The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1910-12-02
Hotv He Found
Sleep.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BY sALLIs MENDEEM.

ciAtion.l
The way | got out OF the burglar line
was this: had mighty good nerve and
wasn't afraid of any one. i seemed 70
know what kind of crib TO crack and
how to do IL without waking anybody
up and 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 aud watchfuL
wasn't one OF those Llokes who scare
people 10 death or who are ready II
necessary 10 add murder ~ robbery.
The truth is | never liked the prospect
OF facing either charge.
As was saying. while engaged nj
my work. however dangerous. l was
steady as monument. but when dan
ger had passed and had nothing to do
but think l went downhill very fast.
What bothered me most was that
couldn't sleep niehts-thst Ia. when
comfortably slowed away In bed.
once took a nap I'm a gentleman's par
lor and was only Weakened by the sun
coming up and shining In my eyes.
lust got out I'm time 10 save myself.
But when lying on soft mattress,
with warm covers aud no chance OF
being disturbed. sleep wouldn't com"
10 me lay awake thinking OF the
clang bchind me. The thought was
dreadful. I'm afraid was too fRe
grained for the business.
Month after month my hours OF
sleep grew less till feared insanity.
one night woke up at midnight after
having slept two hours and knew there
would I've no more slumber for me till
the next time went to bed. was so
desperate that ! got up with the In
tentiCn Of going into some house where
| had no right and there snatch an
other couple OF hours sleep. ! had q
crib IN view, q small house with not
much IN H. But ! was looking for
sleep, not plumber. l went there. took
out a pane Of glass, entered and went
upstairs to find place TO settle down.
stood In n dark hall looking INTO a
room where night lamp was burning.
In the room woman WINS IN bed with
a child. both asleep. The child was
sleeping on the front OF the bed, very
near the edge. He was q boy and. i
think, about five years old.
on q narrow lower bed, close beside
the other, slept another child. a girl OF
about three. She was sleeping in the
center OF her bed on her side and had
4 her chubby fist up against her fat
cheek. 1t was hot summer weather.
and none of them except the woman
had any covers whatevx.
What interested me was that the
boys head was banging over the side
OF bis bed and 90 much Of his body.
too. that IL looked to me an II he was
about 10 fail he was restless, and
kDsw he would be over very soon.
Somehow I wsRted 10 see him fall.
though kept In Che dark 90 that he
wouldn't see me II he woke up. The
next kick he made sent him ever. Es
fell couple Of feet. but didn't wake
up. lie landed partly on the lNtie girl
but she didn't wake up either. i az.
pected she would. as she rnoened once
or twice IN her sleep and turned over
but faally she slept ne peacefully -
before.
II was suck a delightful picture to
one suffering from insonnis that
kept on watching the children. The
boy continued his kicking and crowded
the girl. pnshing her with every move
TO the front edge OF her BID. II must
have been half al hour thnt he kept
this up. when theEs vas q thump. and
the girl lay on the floor. But she
seemed 10 be a. comfortable there a.
on her bed. At any rate. she shovvd
not the least sign OF waking.
Meanwhile I heard the mrttertng o1
distant thunder, and while was look
ing at them all there came one terrific
crash loud enough TO wake the dead
The mother turned over, but neither
Of the children. moved. Then followed
one crash after another. and ! expect
ed that az beast the mother wouit
wake ND and take q look at her chill
dren. But she slept on. She must hav'
been very tired or had lost lot o
sleep or she couldn't have slep
through those terrible boits Neve
had heard such thundsr before
The only effect the storm had on an,
, OF them was to increase the restless
! ness of the boy. He rolled and tum
bIed I'm his slesp Ike ship tossed D.
the waves. sometimes lyine for q lev
minutes close against HE methsrs BED
than rolling over to One outer edge o
bis own. l was sure he'd In time tun
BILE out Of this bed. A. be had out o
the other. and was bound TO see hir
do It. Sure enough. before l expecte
Il 10 gave a lurch and landed plum
on top Of his sister.
Neither OF them awoka.
reckon women know In their slice
what's going on with their children
for. now that the storm was over an
everything was stu an the tomb, IN
mother sat up In bed. glanced at h'
children. got up and put them in the
proper places. Then she went bnck
bed herself and was asleep In a I'M
ment.
auv~uv Said IN mysqlf CT that