The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-14
THE sLEEPER,s SECRET.


fail to record fresh case of long-con-
tinued sleep in one part of the country or
another. Yesterday it was a St. Louis
woman who had just awakened from a six
days sleep. A day or two ago 1T was
Pennsylvania girl who was entering upon
her third week of uninterrupted slumber.
1t might be said, of course, by frivolous
persons, that to live In ST. Louis or in the
vicinity of Philadelphia is enough to drive
anyone to sleep in self-defense against
1t is not comprehensive explanation of the
phenomenon. 1t is not long since Indiana
had sleeping girl. and life in Indiana,
as every one knows. Is sufficiently exciting
to wake up the inhabitants once in twenty
four hours. Sometimes, indeed, as in GER
tain lively whitecap districts, they are like
ly to be awakened before morning and at
most unseemly hours.
Since 1t is obvious that a sameness in
the daily routine cannot be accepted as
other reason must be looked for. It is
noticeable that these sleepers are almost
invariably women. 1t is suggested by a
slanderous masculine observer that they
are recuperating from overmuch use of
their conversational powers. This explana-
ton may be summarily rejected, since there
is good ground for the conviction that
women are not only never exhausted by
their own talk but, on the contrary thrive
upon it. Nor can it be the strain of hard
physical labor that overcomes them. Most,
IL not all, Of the women on record for
week-long maps" belong to the class not
engaged in arduous manual toll. Other
women and many men. laboring far more
severely than they, get up every morning
Of their lives and go about their affairs
quite wide awake. 1t is true that such
persons are sometimes difficult to rouse
and often are known to express the wish
that they might sleep for a week-but they
never do.
The natural conclusion is that it is men,
tai WEAKNESS which causes their extended
periods of somnolence. But what makes
them so tired? 1t will not do to retaliate
upon the cynical male critic by intimating
that perhaps loquacious men persons have
nearly talked them to DEATH for no normal
self-respecting woman ever allows herself
to be worsted in talking bout. Whence.
then, comes the irresistible disposition to
coma? 1t is the custom of professional and
Chicago University critics of the modern
woman to charge all her vagaries and her
unaccountable actions to the influence OF
the club, so 1t Is only following the usual
procedure to ask what the club has to dc
with the recent feminine tendency to sleep
by the week. In deciding this matter, the
difficulty Is that no statistics are avail
are members of clubs. Therefore it is i'm
possible to say whether they are tired to
the point of total exhaustion from going
to clubs. or whether they are reduced to a
state Of lethargy because they lack the
benefits of these sprightly and inspiring or
CARNATIONS. 1t is problem that ought tC
be of much interest to societies devoted to
| sociology and general reform. and the Jour
nal takes pleasure in commencing it to the
consideration of the indianapolis Local
Council. If this body discovers the secret
it should by all means make it known tc
the world, as there is reason to suspect tina,
numerous persons who have no inkling OF
it would be glad of a recipe which would
enable them occasionally to lie down al
night and let the world go by until they
walked up next week.