The Opelousas courier., 1905-05-06
WILLIAM SONS
tnS0 N MA"

Williamson always complained tina
he was a bad sleeper. In his babyhoot
the tendency exhibited itself in tn
shape of a fondness for exercise be
tween the hours of l and 4 o'clock il
The morning. AS he grew older thu
somnolent characteristics of the nor
NAL boy were noticeable by their alb
sence. The sound of rain on the roof
q creaking door, the thought of to-
morrew's examinations, could banisf
from him all possibility of sleep.
MIS-. Williamson's first important
lesson in her married life concerned
the sacredness Of Williamson's slum.
bers. A mother-in-law, three sisters
in-law and a maiden aunt OF her hus-
bands all united to impress on hel
mind that if Charlie once fell asleep
nothing short Of a domestic tragedy
was an excuse for awakening him,
His eversleeping in the morning was
to be hailed with thankfulness, as a
partial atonement for the sufferings
Of q wakeful night. All of which Mrs.
Williamson took to heart as in duty
bound.
Williamson, junior, however, did not
prove as tractable a pupil as his moth
sr. Considering his inches, he had an
extraordinary amount of s~elf-assur-
rance, and his bump Of reverence
seemed totally undeveloped. If he felt
in the mood for roaring he roared re-
CARELESS of thu hour Or whose slum-
bers he disturbed. The room chosen
Tor the nursery was as remote as pos
sible from Williamson's sleeping room,
and here Mrs. Williamson spent many
an hour of the night in an effort to
render the outcries of his son and heir
tnaudible to her husband,
But one time when Williamson jun
lor was cutting his first teeth his
mother had been up with him for
three successive nights. Then Will
Hanson made a proposition that would
have astonished his mother and sis
ters and the maiden aunt.
Looking across the table at his wife's
pretty, tired face, the dark lines of
WEAKNESS giving a new luster to her
eyes, he said. firmly: Kitty, you look
worn out. Tonight you must get a
good sleep. l will look after the baby"
Mrs. Williamson gasped. why,
Charlie, Yea won't sleep at all. The
time you uaually go to sleep is just
his hour for starting in"
81 can stand it for n night" said
Williamson. Then he added with a
martyr-like air. 4 sleep SO little any
way that l might as well turn my
wakefu1ness to some account"
The prospect Of one night of undis-
turbed sleep was too tempting to be re-
sisted. Mrs. Williamson yielded with
scstatic gratitude. She retired early
that evening, haFing first indicted her
husband into the chief mysteries con-
nected with the care of an infant.
1t seemed to lter that she had hard
ly fallen asleep when she was aroused
by the vigorous lamentation Of her Off
Her first impulse was to go to
her husbands assistance, but she he
roically suppres sed it. She would not
spoil his sacrifice. She fell asleep
again, her mint full Of images of Will
heating milk and walking
the floor and grooming lullabies under
his breath to the red, Wriggling piece
Of humanity wL.o seemed on such occa-
a prey to the most bitter cyni-
eism. Occasionally through the night
was awakened by the baby's cries,
but each time she sunk to sleep, with
he delicious consciousness that
Charlie was doing everything neces-
sary.
The sun was high next morning
when Williamson bolted into his wife's
DOM, watch in hand. What time have
rou, Kitty? My watch seems to be
"Why, it's 8 o'clock" gasped Mrs.
You've oversight Then
With c~cmmiserating tenderness, Il sup
Jose You were so worn out, poor boy, |
hat when he gave you a chance you
ust slept regardless Of everything
Williamson looked sheepish. 40 tell
he truth, / never remember having |
lad a better Sleep" he said. II was
n tranquil mood and the little fellow
eemsd to feel it. He never made q
ound all night"
Charlie williamson shrieked his
wife. DO you e to say that you
heard that poor child? Didn't
on even feed him?"
She was answered by Williamson's
silence. Then, as she realized
he astonishing truth she gave herself
p to helpless laughter.
The cure was two-fold. Williamson
unior was a baby of discrimination,
that long night in which his APP
eals had been ignored was enough to
each him a lesson. Williamson SEN
or, after his episode, found it embar-
assing to say much about his insom-
ia. Singular to say, his insomnia re-
by leaving him to his own re-
ources. At last accounts Williamson |
as sleeping very much like other
But since the night he tpok