The morning call., 1893-05-07
THEIR SLEEP. !.
Queer Feats Accomplished
by Children.
DO sOMNAMBULIsTs DREAM {?
A Nut for Scientists to Crack-The
Young SIeep-Walker and the
Geese.
written for THE MORNING CALL

Written for THE MORNING CALL.
Calling upon a friend the other day, /
found her busily engaged in sewing up
long tear in little white nightgown that,
besides being torn, was stained with paint
and dirt She looked angry and perturbed.
Freddie been climbing?" | asked, cas-
ually
She looked up in genuine perplexity.
Il don't know what to make of the boy"
she said, in a tone in which veXation and
anxiety mingled. Just look at this gar
ment. It's quite evident he has been climb
ing; this red paint is off the hall window
sill, the gray is from the floor of the porch
the upper one, his footprints are all over
1t, and this long tear was got from hook
in the railing, where my blrdease used to
hang. Even a professional detective could
have tracked his wanderings. and yet the
child persists in declaring he wasn't out OF
his bed last night. l can't imagine why he
should deceive me so. or what took him out
of the hall window and on to the porch. He
must have been trying to climb down one of
the piIlars-and he spoiled all the fresh
paint, too--it must all be done over"
l was much surprised, for Freddie was
one of my fagorites and an exceptionally
good boy for little fellow. What does lie
say?" l asked
simply declares he was not out of bed;
says some one must have put the paint on
him, which, of course, is absurd. don't
often punish the boy. dislike to make
him afraid of punishment, but | have told
him he must stay in bed until he retracts
his naughty falsehOods and confesses why
he did such thing. | am really worried,
for | am sure it is not the first time Freddie
has gone off at night. but have always
trusted the boy. His father ana L have
always been glad to think he was such a
truthful child l am terribly worried.
Such mere baby to get into mischief"
1t did seem remarkable. Little Fred was
not yet 10. An idea flashed through my
mind.
Does the child walk in his sleep?" I
asked.
Astonishment. ncredulity, alarm. relief,
ali showed at once in the mothers face.
Il never thought of such thing" she
gasped. do you really think il possible?"
Then she remem bered that Fred had been
up unusually late the night before. and
there being company in in the evening had
been allowed piece of rich cake just be-
fCre going to bed.
ut is contrary TO my usual CUSTOM" ex-
planned the mother, but it was all unusual
occasion and INDUCED him"
My happy thought proved indeed happy
one for little Fred, in durance vile on false
SuSplclOU, anu OtBlunlOS 10 Iebj, as many
a nervous child does. the severe strain Of our
arduOus public-sch0Ol curriculum. A little
watching soon developed the fact that he
was in fair way to become confirmed
but prompt attention and
judicious care from the family physician
soon put the little fellows nerves in a
healthier condition, and his parents learned
a useful lesson before it was too late.
1t was not particularly strange that they
did not themselves think of the possible eX
MIA 0f ErG66in'c pn1
itOften happens that those nearest to per-
son are the last TO observe and recognize
any unusual nervous phenomenon that
may appear in his conduct; even al
though the sufferer may be very
dear to them. The mere fact Uf
parenthUod does not alw avs insure in human
beings the possession of special training for
that Office; in fact. fatherhood and mother
hood are about the only eallings in life for
which no special education and training are
deemed necessary. At least so a justly in
dfgnant old family physician remarked to
me the other day.
But the phenomena of sieep-walkiug are
curious and perpieXing at all times. 1t
always seemed to me the height of pathos
that. after all the cunning planning of
Lady Macbeth in the terrible crime of
which she was the instigatoT, the In
domtabe will that had nerved and sus-
tanned others at the critical moment should
have deserted the poor lady in an hour of
consciousness and that sleep should have
been her betrayer-''Sieep, that kuits up the
raveled sleeve of care" Ii was poetic
Justice. to be sure, but the pity OF il
remains.
Does the somnambulst dreams
The suppoSition is that he does, but al
though | have questioned many, | have
never found one who could remember his
dream. There IS form OF sleep-walkiug
that is closely allied 20 the hypnotic stale,
wherein the victim Will walk, talk and act
very much as he would when awake, but even
the greatest activity, in these unconscious
moments. seem tn leave no impress upon the
waking brain. l think thai, more often
than not, this form of somnambulism is the
genuine hypnotic state, for il is a perfectly
well-established fact that a person can
mesmerlze himself / have, myself. ACCOM-
plished this feat, and have performed acts.
in that condition, at least ! was told 1 per-
formed them, of which l afterward re-
tanned no consciousness. Such play. how
ever. has in it elements of danger and IS
hardly 10 be encouraged.
Scientists tell us that sleep-walkers and
mesmerized subjects can do nothing in
their uu conscious moments that they cnu1d
not DO if awake and in the full possession
OF their faculties. This assertion, If true.
discredits great many capital stories, bat
have, nevertheless, known people to do.
while asleep. things that they did not. upon
attempt, succeed in accomplishing when
awake. friend of my own was once
sitting reading in her room at night when
hearing slight noise behind her, she
turned and beheld her hus band gazing at
her through the open window. She was
literally struck dumb with fright She
knew that there was no ledge or cornice
upon which he could be standing; the win
dow was three stories up from the ground.
and yet there he lounged, In exactly the
attitude OF one of RaphaePs pictured cher
ubs, his elbows resting on the window
ledge. one hand supporting his cnin, only
his head, shoulders and arms visible.
Moreover, an hour before he had hidden
her goodnight and had, as she supposed,
gone to bed In the next room. She could
see that he had undressed, for he was in
sleeping attire.
She, too, did not realize that he was
asleep, and her first thought was that he
had gone crazy. She spoke TO him quietly.
but received no reply, although he was
looking directly at her. Then 1t dawned
upon her that he was asleep, and she be-
came terrified lest be should fall and be
dashed TO death on the pavement beloT.
win great presence of mind she stepped
quietly across the room and pressed the |
DELL Dutton-she was in a hotel-and then
opened the door into the hall When the
Dellboy came she rapidly explained to him
The situation, and, calling porter who was !
passing through the hallway, the two |
men went to the window and grasped tie
sOmnambulist securely by the arms and
shouiders. Ihis, OF course, woke him up.
put despite his struggles lie was quickly |
drawn through the window and landed in a |
position OF safety before any explanation |
OF the situation was made
SeVenty-hye years or more ago a relative |
oi my own had an adventure that resulted |
In starting 1rst-class ghost story in The |
rural district where it occurred For elI | |
know TO the contrary the ghost that then |
arose is not yet laid, though do moi think |