Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1903-12-25
ALL NIGHT IN A COFFIN,
u Happened In kansas to One David
J. Roberts.

J. ROborte.
A career that among its incidents
comprises whale catching IN Wales
and sleeping i'll coffin in Kansas at
least has the merit of variety. and
these are two of the variations In the
life of David j. Roberts, foreman OF
the first division of the Government
Printing office. Il man who has run the
gamut OF the usual experiences of Il
tourist" printer in the days before the
Mergenthaler machine revolutionized
the usa ges of the craft.
The picturesque and ancient town
of Carnaryon, Wales" said Mr.. Rob
el'ts, "ls on the Menai Straits, and WAS
the scene of great excitement one dag
In 1878 while | was there doing the
'peripatetlc act When the tide came
Ia the water was very deep In the
straits, and a school of whales had
fioated into the narrow channel with
the tide. As these We're very valuable
Ii was In the interest of the towns
people to prevent their escape; so ev-
cry one turned out to help. All the
boats available were drawn across the
entrance to the straits. and each boat
was apparently loaded with Il crowd
Of maniacs, for guns, pistols, tin pans,
and shouting We're the means employ
ed to drive the huge animals up the
channel and 10 keep them there until
low tide should prevent their escape
The efforts We're successful In regard
to three of the monsters, which We're
driven ashore, and with much diff
Guilty killed. Then came my part In
this stirring adventure. | had been In
one Of the foremost boats when at
last the whales We're driven high upon
the beach and was much Interested In
their kining-so much 80 that, ap-
preaching too close, one OF the beasts
In its last struggles, struck me Il glanc-
ing blow on the leg with its TAIL
throwing me about twelve feet
awoke in the hospital where l remain
ed for weeks. My only souvenir Of
the days fun ls bad scar on my leg
which | shall carry to my grave
"The winter of 1890" continued Mr.
Roberts, who was in reminiscent
mood, was very severe one In Kan
sas, as l have reason TO remember
Americus, town of 800 inhabitants.
My office was In a room about 100
feet deep. OF this l occupied about
forty feet, the balance being filed with
the surplus stock of n merchant next
door. and this surplus was collins. At
first they were rather grewsome to
look at, but | soon grew accustomed to
their presence-even familiar with
them, as you shall learn. The room
was heated by a good stove at my end
of the building, but as the chimney
was at the extreme other end of 1t
necessitated the use of very long
stovepipe that ran back over the piled
up caskets. One bitter cold night |
sought my bed at the hotel and tried
to sleep, but it was too cold. | got
up dressed, and with all the blank
cts around me | made another attempt
but in vain. | felt myself slowly
turning into an elongated icicle. SO.
In despair, | went acress the square to
the office, intending to start good
fire and at least keep warm. Stutfing
the stove full of corn bundles | soon
had roaring fire and drew up my
chair to enjoy II. But, oh, how | did
want to sleep. | nodded, awoke with
a start. and nodded again. Then
noticed how hot the stoyeplpe had
grown-the collins must be warm. too
In another minute | had climbed to
one of those directly under the pipe.
pulled off the lid, slipped in. and found
solid comfort. The question of cold
bed or bed room troubled me no more
that winter, nor morbid thoughts of II
last resting place, either. Washing
ton Post