The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1909-05-07
Laughed in His Sleep.

! -
Laughed in His Sleep.
he might happen to be while undress.
ing; and when reproved for being so
careless, his excuse always was that
he forgot, writes Annie Briggs Fox in
the Home Journal. He spoke the
truth, no doubt, but he might have
added, also with truth, that the reason
he forgot was that he didn't try to re-
member.
One cold winters night he flung of
his clothes as usual and jumped into
bed. Smuggling down under the warm
covers, he watched the moons bright
rays which streamed in at the window,
rendering objects in the little room
distinctly visible. He could see his
clothes scattered about on the floor,
and the thought came to him how his
mother had told him always to arrange
his garments neatly for the night; and
as he remembered he told himself that
he would get up right away and put
them in their proper places, but it was
so coy in the warm bed and the room
was cold, and where was the use, any
way? They only had to be put on
again the next morning; so it really
didn't matter. He didn't try to re-
member any more, but just lay still
and watched the moon shining in at
the window.
Presently he was amazed at seeing
his knickerbockers (Which lay in the
middle of the room where he had
slipped: out of them) rise slowly from
the floor. TITS shame to be worn by
such all untidy boy" they complained,
in woolly, smothered kind of voice.
1T isn't many days since We were
spick, span new from the shop, and
we're all over spots already; besides,
no one would dream we had ever been
creased The knickers shook them
selves vigorously, marched solemnly
across the room, folded themselves in
exactly the right creases and laid
themselves over the back Of a chair.
Edwin could hardly believe his eyes
or his ears, and shook with laughter at
the sight of his Knockers walking along
just as If he were inside of them, and
the idea of clothes actually talking!
It was really too funny. He was still
chuckling when one of his shoes
walked briskly over from the corner
where he had kicked it and placed
itself primly under the chair on which
were the Knockers. Come along" it
called out Grossly to its mate, which
lay In another corner. 1T is pretty
hard to be kicked around in this
fashion after racing about all day long.
Just look at my toe, how it is stubbed
out, and my sole is almost through.
and I not a month old yet. It's a
shame, I say"
The other shoe, grumbling to itself,
glided swiftly over the floor and took
its place beside it's companion.
Edwin went of again into bursts of
merriment. 1t was as good as circus.
thought he, and even better, for when
had anyone heard clothes talk at a
circus, or any other place, for that
matter? He waited eagerly for the
next act.
The stockings, which lay in a small
heap where Edwin had dropped them.
now stirred themselves, turned them
selves inside out and, skipping lightly
across the room, hung themselves, one
on each side of the Knockers. Dear
me. what rent there is in your knee. -
said one, as it settled itself for the
night.
Eyes. I know" returned the other
with sigh; ''and was only put on
new to-day; but perhaps you are not
aware that you have a great hole in
your foot?"
Eyes, am" observed the first, "but
am not to blame. It is that careless
boy over there in the bed. He is a
most wearing child"
The last sentence sounded strangely
familiar to Edwin. He had often
heard his mother say the very same
thing.
When the stockings had had their
say detected voice was heard from
the center of the room where lay a lit.
tie cotton blouse. "Clean only this
morning, and I'm positively ashamed
to show myself. I've three buttons of,
too. It's disgrace to belong to such
an untidy boy" Settling it's collar and
pulling down its cuffs, the melancholy
garment gave itself a little shake
made its way slowly over to the chair
and stretched itself carefully across
the seat.
Edwin watched and waited, hoping
there would be more interesting things
to come, but the moon happening just
then to disappear behind a passing
cloud, the room was left in total dark
ness and nothing more was said o,
heard.
The next morning when Edwin
awoke he saw his clothes ON the chair
| lust al thew had placed themaelvea fhl