The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1908-10-30
SHEEP OF NO AVAIL
AT LEAST FOR THE PURPOSES OF
a NARCOTIC.
II Any One Doubts H. and VIII Take
the Risk Of Asking Mr.. Butter
wick About II, He viii
Be Convinced.

Butterwick had fit Of sleeplessnass
one night lately, aud after vainly try
ing to lose himself in slumber he hap
pened to remember that he once read
in am almanac that rnan could force
himself to sleep by imagining that he
saw flock OF sheep jumping over
fence. and by counting them as they
jumped. He determined to Try the
experiment, and closing his eyes no
fancied the sheep jumping, and be-
gan to count. He had reached his
140th sheep. and was beginning to
doze off, when Mrs. Butterwick sud
denly said;
"Josephl"
Wen, what?"
4 believe that yellow hen OF ours
wants to set
%, don't bother me with such truck
as that now! Shut up and go TO
sleep"
Then Butterwick started his sheep
again, and commenced to count. He
got up to l2O, and was feeling as IL
he would drop of any moment. when,
Just as his 121st sheep was about to
take that fence, one OF the twins be-
gan to cry.
blame that child" he shouted at
Mrs. Butterwick. Why don't you tena
to it and put 1t to sleep Hush ND,
you little brat. or III spank youl"
When Mrs BHtterwick had quieterl
it, Butterwick, although little nerv-
GUS and excited, concluded TO try It
again. Turning on the imaginary NUT
ton, he began once more. Only 64
sheep had slid over the fence when
Butterwick's mother-in-law knocked az
the door, and asked IL he was awake.
When she learned that he was. she
said she believed ne had forgotten to
close the back shutters, and she
thought she heard burglars in the
yard.
Then Butterwick arose in wrath and
went down to see about it. He ascer-
tained that the shutters were closed as
usual. and as he returned to bed. ho
resolved that either that woman would
leave the house for good In the morn
ing, or else he would.
However, he thought he might as
we'll give the almanac plan another
trial, and setting the sheep in motion
he began to count. This time he
reached 240, and would probably have
got to sleep before the 3O0th sheep
jumped had not Mix's new dog ia the
next yard suddenly become homesick
and begun to express his feelings In
series df prolonged and exasperating
howls
Butterwick was mad. Dropping the.
sheep, he leaped from bed and began
to lombard Mix's new dog with boots.
soap dishes and every loose object he
could lay his hands on. He hit the
animal at last with a plaster bust Of
Daniel Webster and induced the dog
to retreat to the stable to think about
home in silence.
It seemed almost ridiculous to re-
sumo those sheep again, but he deter
mined to give the almanac man one
more chance. so as they began to
lump the fence he began to count,
ana AFTER seeing the eighty
sheep safely over, he was gliding
gently into the land of dreams when
Mrs. Butterwick rolled out of bed and
'ell on the floor with such violence
hat she walked both the twins and
started them crying, while Butter
Nick's mother-in-law came downstairs,
four steps at time, to ask them il
hey felt that earthquake.
The situation was too awful for.
words Butterwick regarded It for
minute with speechless Indignation,
and then seiEing pillow he went over
o the sofa in the back sitting room
and lay down on the lounge. He fell
lsleep in ten minutes without the as
'istance OF the almanac, but he
ireamed all night that he was being
Dutted around the equator by a Cots
void ram, and he woke in the morning
With a terrific headache and convic-
ion that sheep are good enough for
WOOL and chops. but not worth a cent
Is a narcotic.-New York Weekly.