The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1910-11-11
Her Insomnia

tScene-The dining room of a house
IN a Chicago suburb, at $3.50 a. m. "A
neat but very sleeping-looking maid is
arranging the table for breakfast. Mr.
and Mrs. Harberson, also very sleepy
looking, enter from the hall. Mrs.
Harberson sinks into the nearest
chair. leans back and closes her eyes.
Her husband yawns and opens the
morning paper.
Mn. Harberson (drowsily, as some
one II heard descending the stairs)-
Here she comes. now. You may serve
the breakfast. Mary.
"a plump. middle-aged woman ap-
pears.)
Harberson NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ing, Cousin Harriet. / hope you slept
well?
Mrs. Harberson (sympathetically)-
Poor Cousin Harriet! I'm afraid your
first night with NJ wasn't very rest
ful.
Cousin Harriet with an air of res
ignation, As they take their places at
the table)-No, my dear, it wasn't
Tar from It. But q victim Of insomnia
does no expect restful nights
HENDERSON (suppressing q yawn)-
Nothing like being used to 1t! But last
night
Cousin Harriet (impressively)-Yes,
1t has been years and years since I
really had q nights sleep. l never
close my eyes till one or two o'clock
and often not till dawn!
Mrs. Harberson-Well, it's q perfect
shame! Tonight you must try
Cousin Harriet-Oh, my dear, I've
ried everything-just everything! But
nothing does any good! Somebody
n c told me to imagine that l saw .
lock Of sheep jumping Owe a gate
and to count them 40 they jumped:
but every once In q while my eyes
would 60 shut, just for an instant:
then I'd forget how many I had count.
er and I'd have to begin all over again.
I've tried saying the multiplication
table. too, but l never can be sure how
many nine times seven are unless I
stop to think. and. of course, you
can't go to sleep when you are think.
ing! And I've tried hot baths and
.leepfng without q pillow and opening
he window and q lunch before retir.
ing and :
Harberson-What did you eat? :
Cousin Harriet (helping herself to
another roll)-Oh. everything! But Il
didn't do a bit of good. One night
last week ate a piece of hickory-nut
cake and some lobster salad that
'ound In the icebox and I never closed
my eyes the whole night LONG.
Mrs. Harberson-It might have been
, little better II | had put you In the
back room. Our spare room IL %
close to the street.
Cousin Harriet-Yes, when do hap.
pen to drop Oh. the very slightest
1oise wakens me. I always sleep with
one eye and both ear open. It's Q
wonder how l manage to exist with
The small amount of sleep I get
Mrs. Harberson (who has been NAH.
ing a constant effort to keep her heavy
eyeiids from closing)-Yes, one dos
eel SO wretched after losing even one
lights sleep! Nov. this morning I
IAN hardly hold up NY head.
Cousin Harriet (Iok King keenly at
Hrs. Harberson)-Don't tell ne you
ire beginning to be troubled with in.
'omnia? Turning to Harberson.) And
Clarence. too! ! declare you both look
as though you hadn't slept a wink.
Mrs. Harberson-Oh, no. indeed!
Both Clarence and I usually sleep very
well. But last night
Cousin Harriet (mournfully)-You
poor child! It will grow on you. That
was the way I began; just an occasion
al bad night. And people are 80 un-
sympathetic about insomnia!
Observation-Disclosures Cousin Har.
let! We haven't got insomnia! II was
the fire engines.
Cousin Harriet (puzzled)-The fire
engines?
Mrs. Harberson-Of course, no ono
could expect to sleep last night.
Cousin Harriet (blankly)-I don't
see why. I
Harberson Cleaning forward and
looking, all at once, very wide awake,
you to say, Cousin Harriet.
hal you didn't know the house and
barn across the way burned to the
ground last night?
+ Mrs. Harbers0n-And that the street
was full OF fire engines and yelpins
dogs and shouting people from a
o'clock till dawn?
Cousin Harriet-You cont really
mean (Getting up and going to the
Window Impossible! (Looks u an.
pears slightly confused. but recovers
hersef.) Well. well! l suppose I must
have dozen q little toward morning!