The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-07-12

The way | got out Of the burglar line
was this had mighty coed nerve and
wasn't afraid OF any one. seemed to
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 post
drowsy. While was doing a job
thought Of nothing except my work
and was both cool and watchful.
wasrI one of those blokes who scare
people TO death or who are ready II
necessary to add murder to robbery.
The truth is I never liked the prospect /
of facing either charge.
AS I was saying, while engaged at
nv 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 nap in gentleman's par
lor and was only Weakened by the sun
coming up and shining in my eyes.
! lust got out I'm time to save myself.
But when lying on a 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 for the business.
Month after month my hours OF
sleep grew less till feared insanity.
One night l woke up at midnight after
having slept two hours and knew there
would be no more slumber for me I'll
the next time I went to5bed. was so
desperate that l got up with the In
tention OF going into some house where
/ had no right and there snatch an
other couple OF hours sleep. 1 had a
crib IN view, small house with not
much In II. But / was looking for
sleep. not plumber. ! went there. took
out pane OF glass, entered and Went
upstairsNto find place to settle Gown.
I stood in dark hall looking Into
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, l
think, about FIVE years old.
On a narrow lower bed, close beside
the other slept another child, girl or
about three. She was sleeping IN the
center of her bed on her side and had
her chubby fist up against her tat
cheek. 1t 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 or his body.
too. that 1t looked TO me as X he gas
about to fall. He was restless, ana l
knew he would be over very soon.
Somehow I wanted TO see him fall,
though I kept in The dark so that he
wouldn't see me II he woke up. The
next kick he made sent him ever. He
fell a couple OF feet, but didn't wake
up. He landed partly on the little girl,
but she didn't wake up either l ex'
pected she would as she moaned once
or twice In her sleep and turned over
but finally she slept as peac~sully as
before.
1t was such delightful picture to
one suffering from insomnia that
kept on watching the children. The
boy continued his kicking and crowded
the girl. pushing her with every move
TO the front edge Of her bed. 1t mus'
have been half an hour that he KEEP
this UP. when there was thump, anC
the girl lay on the floor. But she
seemed 10 be as comfortable there az
on her bed. At any rate, she showed
not the least sign OF waking.
Meanwhile l heard the muttering o.
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 neithe
Of the children. moved. Then followe'
one crash after another, and / expect
ed that at least the mother woui'
wake up and take look at her chi
dren. But she slept on. she must nav
been very tired or had lost lot
sleep or She couldn't have slep
through those terrible bolts. Neve
had | heard such thunder before.
The only effect the storm had on IN
Of them was to increase the restles:
ness OF the boy. He rolled and tuu
bled in his sleep like a ship tossed b
the waves, sometimes lying for a Re-
minutes close against his mothers be-
then rolling over TO the outer edge
his own. was sure he'd IN time tun
bic out OF this bed, as he had out
the other. and was bound to see hi
do it. Sure enough, before expeete
1t he gave a lurch and landed plum
on top Of his sister.
Neither of them awoke-
reckon women know in their slet
what's going on with their childre
for. now that the storm was over al
everything was still as the tomb, II
mother sat UP Ia bed, glanced at
children, got up and put them in the
proper places. Then she went back
bed herself and was asleep IN m
ment.
Well" I said TO myself, eff tina
what clear conscience win furni
~, oof0v 70 have clear conscience