The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1910-02-04

HotO He Found
Sleep.
By sALLlE MENDEEM.

The way got out Of the burglar lin
was this: had mighty good nerve an
wasn't afraid Of any one. / seemed I
know what kind Of crib 10 crack an
how 10 do IL without waking anybod
up and getting away between midnlgh
and dawn, when the cops are mos
drowsy. While | was doing a lob
thought OF nothing except my worI
and was both cool and watchful.
wasn't one Of those blokes who scar
people TO death or who are ready /
necessary 10 add murder 10 robbery
The truth is never liked the prospcc
OF facing either charge.
As | was saying. while engaged al
my work. however dangerous. | wa.
steady as monument. but when dan
ger had passed and had nothing TO d,
but 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 nap In a gentleman's par
Tor and was only Weakened 10y the sun
\ coming up and shining In my ewes.
I just got out In time to save myself
But when lying on a soft mattress.
with warm covers and no chance OF
being disturbed. sleep wouldn't como
To me. lay awake thinking OF the
time when | would hear prison doors
clang behind me. The thought was
dreadful I'm afraid | was too fine
grained for the business.
Month after month my hours of
sleep grew less till | feared insanity.
One night woke up M midnight after
having slept two hours and knew there
would be no more slumber for me till
the next time 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. had A
crib In view. n small house with not
much In II. But | was looking for
sleep. not plumber. l went there, took
out a pane Of glass. entered and went
upstairs TO find place 10 settle down.
| stood I'm a 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. lie was a boy and. I |
think. about five years old.
On narrow lower bed. close beside /
the other. slept another child. a girl OF I
about three. She was sleeping in the /
center OF her bed on her side and had /
her chubby fist up against her fat
cheek Ii was hot summer weather.
and none OF them except the woman
had any covers whatever.
What interested me was that the
boys head was hanging over the side
of his bed and so much OF his body.
TOO, that IL looked to me as IL he was
about 10 fall. He was restless. and |
Knew he would be over very soon.
Somehow | wanted 10 see him fall.
hough ! kept in the dark so that he
wouldn't see me IL he woke up. The
iext kick he made sent him over. He
ell couple Of feet, but didn't wake
~. He landed partly on the little girl.
'ut she didn't wake up either. / ex-
ected she would. as she moaned once /
r twice in her sleep and turned over.
ut finally she slept as peacefully as
efOre.
1t was such a delightful picture 10 ,
ne suffering from insomnia that I
ept on watching the children. The ,
oy continued his kicking and crowded ,,
ne girl. pushing her with every move
the front edge Of her bed. 1t must
ave been half an hour that he kept 6
his up, when there was a thump. and {
ne girl lay on the floor. But she I
eemed 10 be as comfortable there as
q her bed. At any rate. she showed !
OF the least sign OF waking.
Meanwhile | heard the muttering Of !
lstant thunder, and while was look I
x at them all there came one terrific
ash loud enough to wake the dead. 8
he mother turned over. but neither b
the children. moved Then followed v
he crash after another. and I expect 4
that at least the mother would !
axe up and take a look at her chill II
'en. But she slept on. She must have y
zen very tired or had lost a lot OF
eep or she couldn't have slept .
rough those terrible bolts. Never II
d l heard such thunder before. u
The only effect the storm had on anv y,
them was to increase the restless Il
IS OF the boy. He rolled and tum- II
ed In his sleep like ship tossed by =,
waves, sometimes lying for a few
nutes close against his mothers bed.
en- rolling over TO the outer edge OF
own. was sure he'd In time tum-
out OF this bed. as he had out of
other. and was bound to see him w
II. Sure enough, before expected -,
he gave lurch and landed plumb
top Of his sister. "
OF them awoke. ma
reckon women know in their sleen trl
ats going on with their children
, now that the storm was over and uv
'rything was still as the tomb. tho nj
Their sat mp In bed, glanced at her ~,
ldren, got up and put them in their A.
per places. Then she went back 70 20
herself and was asleep in n mo-
Mt pa
Well,' ! said to myself. III that's IT,
AZ clear popocianoa xrtft g.,