Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-12-10
A CHILD,s VICTORY.

- gghhghhs AAAgA AaAAgAlgb VI a. Agu1bNWp
minutes she drew a long breath-sO
long that Aunt Kitty laughed, and
asked her what the matter was.
With a good deal Of hesitation the
little girl answered, in a very sad voice,
because it is almost time to go to
bed"
bed?"
"Because-because 1 don't want
to say"
"Then ] viii tell you why. Shall 1,
dearP"
"Oh, auntie. you don't know. You
can not even guess why"
Aunt Kitty stopped over and whis-
pered something, which had the effect
Of bringing Pussie on her feet, as she
exclaimed, "WhY! how didyou know?''
i once was a little girl myself,
dear"
"Oh 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 your fear of the dark
Just because l used to feel as you feel
nowP"
Still incredulous, Pussie shook her
head, saying, But when did it 90
away? You are not afraid of anything
now"
Come here, and 1 will tell you,"
and taking the child on her knee Aunt
Katherine told her this little story of
her own life.
"N hen l was a child l was as timid
as a hare. 1 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, for
you are not shy, you are fond of little
| girls and boys, and then, too, you have
| your dogs and your pony. Now was
so afraid Of dog that the sight of one,
as far off as could see him, filled me
with snch terror that l instinctively
drew up my small legs, and then took
to my heels. was so afraid of a worm
that 1 have gone a whole block out Of
the way to avoid passing one. am
afraid, Pussie, that | was a born cow
ard, but nothing was so absolutely awful
| to me as the dark. a familiar room
was bad enough when unlighted, but
one that was unoccupied was to me the
most truly horrible place that could
be conceived of. The windows, with
their distinctly defined sashes, we're one
of the most frightful features for me,
and l remember lying awake at night
and seeing the four or eight white
squares In the darkness, and trembling
with fear-of what l did not know. I"
And Miss Katherine heard little muir
muir.
"Oh, auntie, it always frightens me
sol am glad it frightened you, too. +"
And with closer cuddle she said,
"Please go on"
"Once my father spoke to me about
it, reasoning with me most lovingly and
tenderly, never uttering one word of
ridicule or of reproach, telling me that
no one else could help me in overcom-
ing the dread of darkness, but that l
might conquer it myself. used to
wonder if l should ever feel as he did
about it, and be as brave as he was in
every way.
"Some little time passed away, and
when l was about seven or eight years
old an idea flashed through my brain,
and will tell you what did.
at was Just about this hour, between
six and seven o'clock, and at this sea
son of the year, when l made up my
mind to explore the whole house in the
dark. Sir John Franklin and DR.. Kane
(you remember l was telling you about
them only last nightly could not have
had irmer conviction OF the dangers
they were Drawing than had at thai
moment. 1.-THE Dark was quite as. I'M
known a region to me as the north, polS
to them, and set thick with terrible
risks and perils; but having made uE
my mind to do it, the possibility OF re
treat did not occur to nae, for nemeRR
ber felt as if it were a sort of duty, {
promise to my father; so | walked on
of the room where all the family WeF'
sitting by the fire-hght, and began Ii
u 90 up the first flight of stairs, In tn
back part of the house-unlighted say,
by a grOund-glass window. thrO@gl
which the hall lamp threw a, dim Light
had made up my mind to, begin Witl
the worst, and went steadily up one
two. three, four flights Of stainss the las
led to the attic, divided into twoHooms-
the outer one finished but nRKer Occu
pied; the inner one unfinished. and eac
lighted by a window in the r0Of. an
communicating by a. little door, so loN
that, small as l was. could not stan
upright in passing through In ute
darkness l olimbesl the steep stairs
closing the door a. the foot, and at las
found myself gro3ing nay way into tn
Einher attic through, the door ! have Jus
described. Thea on nay hands an
|, knees / crawAsd under the eavel
; breaihless and treEAbling; left 4
corner unexpAsred. l remember gois
back more than once, 70 be sure that
had not sshiaked.a In this way WsI
, into every EoomA crawling under eNeE
bed, which was an especial horror
! me; 1 DON'T known why-do yo'
I Pussie?n
! "oh. auntie. il is dreadful uRasE 4
"Dut what is it you are afraid o
/, Are you afraid that some one is col
ceA)ed there who viii hurt yOuP"
: "No, indeed; don't know tOhdt it !
; but l always feel that sOnlethiH'' g
q den there, auntie--som0tbt
q "Well, Pussie, so
I crawled out from eac
/. had had a narrow
next would reve
And all this tip
7