The record-union., 1892-11-18
TWO COMPLAINTS.

If you will forgive me for mentioning
an entirely personal matter will tell you
in confidence that l am one of those un-
fortunate individuals who get only one
chance at a nights sleep. If l fall asleep
at reasonably early hour it is all right,
and unless there is an unearthly row /
! sleep till morning. But if after getting to
/ sleep [ am awakened after an hour or so
/ L generally toss about all night, using the
raggedest kind of language and getting
madder and madder all the time. OF
course, if could keep cool and calm and
count hundred or a thousand or ten
thousand l would probably drop off to
| sleep again, but this l never seem able to
do.
Nothing uses a man up like loss OF
sleep. The morning after wild orgle,
during which the wine has flowed and
drinks have been mixed, is, l have been
told, an irksome morning, but l doubt Ii
it is so depressing as the day that follows
Il sleepless night.
l went to Brittany not long ago, prln-
cipally to put in some long nights OF pro-
found slumber. L selected a sleepy old
town on the coast and expected to be
lulled to rest by the sound OF the sad sea
waves. l thought the heavy air would
have a somnolenU effect. | got room on
the top floor of the hotel facing the sea,
and turned in the first night rather early.
Everything was intensely quiet, and 1
was asleep before l knew it.
Now, there Is one nationality in this
world whose distinguishing CHARACTERISTIC
is an utter disregard for the feelings and
comfort Of other people. They wander
around this planet good deal, and seem
to imagine it was made purposeiy for
them. IN one of the hotels in the High
| Alps there is attached to the door oil every
room the following notice:
"Persons leaving this hotel for eXcur-
sions in the early morning or late at night
will kindly make as little noise as posi-
bic in the corridors. Remember the
sleeping guests"
1t seemed to me significant fact that
while all other notices in the hotel We're
in three languages the one above quoted
should alone be in English.
Shortly after IL o clock at the Brittany
Hotel two persons came up to their rooms
on the top floor. The hall was uncarpeted
and these men had on heavy boots. They
| noisily arranged the furniture OF the room
next to mine, and one said loudly that
| this room was better than his because it
| had a view of the sea, and he wondered
| what lighthouse that was in the distance.
The other said it was not lighthouse,
but a steamer coming in. They discussed
this matter for a time, then their conver-
sati0n turned to the matter Of sleep.
Il hope Charley" said one, that you
will get good nights rest up here. /
| should imagine it would be rather quiet
| in the morning"
II hope so. L need a good sleep bad
enough"
"Well, if this room doesn't suit you rll
exchange with you. | think my room is
rather more secluded than this.''
"Oh, this will be all right. Sure you
won't have anything more to drink?''
"No, Pm all right till morning"
felt like a man on a bed OF shifting
sand. Gradually becoming awake, /
clung desperately to the remnants OF
| sleep. but felt the ground slipping from
under me. Angrily pounded with my
/ list on the wall. There was instant
silence, and shortly after a sound of sup
pressed laughter. OF course, | should
nave gone into the next room and in the
most kindly manner possible with the
| limited appliances at hand, should have
assassinated those two. That is the only
remedy. but unfortunately / was really
! halt asleep, although / thought | was wide
awake, and so neglected a self-evident
duty. ] am not trying to excuse myself;
l am merely explaining the matter.
"Well, goodnight, Charley" said one.
and the clatter OF his heavy boots went
echoing down the carpetless hall. The
/ other hummed to himself for few mo-
ments and then subsided. | tried for
some time to get asleep again, but did not
succeed. Every minute | became wider
awake and more and more angry at the
needless brutality and utter seldshness
! Of my next door neighbor and his friend.
! knowing sleep was now out of the ques-
l1iou resolved to make night of it and
raise a row with the landlord in the
morning. | got up, lit the candle and
shifted around the furniture. | wheeled
| the heavy armchair into corner aud
4 showed over the table near 1t. threw
open the window to let in the breath of
/ the sea and to clear ont the tobacco
smoke | rang the electric bell and
brought up the sleepy and astonished
waiter from the depths.
In beautiful French 1 asked him to get
me a siphon and some other materials Tor
the quenching of thirst.
The words. 'Oh, L say" came like a
groan from the next room.
asked him, still in the choicest French,
what the matter was?
'You cursed Frenchman." he NUT
tered, ''hold your blooming row"
When the materials for mitigating the
| riror of the situation arrived, | got the
armchair into suitable position and sat
down 10 read. After awhile l closed the
| window, as the sea air was a trifie chilly
nj that early hour. At about ) in the
morning the man next door got up and
went to the room of his friend, down the
corridor. This pleased me. for | felt that
my revenge would be only half complete
if the other fellow got an undisturbed
nights rest.
Next morning I went into the hotel of
| flee 10 protest against the interruption OF
the night before. There I found hag-
card man waiting for the manager. !
! looked twice at him before l recognized
him as my friend, Charles Dunthorn, OF
London.
Hello, Dunthorn," l said, when did
you get here; this morning."
NO, | came last night. Pm over here
with Jim Potter. Do you know Potter?
/ We were in Paris a week and came down
here to rest. l never can get any sleep in
Paris, and last night they put me in the
/ next room to brute ola krenchman who
seems to be in the habit of getting drunk
after midnight. He kept me awake all
night, and Pm going to complain to the
manager. Ii he doesn't give me room
where | can have quietness I'll leaye.D
~ ou'r re quite right. Pm down here
on the same tack. Let's join forces and
threaten to leave"
Didn't you get any sleep either? 1
wouldn't be surprised if it was the same
man kept you awake, too" Where
your room?"
'.On the top floor"
$50 is mine. OF course it was the same
man. The way he acted would keep a
whole flat awake.o
NO, il was two Englishmen. It took
two men TO waken me up. l was very
tired and went to bed about 8 O'Clock.
These two came along about midnight
They clumped down the corridor Tx
that statue in the opera. And it was