The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1916-03-17
Hotv He Found
Sleep.
BY SAllIE MENDEEM.
Observation-Disclosures

CldtlOnI o.
The way / got out Of the burglar lin,
was this: had mighty good nerve ane
!, wasn't afraid Of any one. l seemed t,
know what kind Of crib TO crack and
how TO do Ii without waking anybody
up and getting away between midnigh
and dawn, when the cops are mos
drowsy. While l was doing a job
thought OF nothing except my worL
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 l never liked the prospec,
OF facing either charge.
AS l was saying, while engaged a,
my work, however dangerous, I wa.
steady as q monument, but when dan
ger had passed and had nothing TO do
but think l went downhin very fast
What bothered me most was that ]
couldn't sleep nights-that is, when
comfortably slowed away In bed. ]
once took nap In a gentleman's par
Tor 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 come
TO me. 1 lay awake thinking OF the
time when l would hear prison doors
clang behind me. The thought was
dreadful I'm afraid I was too fine
grained for the business.
Month after month my hours OF
sleep grew less till 1 feared insanity
One night woke up at midnight after
having slept two hours and knew there
would be no more slumber for me TIL
the next time I went to bed. I 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. had
crib In view, a small house with not
much in It But l was looking for
sleep not piunder. / went there, took
out pane Of glass, entered and went
upstairs to find a place to settle down.
I stood In 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 font of the bed. very
near the edge. He was boy and.
think, about five years old.
On a 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
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 mo was that the
boys head was hanging over the side
OF his bed and so much OF his betiy,
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 I wanted TO see him fall
though l kept in the dark 30 that he
wouldn't see me II he woke up. The
next kick he made sent him over. IL,
fell couple OF feet, but dids't wax.
up. He landed partly on thu pttie g1n
but she didn't wake up either. ! OK
peeted she would, as she moaned oHos
or twice In her sleep and turned over
but finally she slept as peacefully as
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 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 | heard the muttering OF
distant thunder, and while was look.
Ing at them nil 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 I expect.
ed that NJ 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 heard such thunder before.
The only effect the storm had on any
OF them was to increase the restless
NESS Of the boy. He rolled and tum.
bled In 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. WAS sure he'd IN time tum-
bic out OF this bed. rs he had out OF
the other, and was bound 70 see him
DO t. Sure enough. before expected
IL be gave lurch aud landed plumb
on top Of his sister.
Neither OF them awoke.
I reckon women know IN their sleep
what's going on with their children.
for. now That the storm was over and
everything wns still us the tomb. the
mother sst up In bed. glanced ut her
eXdren. got up and put them In their
proper places Then she went back 20
bed herself and was asleep IN n mo.
ment.
well said 90 myself. ~ that's
what clear conscience WIFI furnish
TIM going 20 have n clear conscience"