The Night the Bed Fell
(II)
We had visiting us at this time
a nervous first cousin of mine named Briggs Beal, who beleaved that he
was likely to cease breathing when he was asleep. It was his feeling that
if he were not awakened every hour during the night, he might die of suffocation.
He had been accustomed to setting an alarm clock to ring at intervals until
morning, but I persuaded him to abandon this. He slept in my room and I
told him that I was such a light sleeper that if anybody quit breathing
in the same room with me, I would wake instantly. He tested me the first
night-- which I had suspected he would-- by holding his breath after my
regular breathing had convinced him I was asleep. However, I was not asleep,
and called to him. This seemed to allay his fears a little, but he took
the precaution of putting a glass of sprits of camphor on the little table
at the head of his bed. In case I didn't arouse him until he was almost
gone, he said he would sniff the camphor, a powerful reviver. Briggs was
not the only member of his family who has his crotchets.......