The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1896-03-27
LOOKING UNDER THE BED


girls, now all married and scattered a
various distances from the early home
and aged parents, with the exception of
two-a bachelor brother and a widowed
sister. l was the eldest girl and had
married and settled not 40 miles from
home. But as l was something of an
invalid, and the journey between my
place of residence and my old home
was broken by more than one change of
railroad and disagreeable wait of over
two hours at a little wayside station,
did not often take advantage of the
nearness of my people.
One night, in the fall of 1886, awoke
from an unpleasant dream about my
father and next morning at breakfast
astonished my husband by declaring
that L was going home to see my pa
rents. My husband made no objection
to this move on my part, except regret
ting that he could not accompany me.
l was driven to the station and in due
time arrived in the town of Middleton,
the little place where was born.
IL was typical New England town,
'fNh US PAS'ey, Huoihts DoA-iiiNC houSCS
with their green-painted blinds. the mar
row village streets well shaded with
noble elms and naples, the latter now
looking like enormous bouquets in their
gaudy autumnal coloring.
l found my father quite well and in
the best of spirits, but several other
members of the family had, like myself,
fal> ..c.A 4. II
folks. for l found that nearly all my
brothers and sisters, with their respec-
tive families, were there before me, so
that the old place looked quite like
former days.
While mother and Sister Kate were
evidently very much pleased with the
idea of having kind of an unexpected
family gathering, | could see that they
were not little perplexed as to how
they were going to provide sleeping
quarters for so many. My advent did
not help in the least, as l was enough of
an invalid to be very poor sleeper and
a bad night was the forerunner of As
hours headache, a headache that had
so far baffied medical skill. Where to
put me, therefore, in order that l might
be quiet enough to obtain sufficient
sleep not to spoil my visit, was the ques-
tion which troubled my mother and
Kate. However, my bachelor brother
was the one who settled the matter by
saying that | could have his room, and
that he could bunk" as he termed it.,
elsewhere.
Nat was the postmaster-had held
the position through several ad-
ministrations-and was person of
note in the place. His room was an ex-
tension built on to the side wing of the
house and us remote as possible, in or
der that his comings and goings should
not disturb mother, who was light
sleeper.
Mother and Kate were alike relieved
by this arrangement, and | reioiced in
having room where no household noise
could possibly disturb my slumbers.
We were jolly crowd when we got
dream and was, in my quiet way, as
merry as the rest. The fun and frolic
continued until quite late. 1t was al
most midnight when Sister Kate es-
corted me to my room, and, after seeing
that everything was provided for my
comfort, retired, leaving me TO my own
devices to pass the time until l fell
asleep.
After Kate left me looked about the
apartment. 1t was to me the only
strange room in the house where | was
born. / also felt lonely, as was not
accustomed to room alone, and coming
from the brightly-lighted sitting-room
into the DINNER one may have brought
about strange feeling which oppressed
me. though / was not nervous at all.
The room itself was not attractive. 1t
was an oblong apartment, not very