Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1903-12-12
ALL NIGHT IN A COFFIN.
AZ happened IN Kansas 20 On. David
j. Roberts.

! j. Roberts.
career that among its incidents
comprises whale catching I'm Wales
ana sleeping in a coffin In Kansas at
l least mas the merit of variety, and
lneSe are two of the variations in the
ire OF David j. Roberts, foreman OF
the hrst division of the Government
PRINTING office, man who has run the
samut Of the usual experiences of n
tourist printer in the days before the
Mergenthaler machine revolutionizod
the usages of the craft.
The picturesque and ancient town
OF Carnarvon, Wales" said Mr. Rob
erts' Is on the Menai Straits. and was
the scene of great excitement one day
IN 1878 while | was there doing the
peripatetic act When the tide came
III the water was very deep In the
straits, and a school of whales had
noated into the narrow channel with
the TIDE. As these were 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 crowd
OF maniacs, for guns, pistols, tin pans,
and shouting were the means employ
ed to drive the huge animals up the
channel and to keep them there until
low tide should prevent their escape.
The efforts were successful In regard
TO three of the monsters, which were
driven ashore, and with much diff
Guilty killed. Then came my part In
this stirring adventure. l had been in
one of the foremost boats when at
last the whales were driven high upon
the beach and was much Interested in
their kining-so much so that ap-
preaching too close, one Of the beasts,
In its last struggles, struck me a 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 is bad scar on my leg,
which l shall carry to my grave
THE winter of $780," continued Mr..
mood, was very severe one in Kan
sas, as l have reason to remember.
was publishing weekly paper at
Americas, town Of 500 inhabitants.
My office was In room about 100
feet deep. OF this l occupied about
forty feet, the balance being filled with
the surplus stock of a merchant next
door, and this surplus was collins. At
first they were rather grewsome to
look at, but l 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 it
necessitated the use of a very long
stovepipe that ran back over the piled
up Baskets. One bitter cold night
sought my bed at the hotel and tried
to sleep, but it was too cold. I 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, l went across the square to |
the Office, intending to start a good |
fire and at least keep warm. Stuffing |
the stove full Of corn bundles l soon |
had a roaring fire and drew up my |
chair to enjoy it. But, oh, how l did |
want to sleep! l nodded, awoke with
a start, and nodded again. Then /
noticed how hot the stoveplpe had |
grown-the collins must be warm, too.
In another minute 1 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
last resting place, either. Washing
ton Post.