Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1853-06-09

belonging 10 IN cage, strong OF wing,
that would have taken the wee birding.
and made bold sweeps INFO the broad sky
An eagle that loved to teach young
birds to fly, but wished Them as strong
as herself; and when wing and courage
failed them, thought that to strengthen
both. vivid pictures of the power of
swift-winged hawk Is. of lurking animals.
and shiifuI sporismen were required.
The rugged aunt had no symralh ny with
her sensitive niece: and to make the child
as fearless as herself. it was her policy TO
teach her, by exposure. that her iimiditv
'groandless. Every command wa en-
forced oy some threat. which stimu!sied
The chiid's terror; and soon Little Chip
became so weak and fearful a thing. that
it was irksome to her companions to
have her with them IN theic joyial sports;
but still she was the same gentle. loving
bird, aud no one could in entionalIy do
aught to make her feel that she was not
always welcome to eve ~ opportunity
for enjoyment. She needed encourage
ineni and sympathy and her companions
felt and contributed to her need.
One evening she was begufled at play till
the hour fo1 returning home had passed.
At length, awakened to her neglect of
her auut's commands. she FASTENED to-
ware, her fathers house with heart
trembling as does that of young fawn
when, for the first time, It's swift enemy.
the hound, bays upon its track.
Her fither was absen;, and the aunt
had fair opportunity to test her plan Of
overcoming Little Chips childish fears.
She met the truanl at the front door, and
as The honest child approached, with
downcasi look. and the words of confess
ion on her lip, the silly woman cried:
"Nu!Ill not excuse YOU. I'll Shut You
up. I'm going on, this evening; you
shall stay in the dark Till get back, and
if you make bi; of noise, that great
monsterl've to,9 you bout so often shall
take yoa oT.
Poor l.i,1e Chip! chills cFcpt over
her. and she cried as if her heart would
5.eak; bU; her sohs h5l 10 effect upon
her goverarss. She vas led into The
dark room. and left i;h this admoHition:
Nov. mind you. He quiet, or you'll
Be- taken of. and your father woaldn't
like to ,oss his Little Chip"
Very thongh,iess. aud v-ry cruel ii was
thus to leave this child with an indelina-
Die fear creeping over her--a dread oi
some shadowy shape. that was TO rob her
father OF his little Bird, occupying her
timorous heart. She crept inio corner.
and buried her fice in her hands, and
wept and trcmbled. as she never had wepl
or trembied b fore. The silence and
darkness CT ihe room weighed upon her;
now size would open her fingers, and
strain her eyes. to peer through the dark
ness as if she wished TO know if there
were, indeed. "a monster in the room; then
she would clasp her haAds and tremhle,
ani tie beating of her heart could have
been heard at any poiut III the apart
ment.
She la been alone an hour, when she
;hough she heard footsteps in the hall,
then she iancied some one had touched
the door. For an Instant she hoped it
was her father, coming to release her. and
she felt an impulse TO bound 10 meet
him. \ shuiiling sound struck her ear;
she thought the door opened, yet she Saw
no object. In an agony oi feur she threw
herself upon the floor, and hid her face.
Az in the shullling sound fell upon her
ear, and, with convu'Siye movement,
started back. 4 monster. with gla
ing eye balls, Illuminating bideous face
in her eyes, frightfui beyond the con-
ce pton OF the calm agination--stood
before her. With scream, wild and
terrible. expressing. in It's weird-like
tone and furious energy. the full terror
of her heart. the Little Chip-blrd sunk
powerlesS 20 the floor.
1T was but an instant before the father,
calling his child. rushed through the hall.
tie had just entered the house. Lights
were promptly obtained, and Little Chip
was found alone.
How that fathers heart hled when he
lifted his child from the floor, help
less as if her gentle spirit had been fright
ened from lis feeble tenement; but the
tender bird was not dead. Better she
had been Il the spirit was not fright
ened away, its alarm had been SO in
tense. that intelligent communication
between it and the frame i'll which it
dwelt was destroyed, and loving, gentle
Little Chip was helpless creature, hav-
ing only the capacity to look, with elo-
quent tenderness. into the eyes of those
who approached her. and beg with tremb
ling accents,
you'll not let the big thing hurt mel
Don't put me in the dark, 'citt yoM?'
Her tones were so plaintive, her gen.
tleness SO touching, that all the tender
hearted who came in contact with her
wept bitterly over her misfortnnes.
What of those who had been the in
struments in SO Tightening her timid
spirit that her child like reason was de-
throned2 The anparition that ente red