, then a
half open gate, and then can force
his hypothetical sheep to go through
one by one without crowding or
lodging or turning tail, is fit for trea
son, stratagems or writing the subli
NEST poetry. He is no ordinary man
and it is for ordinary individuals that
the saving prescription is required.
Among prescriptions of more or
less sensible kind which have been
at various times propounded and ac-
tually put into use for inducing sleep
may be mentioned the hop pillow, in
which our forefathers had consider
able faith, the marco ic essential oil
which produces the hop scent being
supposed to be exceedingly soporific.
The hop pillow was used by Geo.
III habitually when that monarch
suffered with insomnia. Then S. A.
Ellis long ago announced as a grand
discovery to the Scottish Curative
Mesmeric association that sleep was
all matter of which way ones head
points.
In certain direction the electric
ity of the earth, which is supposed to
flow between the poles, passes along
the body, and so tends to the enjoy
ment of repose. Persons wishing to
avoid sleepless nights must there
fore, Mr.. Ellis advised, always sleep
south by north, with their heads in
the latter direction, and they must
most religiously avoid attempting to
slumber if their bed lies east and
west.
The idea boasts some supporters
nowadays, but the consequence OF
its universal prevalence would lead
to extraordinary results. For exam
pie, architects would have greater
difficulties in building suitable private
residence than they encoun er even
now, If they were obliged to put their
doors and hreplaces SO that every
apartment would allow of bed being
situated in exactly the same position
all over the house.
Let us imagine also a country
house, where The gentlemen all re-
tired to bed about IL o'clock, the
ladies having departed to rest long
before. What a rude awakening
would ensue for the latter when they
were suddenly reused by hearing
horrible rumblings as of thunder in
the rooms on every side, and above
them! They would think it was an
earthquake without oubt; whereas,
as mere matter of fact, it would be
only that each guest was simultane-
ou ly attempting to shift his four
poster into conSonance with the
teachings OF electric science.
A PROFOUND SECRET.
There WIS, moreover, London
<, n!leman viii years ago really be-
licved he had found an abso utely
certain prescription for banishing
wakefulness, and he was willing to
inpart his knowledge to Others for a
handsome fee on the express condi-
ton that the information should ''go
no further. v
When the sleep practitioner died
one ot his patients informed an ex-
pectant world that the grand secret
was simply this: A person lying in
bed and attempting to sleep usually
breathers through his nostrils, and
the breath so emitted is, in cold
weather, quite visible.
All that has to be done is for the