The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1914-11-06
HotO He Found
Sleep.
BY sALIIE MENpeEm.


wasn't afraid OF any one. I seemed 10
know what kind Of crib TO crack and
N now TO do 1t without waking anybody
N up and getting away between midnight
and dawn, when the cops are most
drowsy. While l was doing a Job /
thought Of nothing except shy work
and was both cool and watchful. |
wasn't one Of those blokes who scare
people TO death or who are ready AZ
necessary to add murder TO robbery.
The truth is l never liked the prospect
OF facing either charge.
As | was saying. while engaged at
my work. however dangerous, was
steady as monument. but when dan
ger had passed and had nothing TO do
but think | went downhill very fast.
What bothered me most was that I
couldn't sleep nights-that Is. when
comfortably slowed away In bed. |
once took n nap In a gentleman's par
Tor ana was only Weakened by the sun
coming mp and shining In my eyes.
just got out I'm time TO save myself
But when lying on n soft mattress.
with warm covers and no chance OF
being disturbed, sleep wouldn't como
to me- lay awake thinking OF the
time when l would hear prison doors
ciang 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 at midnight after
having slept two hours and knew there
would be no more slumber for me fin
the next time went TO bed. was so
desperate that | got up with the IN
tention Of going into some house where
had no right and there snatch an
othv couple OF hours sleep. / had n
crib In view, small house with not
much in IL. But | was looking for
sleep, not plumber. l went there. took
out pane Of glass, entered and went
upstairs to find place TO settle down.
L stood In a dark hall looking into n
room where night lamp was burning.
In the room a woman was in bed with
a child, both asleep. The child was
sleeping on the front Of the bed. very
near the edge. He was a boy and.
think, about five years Old
On narrow lower bed, close beside
the other, slept another child, girl cf
about three. She was sleeping in the
center of her bed on her side and had
her chubby fist up against her fat
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 of his body.
too, that 1t looked to me as IL he tsas
about to fall. He was restless. and
knew he would be over very soon.
Somehow l wanted to see him fan.
though | kept in the dark so that he
wouldn't see me. If he woke up. TIL.
next kick he made sent him over. He
Tell couple Of feet, but didn't wake
I'D. He landed partly on the little girl.
put she didn't wake up either. l ex.
)ected she would as she moaned once
n twice in her sleep and turned over
'ut finally she slept as peac.sully as
,efore.
1t was such a delightful picture to
me suffering from insomnia that
'ept on watching the children. The
10Y continued his kicking and crowded
he girl, pushing her with every move
o the front edge Of her. bed. 1t must
ave been half an hour that he kept
his up, when there was thump, and
be girl lay on the floor. But she
eemed TO be as comfortable there as
n her bed. AT any rate, She showed
ct the least sign Of waking.
istant thunder, and while was look =
az at them all there came one terrific
rash loud enough to wake the dead.
he mother turned over but neither
the children moved. Then followed
ne crash after another, and l expect
i that at least the mother would
AXE up and take a look at her chill
rem. But she slept on. She must have
zen very tired or had lost a lot OF
eep or she couldn't have slept
lroh,h those terrible bolts. Never
Id ! heard such thunder before.
The only effect the storm had on any
them was to increase the restless
,ss of the boy. He rolled and tum-
ed In his sleep like ship tossed by
G waves, sometimes lying for a few
inutes close against his mothers bed.
en- rolling over to the outer edge OF
S own. was sure he'd In time tun-
e out OF this bed, as he had out OF
G other, and was bound 10 see him
it, Sure enough, before 1 expected
he gave a lurch and landed plumb
top Of his sister.
Neither OF them awoke.
reckon women know in their sleepS
lats going on with their children.
:. now that the storm was over and
erything was still as the tomb. the
'ther sat UP in bed, glanced at her;
Ildren. got up and put them I'm their
oper places. Then she went back 10
herself and was asleep I'm a mo-
ut.
Well.' l said 10 myself aIf fhaeal