Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1903-11-14

Americus, Il town of 500 inhabitants.
My office was In a room about 100
feet deep. OF this 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 grewsomc to
look ut, but soon grew accustomed to
their prcscncc--even familiar with
them, as you shall learn. The room
was heated by good stove at my end
Of the building, but as the chimney
was mt the extreme other end of II
necessitated the use Of very long
stovepipc that ran back over the piled
up caskets. One bitter cold night
sought my bed at the hotel and tried
to sleep. but 1t was too cold. I got
up, dressed. and with all the blank.
ets around me made another attempt,
but In vain. l felt myself slowly
turning into an elongated icicle. So,
In despair, I went acress the square TO
the Office, intending to start good
fire and ut least keep warm. Stufiing
the stove full Of corn bundles ! soon
had roaring fire and drew up my
chair to enjoy It. But. oh, how l did
want to sleep! I nodded, awoke with
start, and nodded again. Then l
noticed how hot the stOvcpipe had
grOwn--the collins must be warm, too.
In another minute I 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 Il
lust resting place, either. Washing
ton Post
~9
The champion sleeper Of Kansas City
has been found the man of whom
Dickens fat boy In Pickwick Is q
faithful prototype. He works for q
well-knOwn doctor OH the East Side
not far out, and his name Is Bill. Ht
IL black.
Bill was engaged one day to lOOf
after the doctors horses. in the stu
bic in the rear of the house. to min(
the phone In the Office near the stu
BILE and to do chores about the house
His first stunt was to go out and hnr
ness up, and to this work he was SEN
about D o'clock that morning.
Three-quarters of an hour later, tho
doctor, thinking 1t strange that hi'
horse was not ready, went forth t.
learn. lie found n small crowd collect
ed about his barn lot. and saw Bill, his
arms folded, peacefully sleeping. lean
ing up against the fence. while the ri
bald throng laughed ut him. He apollo
gized when awakened, and promised tt
hurry. lie was found fifteen minutes
later, sleeping with his arm about tho
buggy wheel in the barn. Then thu
doctor stood over him while hi
hitched.
On his return the doctor found Bill
again asleep in the barn lot, which III
had been raking. lie was proppcd III
on the end of n rake handle ana snOr
ing. \ kick on the handle woke hin
up, and he managed to get the horst
unhitchcd without further slumbcr.
Bill was called into the house to hell
clean up. He was set to rubbing the
balustrade about the stairs, and few
minutes later he was sleeping peace
fully, leaning thereon. He was awak
ened and sent to the attic to get some
brOOms. In ten minutes, when he was
sought by the doctors wife, he was
asleep in an open window, three stO
ries from the ground. He went Il
sleep once more before he could be gO1
out Of the house, this time standing
bolt upright, with his hat in his hand
That evening he was required to get
the carriage and team ready for q
drive. Twice he slumbered in dOinl
so. On the drive the doctor told hi
guests that the man would be snOr
ing when they returned. At lO:3t
o'clock they drove up to the doctors
house, and there was Bill, on the side
walk, wide awake, waiting for the rig
The doctor nearly dropped dead whel
he saw him.
"There Is something wrong with TIN
negro" said the doctor. 1T Is no
dope or anything of that sort. 1t II
a disease"
Bill still has his place, but he Il
wakened up every time anything Il
to be done. He will go to sleep in am