The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1915-08-13
Hoev He Found
Sleep.

BY SAlLIE MENDEEM.

was this: had mighty good 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 most
drowsy. While was doing a job
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 never liked the prospect
Of facing either charge.
AS I was saying, while engaged at
my work, however dangerous, | was
steady as a monument, but when dan
ger had passed and had nothing to do
but think / 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 I'm a gentleman's par
lor and was only Weakened by the sun
coming up and shining In my eyes
Just got out in time TO save myself
But when lying on a soft mattress,
with warm covers and no chance Of
being disturbed. sleep wouldn't como
to me. l lay awake thinking Of the
time when I would hear prison doors
clang behind me. The thought was
dreadful. I'm afraid l was too fine
grained for the business.
Month after month my hours of
I
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 was so
desperate that | cot mp with the IN
tention Of going into some house where
I had no rigtt ard t'lere snatch an
other couple OF hours sleep I had a
crib In view, a small house with not
much in it. But l was looking for
sleep, not plumber. went there, took
out pane of glass, entered and went
upstairs to find place to settle down
stood In dark hall looking into q
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 OF
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 ;as
about to fall lie was restless. ana I
knew he would he over very soon
Somehow | wanted TO see hin fall
though | kept in the dark so that he
wouldn't see me IL he woke up. Th,
next kick he inside sent him over. H.
fell couple of feet. but dithtt wax,
up. He landed partly on the rttle girl
but she didn't wake up either. eX
pected she would, as she moaned once
or twice in her sleep and tuTled over
but finally she slept as peacefully rs
before
1t was such a 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 must |
have been half an hour that he kept |
this up, when there was a thump. and |
the girl lay on the floor But she
seemed 70 be as comfortable there as
on her bed. AT any rate, she showed
not the least sign Of waking.
Meanwhile l heard the muttering OF
distant thunder, and while | was look
Ing at them all there came one terrific
crash loud enough 10 wake the dead
The mother turned over, but neither
CT the children moved. Then followed
one crash after another, and l expect
ed that at least the mother would
wake up and take look at 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 l heard such thunder before.
The only effect the storm had on any
OF them was TO Increase the restless
ness Of the boy. lie rolled and tum-
bled in his sleep like ship tossed by
the waves, sometimes lying for Il few
minutes close against his mothers bed
then rolling over to the outer edge OF
his own. I was sure he'd I'm time tum-
BILE out Of this bed, as be had out of
the other, and | was bound TO see him
do it Sure enough, before / expected
II he gave a lurch aud 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 STERN was over and
everything was still - 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 a mo-
uent.
well" | said to myself, 'if that's
what a clear conscience VIII furnish
I'm going 10 have a clear conscience"