31. Awake, Sleeper

Awake, Sleeper

INDIA HUNTER’S RUSE.—In the jungles of India the natives capture game in the following manner: When the track of an animal has been ascertained the hunters collect a quantity of leaves and smear them with a species of gluten made by bruising the berries of an indigenous tree; the leaves are then strewed, with the gluten uppermost, near where it is understood the animal resorts. When the game treads on one of these daubed leaves it tries, by shaking its paw, to remove the sticky encumbrance, but, finding no relief, it rubs the troublesome leaf against its face. By this means its eyes, ears, etc., become smeared over with the gummy matter, which causes such discomfort as to bring the animal to roll, perhaps, among many more of the smeared leaves, until it becomes completely enveloped and is deprived of sight by the gummed leaves which cover the face and eyes. Thus the game falls an easy prey to the cunning hunters.

WALKING IN HER SLEEP.—A young woman, accustomed to walk in her sleep, climbed from a garret window out upon the roof, and, in sight of a silent, trembling crowd below, actually walked up and down the roof, dreaming, perhaps, of a coming party, for she kept smiling and murmuring her gay songs. The people below were powerless to help her, and held their breath in horror as she sometimes approached the edge. Suddenly a candle appeared at a window opposite, and the light, flashing into her eyes, awakened her. With a fearful scream she fell down to her death.

MADE HIS OWN CHAIN.—A cruel ruler once ordered a subject to make an iron chain, one link each day. When it was finished, the poor wretch was bound with it, and thrown into a dungeon. Thus day by day do people, in obedience to the command of their Master, Satan, forge the links of a chain of evil deeds that shall end in their eternal imprisonment.

DRUNKARD’S VOW.—A drunkard had promised his dying wife that he would never drink another glass, unless from her hand; but the craving for it was so strong that at night he crept into the room where her dead body lay, placed a glass of liquor into her lifeless hand and raised it to his lips. Thus men, asleep under the stupefying influence of sin, become slaves.

TOLL-GATE KEEPER.—There was an old toll-grate keeper whose habit was to shut his gate at night, and take a nap. One dark night a traveler knocked and called. “Coming,” said the voice of the old man, but he did not appear. Again the traveler knocked, and again the voice answered, “Coming,” but that was all. At last the traveler became angry, and, leaping from his team, demanded of the old man why he cried “Coming” for twenty minutes, and never came. “Who is there?” asked the old man in a low, sleepy voice. Then, becoming awake, he exclaimed, “I was asleep. I get so used to hearing them knock, that I answer, ‘Coming’ in my sleep, and take no more notice of it.”

DROWNING PUPS.—A gentleman once sent his hired man to drown some young pups. Their eyes were not yet open, and, as he carried them to the water, they were calm and unconcerned, not knowing the fate in store for them; but just as they were sinking, they opened their eyes for the first time, and their anguish and struggles were painful to hear and see. “Master,” said the man on his return, “never again send me to drown pups, for they opened their eyes just as they went down.”