The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-04-19
HosU He Found
Sleep.

BY SALIIE MENDEEM.

| drowsy. While 1 was doing a job l
thought Of nothing except my work
and was both cool and watchful. /
wasn't one Of those blokes who scare
people to death or who are ready IL
necessary to add murder to robbery.
The truth is 1 never liked the prospect
Of facing either charge.
AS 1 was saying, while engaged at
my work, however dangerous, l was
steady as q 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 nights-that is, when
comfortably slowed away in bed.
once took a nap in a gentlemans par
lor and was only Weakened by the sun
coming up and shining in my eyes. l
| Just got out in time to save myself
But when lying on Il soft mattress.
with warm covers and no chance Of
being disturbed, sleep wouldn't come
to me- | lay awake thinking Of the
time when | would hear prison doors
clang behind me. The thought was
dreadful. I'm afraid 1 was too fine
| grained fop 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 be no more slumber for me till
| the next time | went to bed. l was so
desperate that l got up with the IN
tention Of going into some house where
I had no right and there snatch an
other couple Of hours sleep. / had
crib In view, small house with not
sleep, not plumber. / went there. took
out pane Of glass, entered and went
| upstairs TO find place TO settle down.
I stood I'm dark hall looking into a
room where a night lamp was burning.
In the room a woman was In bed with
child, both asleep. The child was
sleeping on the front OF the bed, very
near the edge. He was 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 I'm the
center OF her bed on her side and.had
her chubby fist up against her tut
cheek It was hot summer weather.
and none of them except the woman
had any covers whatever.
what interested mo was that tho
boys head was hanging over the side
OF his bed md so much OF his bedy
too that Il looked to- mo ns IL no cvas
about 90 fall. lie was restless, ana l
knew he would be over very soon.
Somehow I wanted 60 SEQ him fall,
though kept IN hhe dark no that hs
wouldn't sec me if he woke up, The
next kick he made sent him over. Ito
fell couple OF feet. but didn't wake
up. lie landed partly on tile little girl.
but ahe dldn't wake up either. l OK.
pected abe would, as she moaned once
OF twice IN her sleep and turned over.
but finally she slept ma peecsvily ap
before.
II was such q delightful picture 10
ono SUFFERING from insomnia that
kept on watching tho children. The
boy continued his kicking and crowded
the girl. pushing her with every move
10 tho front edge Of her bed, II must
have been half an hour that he kept
thia up. when there was n thump. aud
the giil lay on tho noor, Hut she
seemed TO be- a. comfortable there ~
on her bed AZ any rate, ahe showed
not the least sign OF waking,
Meanwhile heard tho muttering Of
distant thunder, and while was look'
Ing az them all there came one terrific
crash loud enough Co wake the dead
The mother turned over, but neither
OF the children, moved. Then followed
one crash after another, and | expect.
ed that az least tho mother would
wake up and take a look az her chill
dren. But she slept on. She must have
been very tired or had lost lot Of
sleep or She couldn't have slept
through those terrible bolts. Never
had / heard such thunder before.
The only effect the storm had on any
Of them was 10 increase the restless
ness of the boy. He rolled and tum-
bled I'm his sleep like ship tossed by
the waves. sometimes lying for few
minutes close against his mothers bed,
then rolling over 10 the outer edge OF
his own. l was sure he'd in time tum-
BILE out OF this bed, as he had out OF
the other. ard was bound TO see him
do It. Sure enough, before l expected
It he gave n lurch and landed plumb
on top Of his sister
Neither OF them awoke.
reckon women know in their sleep
what's going on with their children,
for, now that the storm was over and
everything was still as the tomb, the
mother sat up In bed. glanced at her
children, got up and put them in their
proper places. Then she went back to
bed herself and was asleep In n mo-
, ment.
WELL" / said to myself, 'if that's
, what q clear conscience will furnish
I'm going 10 have clear conscience"
went back TO my room resolved new
er 10 enter any mans house again but
my own. at least not for prander.s
, went 10 bed and slept like top for
twenty-four hours.
l kept my resolution, found honora-
bic employment and prospered- But
! didn't forget the family that converted
me. The mother was a widow, and.
) having hard time to get on, / made
Il.