The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-10-08
HotO He Found
Sleep.
a. sAIIIE MENpEEM.

was this. | had mighty GOOD nerve anu
wasn't afraid Of any one. ! seemed TO
know what kind Of crib 10 crack ana
how 10 do IL without waking anybody
up aud getting away between midnight
and dawn. when the cops are most
drowsy. While | was doing job !
thought of nothing except my work
and was both cool and watchful-
wasn't one OF those blokes who scare
people 10 death or who are ready II
necessary 10 add murder 10 robbery
The truth Is never liked the prospect
OF facing either charge.
AS | was saying, while engaged M
my work, however dangerous. ! was
steady as n monument. but when dan
ger had passed and had nothing TO do
hut think | went downhill very fast.
What bothered me most was that
couldn't sleep nights-that is. when
comfortably slowed away In bed
once took a nap in gentleman's par
Tor and was only wakened by the sun
coming up and shining In my eyes.
lust got out in time 10 save myself
But when lying on soft mattress
with warm covers and no chance OF
being disturbed. sleep wouldn't come
10 me. lay awake thinking OF the
time when would hear prison doors
clanc behind me The thought was
dreadful I'm afraid I was too fine
grained for the business.
Month after month my hours OF
sleep grew less til | feared insanity.
one night woke MP at midnight after
having slept two hours and knew there
would be no more slumber for me I'LL
the next time I went 10 bed. was so
desperate that | got up with the IN
tention OF going into some house where
had no right and there snatch an
other couple OF hours sleep l had
crib I'm view. n small house with not
much I'm II But | was looking Tor
sleep. not plumber | went there. took
out a pane Of glass. entered and went
upstairs to find a place TO settle down.
I stood I'm dark hall looking into
room where night lamp was burning.
In the room woman was in bed with
/ a child. both asleep. The child was
sleeping on the front OF the bed, very
/. near the edge. He was n boy and.
; think, about FIVE years old
on n narrow lower bed. close beside
the other. slept another child. girl of
about three. She was sleeping In the
center OF her bed on her side and had
her chubby fist up against her fat
! cheek. 1t was hot summer weather
; and none Of them except the woman
2 had any covers whatever.
What interested me was that the
a boys head was hanging over the sid'
OF his bed and so much OF his BODY
too that Il looked to me as IL he wa'
: about 10 fall lie was restless. ana
knew he would be over very soon
Somehow | wanted 10 see him fall
t though | kept I'm the dark so that h'
n wouldn't see me 4 he woke up III
next Lick he made sent him over Ill
y, fell couple OF feet. but didn't wax
: up. lie landed partly on the little girl
/, but she didn't wake up either. / ex
J. pected she would. as she moaned ono
or twice In her sleep and turned oveI
u but finally she slept as peacefully
q before.
le II was such a delightful picture
ID one suffering from insomnia that
y kept ON watching the children. Th
boy continued his kicking and crowde
the girl. pushing her with every NOV
;" 10 the front edge Of her bed. II mus
n have been half an hour that he keI
le this up. when there was thunp an
o. the girl lay on the floor. But ST
seemed to be as comfortable there
on her bed. At any rate. she Shove
not the least sign Of waking.
Meanwhile I heard the muttering
a distant thunder. and while ! was loo
ing AT them all there came one terrii
| crash loud enough to wake the dea
The mother turned over. but neith'
lof the children moved. Then follow'
| one crash after another, and expet
d ed that at least the mother wou
II wake up and take look at her oh
II dren. But she slept on. She must ha'
4 been very tired or had lost lot
N sleep or she couldn't have sic
~ through those terrible bolts. New
~ bad heard such thunder before
II The only effect the storm had on a
4 ef them was to increase the restie'
ness or the boy. iie t"icu ~" -
bled in his sleep like ship tossed
res the waves. sometimes lying for II
minutes close against his mothers b'
SUIT then rolling over to the outer edge
,Ds his own. was sure he'd In time tu
BILE out of this bed, as he had out
the other. and / was bound to see
do It. Sure enough. before expect
- II he gave a lurch and landed plui
on top Of his sister.
Neither Of them awoke.
II I reckon women know In their sic
XII what's going on with their chlldr
II for. now that the storm was over Q
u everything was still as tue tomb,
ri mother sat up In bed. glanced at
n children. got up and put them in IN
: proper places. Then she went back
III bed herself and was asleep la
Ri mcnt
III WELL" said TO myself, II TN
what a clear conscience will furn
I'm going to have a clear conscien'
went back 10 my room resolved I
er TO enter any mans house again