The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-02
DIVERSIONS OF COUNTRY LIFE.
A Nights sleep I'm a Graveyard and Drawn
Bet OF $500.

A Nights Sleep I'm Graveyard and Drawn
Bet OF $500.
Nobody took too much, and what would
have been the harm if we had-whatr There
was not woman in the house except the
maids, and we had the run OF the place.
There were six of us in the party. and II
bet six men--grown men, l mean, with
grown mems appetites--neyer made less
rough house than we did.
1t was after the clock struck midnight
on Sunday that the conversation turned
on superstition We all began telling
what we were ready to do to show that we
weren't supersttious. The last man won
out, of course.
I'm so little afraid of ghosts he SAID,
that I'd as soon sleep in graveyard II
there was one around here.
I'VE pricked up our ears and acknowi-
edged that he'd the best of US. Sleeping
in graveyard seemed the limit--what?
I'll bet you $780, came from a man on
the other side of the room, that you
wouldn't sleep in graveyard for great
deal more than that. III make the bet,
anyhow
Whether he thought there was no grave
yard around, don't know. Anyhow, the
brave man took the bet and began to ask
the way to the nearest graveyard.
oh, it is not far said our host, Don't
let that worry you. There's a graveyard
less than an eighth Of mile away from
here that has stood there ever since the
days the Indians used to help fill ii up
every once in awhile by descending on
th" whites and massacrng few of them.
Never you mind about the graveyard
The terms OF the bet were then for
nally arranged The brave man was TO
pay $500 if he was afraid to sleep in grave
yard
And alone said his antagonist, IT'S
got to be alone, remember.
Sure was the answer Of the other
After a short interval he started out
10 find the resting place Of many generations
of Long Islanders who never expe tied It to
hc used for such y purpose. We had one
lantern, but our host, who knew the way,
led us along without difficulty. We fol-
lowed him down the path of he little country
churchyard bet ween the tombst ones. white
in the moonlight, until he stopped between
two inConspicuo,is monuments.
THAT IS a good place for you. said our
guide That fellow Oh the left there was
supposed to have murdered six wives,
but he was never convicted. The woman
on the other side was poisoner who
escaped the galows only on account Of the
laxity of the criminal courts of her day.
You ought to be able to sleep well there
ITS all right for me- answered the
brave man, who was still game ] might
AZ well sleep among the top liners, so long
as I'm doing il al all.
Then he stretched himself on the deep
grass after folding his coat underneath his
head for pillow and before the party had
i 4. . i q. 4. L
ing indicated that he was getting to sleep.
1T was beautifully clear night, very
hot, but dry We went back to the house,
but not to bed. We stopped in the dining
room intending to stay there one minute,
and remained there for several. In fact
more than an hour passed while we waited
for the sleeper in the cemetery TO put in an
appearance. Another hour passed and
still there was no sign of him.
Let's go up to bed, the host suggested
in husky voice that plainly showed the
need of sleep. He's fool enough to stay
there all night
"'Then what in the world will become
Of my five hundred? asked the man who
made the bet. If he's Indian enough
TO sleep there, lose my bet
There was no sympathy with him. He'd
started the dir Gu sion, kept us all out Of bed
for three hours and nobody cared whether
he got his money or not"
"'There's one way of saving II vet su9-
gested forgivirg man in the party, you
told him he had 10 sleep there alone Now
ii you should go there and sleep with him.
why.
"He neeGed no more. Snatching mp
pillow from a sofa in the hall. he started
down to the graveyard. BY this time
it was almost 4 o. clock and there was only
a short time before daybreak.
He won the bet, at all events he kept the
other man from getting the money.
at was o'clock before anybody was
called in the house Only the host got
up, and as there were no signs of the two
sleepers then, he sent one of the men down
10 the graveyard to find them. They were
resting peacefully in the thick grass pro-
tected by the heavy shade of the tree that
hranchnd over the two graves. The SER
want. as inexpensive as well-trained ser
want should be under even such trying
circumstances. imperturb bly, awoke the
two and told them it was after 10 clock
"The man who wade the bet did not have
to go to work ard was for stopping in the
country all day Monday. But even his
host was going to town and he had to come
along. too He slept fitfully on the way
TO town and admitted that he felt few
twnCes Of rheumatism,
But he deserves them. remarked the
courageous man who had first dared to
sleep in the graveyard, for was done out
of that $500 if ever a man was"