The new North-west., 1897-02-19
TAKES HIS SLEEP STANDING.
California Man Who Lives In a Senti-
mel Box and Never Lies Down.

A California Man Who Lives In senti-
mel Box and Never Lies Down.
Jake Rogers says that he is the only
man in the world who sleeps standing
up. And most likely he is right about
1t, although there are many men living
who claim to have done it under COM
pulsion during the last war. Jake also
says that the reason he is so healthy is
because he sleeps the way he does. Most
people, however, would prefer to have
a little less health and little more
comfort.
The place where Jake has his home
is not very we'll populated one. 1t is
| in Mendocino county, only few miles
northeast of Los Robles, and the nearest
neighbor is some distance from his
| place. But, then, Jake doesn't want
neighbors, so that feature is really an
inducement for him. In fact Jake says
that the reason he took up his present
! abode was to get rid of neighbors. He
is not of a very good disposition, aud
an effort to get him to talk about any
thing but himself will surely result in
failure.
1t is safe to say that Jake's house is
the only one of its kind in the world.
1t is built to sleep standing up in, and
it would be impossible for person to
sleep in it any other way unless he curl
ed up like a bear. Jake built the house
himself out of boards and logs that he
picked up in different parts of the coun-
try. 1t is a queer looking affair, having
greatly the appearance of a chimney
with roof Oh it, and very dilapidat-
ed roof at that. But the shanty is a
strong one and keeps out the wet and
that is all that is required. Even the
latter is not required the greater part
of the year in that section. There is on
ly the door and no windows.
While the outside of the house may
look queer the inside looks queerer
There is only one piece of furniture, and
that is what Jake calls his bed. 1t real
ly looks more like coffin standing Oh
end, for it is a sort of box tilted back
only few inches from the perpendicu-
lar. 1t is nailed at the bottom and also
at the top, so that it is immovable. The
inside Of it is lined with straw covered
with cloth, to give it little comfort in
cold weather, Jake says.
When Jake wants to sleep, all he
does is to lie back in his box and close
his eyes. He says it doesn't take him
long to forget his troubles. In the next
breath he will tell you he has no trou.
bles since he took to sleeping standing
up.
Jake does no cooking in his house,
simply because there is no room. His
culinary department. is located under
tree a short distance away. His food
consists of anything he can get by beg
ging, borrowing or finding. But he
doesn't do much borrowing since the
neighbors have grown to know him.
'"The way I sleep is the only right
way for anybody to sleep" said jake
"and the sooner people come to their
senses and do as I do the sooner disease
will be stamped out of the world. The
noblest animal of all is the horse, and
he sleeps standing up. How did come
to find out that it was the right way?
Oh, that is easy enough to answer
You see, was sick as a boy way
back in Massachusetts, about 70 years
ago, and nothing did done me no sort
of good. There always was something
the matter, and as soon as I laid down
in bed my head began to ache. But, do
you know, stood that for half centu-
ry before I got any sense into me? And
then [ was out in California digging
FOR gold.
Gone night my head ached so bad I
couldn't stay III bed, and had to stand
against the wall to get relief. Without
knowing it 1 fell asleep, and when I
woke up felt like new man. / made
up my mind to sleep that way all the
time, but had trouble to find place to
do it. That is the reason Imoved out to
this place. It's over Is years ago, and
I have never had sign of the old trou-
BILE and am convinced that sleeping in
bed is the cause Of all the pain and dis
ease in the world. Sleep standing up,
and you will be a new man in short
time. -
The strange thing about Jake's theory /
is that he admits that he doesn't rest
when he sleeps standing up. He has to
do that under the trees the next day.
He says that has nothing to do with
his idea, though, for most people do too
much work anyhow.-San Francisco
Call.