Out of the Hurly-Burly; Or, Life in an Odd CornerClark, Charles Heber
General
Out of the Hurly-Burly; Or, Life in an Odd Corner
Clark, Charles Heber
American fiction -- 19th century; Humorous stories
Bob had been delayed in the city by a visit to his parents, who were
going north for a week or two, and they consigned to his care his
younger brother, who came with him to our house to remain during the
absence of his father and mother. The boy was at the house when we
reached it; and when the time came for him to go to bed, it was arranged
that he should sleep with Bob. The consequences of this were somewhat
peculiar. The youngster, it appears, has a habit of walking in his
sleep, and he was so afraid that he would do so on this night, in a
strange house, that Bob tied a strong piece of twine about the lad's
waist and fastened the other end to his own body, so that he would be
roused by any attempt on the part of his brother to prowl about the
room. It turned out, however, that Bob was the restless one. According
to his own account, he got to dreaming of his troubles. He imagined that
he was engaged in a frightful combat with Mr. Magruder, and that, at the
last, that amiable old gentleman pursued him with a drawn dagger with
the intent to butcher him. In his alarm Bob pushed over to Henry's side
of the bed, and finally, as the visionary Magruder still appeared to be
thirsty for his blood, he climbed over Henry, got upon the floor and hid
himself beneath the bed. When the apparition of the sanguinary parent
disappeared, Bob, still soundly asleep, must have emerged from his
hiding-place upon the side of the bed opposite that at which he entered
it. At any rate, the cord ran from Henry's body beneath the bed clear
around until it connected with Bob. Early in the morning Bob moved over
suddenly toward his brother; and although he was more than half asleep,
he was amazed to see Henry drop over upon the floor. Bob instantly
jumped out after him, and as he did so, he was even more surprised to
perceive the child dart under the bed. He followed Henry; and at the
first movement in that direction, Henry shot up off the floor, and was
heard rolling swiftly across the mattress above, only to disappear again
over the side as Bob came once more to the surface. By this time both of
them were wide awake and able to comprehend the phenomenon. This is Mr.
Parker's version. It is probably exaggerated slightly. My private
impression is that Henry was pulled out upon the floor and under the
bed, and that the exercise ended immediately. Henry does not remember
the particulars with sufficient distinctness to be considered a
thoroughly reliable witness. His mind is clear upon only one point: he
is fully persuaded that he will not sleep in harness with Bob again.
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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