The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-06-15
,wlLlAMsoN.s INsoMNIa.s !
How Taking Care of the Baby Effected a
Two-Fold Cure.


shape of fondness for exercise he
tween the hours of l and i O'Clock iii
the morning. AS he grew older the
Somnolent characteristics OF the norma.
boy were noticeable by their absence.
| The sound of rain on tho roof. Il creak-
ing door. the thought of to-morrow's
examinations, could Danish from him
| all possibility Of sleep.
Mrs. WilliamSon's first important les
son in her married life concerned the
sacredneSs of Wiliamson's SlumberS. \
mother-in-law. three SisterS-in-law and
maiden aunt Of her husbands al.
united to impress on her mind that if
| Charlie once fell asleep nothing short
OF Il domestic tragedy was an excuse
for awakening him. His ovCrSleepins
in the morning was 10 be hailed with
! thankfulncSS. as partial atonement
| for the SufferingS Of wakeful night.
All of which Mrs. Williamson took to
heart as in duty bound.
Williamson. junior, however, did not
prove as tractahle pupil as his
mother. Considering his inches. be had
an extraordinary amount of self-assur-
ance, and his bump, of reverence
seemed totally undevelopcd. If he felt
in the mood for roaring. he roared re-
gardleSs of the hour of whose Slumbers
he disturbed The room chosen for the
nursery was as remote rs possible from
Williamson's sleeping room. and here
Mrs. Williamson spent many an hour
of the night in an effort to render the
outcries of her son and heir inaudibl1
to her husband.
But one time when Williamson junior
was cutting his first teeth his mother
had been UP with him for three success
sive nights. Then Williamson made n
proposition that would have astoniShed
his mother and sisters and the maiden
aunt.
Looking across the table at his wife'S
pretty, tired face. the dark lines of
WEAKNESS giving new luster to her
eyes, he said. kindly: kitty, you look
worn out. Tonight you must get Il
good sleep. will look after the baby
Mrs. Williamson gasped. why,
Charlie. you won't sleep at all. The
time you usually go to sleep is Just
his hour for starting in
Il can stand it for one night, said
Williamson. Then he added with a
martyr-like air. Il sleep so little any
way that I might as we'll turn my
wakefulness to some account"
The prospect of one night Of undis-
turbed sleep was too tempting to be
resisted. Mrs. Williamson yielded with
ecstatic gratitude. She retired early
that evening. having first inducted her
husband into the chief mysteries con-
nected with the care Sf an infant.
1t seemed to her that she had hardly
fallen asleep when she was aroused
by the vigorous lamentations Of her
offspring. Her first impulse was to q
to her husbands assistance. but shy
heroically suppressed il. She would
not spoil his sacrifice. She fell asleep
again. her mind full of images OF Will
hanson heating milk and walking the
floor and grooming lullabies under his
breath to the red, wriggling piece OF
humanity who seemed on such oc-
casions a prey to the most bitter Gym
icism. Occasionally through the night
she was awakened by the baby's cries.
but each time she sunk TO sleep. with
the delicious consciousness that Charlie
was doing everything necessary.
The sun was high next morning when
Williamson bolted into his wife's room,
watch in hand. What time have you,
kitty? My watch seems 10 be off,
"Why, it's 0 O'clock" gas?ed Mrs.
Williamson. you've oversight" Then,
with commiserating tenderness. Il sup
pose you were so worn out. poor boy.
that when he gave You a chancc you
lust slept. regardless of everything
Williamson looked shecpiSh. ITO
tell the truth. never remember hav-
ing had 4 better sleep he said. Il
was in tranquil mood and the little
fellow seemed to feel it. He never
made sound all night"
Charlie Williamson" shrieked his
wife. do you mean to say that YOU
never heard that poor child? Didn't
you even feed him:'
She was answered by Williamson's
guilty silence. Then, as she realized
the astonishing truth. she gave Eer-
self up to helpless laughter.
The cure was two-fOld. Williamson,
Junior, was a baby Of discrimination.
and that long night in (which his ap-
peals had been ignored was enough to
teach him lesson. Williamson, senior,
after this episode, found it embarrass-
ing to say much about his insomnia.
Singular to say. his insomnia retaliated
by leaving him to his own resources.
At last accounts Williamson was Sleep
ing very much like other people. But
since the night he took care Of the baby
Mrs. Williamson has never trusted him
with the care Of that precious infant
Chicago News.