The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1917-02-09
Hoev He Found
Sleep.
By sALLIE MENDEEM.

BY SALllE MENOEEM.
Copyright. 1909. by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
The way / got out OF the burglar line
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 l 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 II
necessary to add murder to robbery.
The truth Is never liked the prospec
Of facing either charge.
AS l was saying. while engaged al
my work, however dangerous, l was
steady as monument. but, when dan
ger had passed and had nothing 10 Dc
but think l went downhlll very fast.
What bothered me most was that ]
couldn't sleep nights-that is. whe,
comfortably slowed away I'm bed.
once took a nap In 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 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
ciang behind me. The thought was
dreadful I'm afraid l was too fine
grained for the business.
Month after month my hours of
sleep grew less till I feared insanity
One night up at midnight after
having sler , hours and knew there
would be re slumber for me till
the next = went to bed. I was so
desperat. l got up with thu In
tention &C into some house mere
I had Mt and there snarrh an.
other couple Of hours sfeeH had a
crib In view, "a small house with not
much In It. But I Was looking for
sleep, not plumber. 'so'.t there. took
out pane OF glass, entered and went
upstairs to find place to settle down.
I stood I'm q * nall looking into a
room where Mt lamp was burning.
In the roo oman was In bed with
Q child, 0n'. asleep. The child WINS
sleeping o. tie font Of the bed, very
near the edge. He was a boy and,
think, about i've years old,
On a narrow lower bed, CLOSE beside
the other, slept another child, a 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 Ia
cheek. 1t was hot summer weather.
and none OF them except the woman
had any covers whateves.
what interested me was that th,
boys head was hanging over the side
Of his bed and 40 much of his body
too, that Il looked to mo as II he tsas
about 10 fall. lie was restless. and
knew he would DO over very soon
Somehow wanted 10 see him fall.
though I kept in the dark 30 that he
wouldn't see me II he woke up. Tbs
next kick he made sent him over. Ii,
fell a couple Of feet. but didn't wax,
up. He landed partly on tho little girl
but she didn't wake up either. ! er
pccted she would, as she moaned once
or twice In her sleep and turned over.
but finally she slept as peacefully ss
before.
II was such delightful picture TO
ono 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 chat he kept
this up, when there was thump. and
the girl lay on the floor. But she
seemed to 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 l was look.
Ing at them all 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 az least tho mother would
wake up and take n look ut her chill.
dren. But she slept on. She must have
been very tired or Ind 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 20 Increase the restless
ness OF tho boy. lie rolled and tum.
bled IN his sleep Ike a 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. I was sure he'd In time tum
bic out OF this bed, as he had out OF
the other. and was bound 10 see him
do II. Sure enough. before l expected
IL he gave lurch and 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 was still rs the tomb. the