The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-12-18
A CHILD'S VICTORY.

ON Ine rug before the open fire sat
Pussie, her head against her aunt S
knee, her Skye in her arms-a picture
of content. After silence of at least two
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 very sad voice,
because it is almost time to 90 to
bed"
"Pussie, why don't you like to go to
bedP'
"Because-because 1 don't want
to say"
"Then 1 will tell you why. Shall 1,
dearp"
sob, 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 dyou know?"
81 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 l told you
that found out your fear of the dark
just because 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 / will tell you,"
and taking the child on her knee Aunt
Katherine told her this little story of
her own life.
"W hen l was child was as timid
as hare. was very shy; did not
like strangers, and l did not care for
companions of my own age. 1 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, filed me
with snch terror that l instinctively
drew up my small legs, and then took
to my heels. l was so afraid of worm
that 1 have gone whole block out of
the way to avoid passing one. l am
afraid, Pussie, that L was 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, were 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"
And Miss Katherine heard little muir
muir.
sob, auntie, it always frightens me
so! am glad it frightened you, too"
And with closer cuddle she said,
"Please 90 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. 1 used to
wonder if | 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 was about seven or eight years
old an idea flashed through my brain,
and will tell you what l did.
"It 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 was telling you about
them only last nightly could not have
had firmer conviction of the dangers
they were Drawing than had at that
moment. "The Dark was quite as I'M
known region to me as the north pole
to them, and set thick with terrible
risks and perils; but having made up
my mind to do it, the possibility of re-
treat did not occur to me, for l remem-
Der felt as if it were a sort of duty,
promise to my father; so walked out
of the room where all the family were
sitting by the freight, and began to
go up the first flight of stairs in the
back part of the house-unlighted save
by a ground-glass window, through
which the hall lamp threw dim light.
l had made up my mind to begin with
the worst, and went steadily up, one,
two. three, four flights of stairs; the last
led to the attic, divided into two rooms
the outer one finished but never occu-
pied; the inner one unfinished, and each
lighted by window in the roof, and
communicating by little door, so low
that, small as was, could not stand
upright in passing through. In utter
darkness 1 climbed the steep stairs,
closing the door at the foot, and at last
found myself cropping my way into the
inner attic through the door l have just
described. Then on my hands and
knees 1 crawled under the caves.
breathless and trembling; l left no
corner unexplored l remember going
back more than once, to be sure that l
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