The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-12-18
A CHILD'S VICTORY.

OK the rug before the open hre SAT /
Pussic. her head against her aunt $ $
knee, her Skye in her arms-a picture I
Of content. After a. silence of ut leastt two 1
minutes she drew Il long breath-so I
long that Aunt Kitty laughed, and ,
asked her what the matter was. !:
With a good deal of hesitation the :
little Girl answered, in very sac voice,
"Because it is almost time to 60 TO
bed.'
"Pussie, why don't you like to go to
bed?'
Observation-Disclosures l don't want
to say
"IShen will tell you why. Shall l.
dear?"
"Oh. auntie. you don't know. You
can not even guess why
Aunt Kitty stopped over and whls-
pered something, which had the effect
Of bringing Pussie on her feet, as she
exclaimed, "Why! how didyou knowy
IL once was a little girl myself,
dear"
ooh yes. know; but then you never
felt as | feel about the dark
"Don't be too sure Of anything. little
one. What should you say if told you
that l found out yOdr fear Of the dark
lust because used to feel as you feel
/ now"
Still incredulous. Pussie shook her
head, saying, "But when did it go
away? You are not afraid Of anything
now" =.
.Come here, and l will tell you.'
and taking the child on her knee Aunt
Katherine told her this little story OF
her own life. ;,
"When was a child was as timid
as a hare. l was very shy; did not
like strangers, and l did not care for
companions OF my own age. l was
perfectly happy with my mother and
father and my beloved dolls. Now YOU
see you have the advantage OF me, tor
YOU are not shy. you are fond OF little
girls and boys. and then, too. you have
Your dogs and your pony. Now l was
so afraid of q dog that the sight OF one,
As far of as could see him, filled me
with snch terror that instinctively
drew up my small legs, and then took
to INV heels. l was SO afraid OF worm
that ] have gone whole block out OF
the way to avoid passing one. am
afraid. Pussie, that I was born cow
ard, but nothing 50 absolutely awful
. to me As the dark. a familiar room
was bad enough when unlighted, but
| one that was unoccupied was to mo the
l most truly horrible place that could
) be conceived of. The windows. with
: their distinctly defined sashes. were one
t of the most frighttul features for me,
e and I remember lying awake at night
t and seeing the four or eight white
: squares in the darkness, and trembling
: with fear-of what / did not know. .
!. And Miss Katherine heard little muir
\ muir
"Oh, auntie, it always frightens mi
3 80! / am glad it frightened you, too.
\ And with closer cuddie She said
:. "Please 90 on"
e "Once my father spoke to me abol
d it, reasoning with me most lovingly an
# tenderly, never uttering one word q
y ridicule or Of reprosch, telling me tina
Is no one else could help me in Overcon
j. ing the dread of darkness, but that
" might conquer it myself. | used t
n wonder If | should ever feel as he di
Of about it, and b. as brave rs nc was
al every way.
N "Some little time passed away, an
ID when was about seven or eight yeai
old an idea flashed through my brail
a. and will tell you what did.
o. 1T was Just about thishour. betwee
in six and seven o'clock, and at this Sc
en- son of the year, when made up II
tie mind to explore the whole house in Il
n. dark. Sir John Franklin and DR.. ka'
ce (you remember was telling you abo
IN. them only last night? could not hs
had q firmer conviction OF the DANCE
q. they were Drawing than had at tn
nd moment. "The Dark was quite as Il
ut known region to me as tho north pc
in to them, and set thick with territ
risks and perils; but having made
he nv mind to do it, the possibility Of
w. treat did not occur to me, for RENEE
a Der | felt as il it were . sort of duty,
'ep promise to my father; so l walked q
ess Of the room where all the family We
The sitting by the tire-light, and began
id. 90 up the first flight of stairs in
Of back part of the housc-rnlighted 50
her BY q ground.glass window, throu
We, which the hall lamp threw y dim lig
led I had made up my mind to begin "
me the worst, and went steadily up, o.
ini- two. three, four flights of stairs; the
,ix, led to the attic, divided into two room!
,nts the outer one finished but never 0c
ab. pied; the inner one unfinished, and e:
rms lighted by q window in the roof, .
ties communicating BY little door, so
on. that, small as / was, could not sts
the upright in passing through. In ut
sbt, darkness climbed the steep sta
NE, closing the door at the foot, and at
as found myself cropping my way into
inner attic through the door l have
% described. Then ON my hands
:. knees l crawled under the ca,
g breathless and trembling; left
g corner unexplored. remember &c
= back more than once, to be sure tn
10 had not 'shirked.' In this way v
II into every room, crawling under e'
nol. bed, which was an especial horror
y OF me; don't known why-do
1872, ooh .unt;e Il Il dreadful under
% beds!''
the A.. von .ir,;d th.f some one is
row. ce.lsd there who will hurt vou?'
see mo, indeed; don't know ,cnat
= neo' but I always feel that something is
! ~ den there, auntie- something awf
A for =. M IN n: Al and