The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-03-17

II must ever be carefully remembered
rha. fear often puts OH the appearance OF
apathy,--especially in proud child. No
creature is so intensely reserved as proud
and timid child; and the cases are few in
which the parents know anything OF the
kagonies Of its little heart, the spasms OF its
nerves, the soul-sickness OF its days, the
horrors OF its nights. Ii hides its miseries
under an appearance Of indifference or Oh.
stinacy, ill its habitual terror impairs its
health, or drives it into a temper oil def-
ance or recklessness. can speak with
some certainty Of this, from my own exPe-
rience. was as timid child as ever was
born; yet nobody knew or could know the
extent OF this timidity; for though abun-
dainty open about everything else, | was
as secret as the grave about this. | had a
dream at four years old which troubled me
10 such an excess that cannot now recall
it without beating Of the heart. ! could
not look up at the sky on clear night, for
| felt as if it was only just above the tree
tops, and must crush me. could not cross
the yard except at a run, from a sort OF
rseling, with no real belief, that bear was
after me. The horrors of my nights were
inexpressible. The main terror, however.
was magic-lantefn which we were treated
with once a year, and sometimes twice.
We used to talk of this exhibition as a pro-
digious pleasure, and contrived TO reckon
on it as such; but l never saw the white
cloth, with its circle Of yellow light, with.
out being in cold preparation from head
to foot. One Of the pictures on the slides
was always suppressed by my father, lest it
should frighten the little ones,-a dragons
head, vomiting flames. He little thought
that girl of thirteen could be terrified by
this; but when | was thirteen,-old enough
70 be put in charge of some children who
were to see the magic lantern,--this slide
was exhibited by one Of my brothers among
the rest. | had found il hard enough to
look and laugh before; but now turned so
faint that could not stand, but by gras-
ping a chair. But for the intensity Of my
shame, | should have dropped. Much Of
the benefit Of instruction was lost to me
during all the years that had masters: my
memory failed me when they knocked al
the door, and could never ask a question,
or get voice to make a remark. | could
never play TO my music master, or sing with
clear voice, but when was sure nobody
could hear ME. Under all this, my health
was bad; my behavior was logged and pro.
voking. and my temper became for time
insuferable. Its improvement began from
the year when | first obtained some release
from habitual fear. During these critical
years | misled everybody about me by a
habit OF concealment on this one subject,
which | am sure should not now have
strength for under any indncement whatev.
er. Because | climbed our apple tree, and
ran along the top Of high wall, and took
great leaps, and was easily won by benev.
olent strangers, and because | was never
known to hint or own myself afraid, no
one suspected that fear was at the bottom OF
the immovable Indifference and apparently
unfeeling obstinacy by which perplexed
and annoyed everybody about me. | make
these confessions willingly, in the hope that
some inexperienced or busy parent may be
awakened by them to observe whether the
seeming apathy of child be really from in
difference, or the outward workings of some
hidden passion of fear.-HOusehOh Edu.
cation.