Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-02


"And suppose woman IL unbcarabl,
aRgrssatins, kicks and shriets. etc.
suppose you pun her In small, darA
cslii" / query. That we do sster al
Other measures are tried In yain,v reptile,
my host. "Well, please put me In ons
and 20 away for Eve minutes. /" requested
On this l am led toward the eel. ~ most
politely ~ Is sung In Princess Ida.
" Plcase, Mr. 5ailer. want new sensa-
ton. want 70 struggle and be forced In,
and hear the key click In The lock With 4
spitcful map. Else how can | write OF
the dark cell realistically
On this i proceed 10 throw my arms
about and behave otherwise IN most rebel
iious manner. With quiet smlin am
humorcd In my little "crank,v and in a
second End my hands pinioned In firm
g1ip, and am pushed Into the dark cell.
hearing the key click In the lock, and over
the one wee bar at the top seeing the last
81 the light. know twas silly, bat over.
come With terror ! was speeches for one
brief second, aud Il seemed to me as
II sn icy-cold hand held my temples
IN Q cruel pressure. Then from my
dumb Hips came n piercing Shrek that
echoed through those deserted balls
with horrible dis'inctness. Five min
utesl Ii was hours before they returned
with the lanterns. "0h, DEAR groaned,
evil he here alwayst Have they for.
gotten which one am locked iny" / felt
that much longer Of solitary confinement
would turn my brain, and | began to gasp
for breath. At last they come; the CLEAN
OF light increases the steps sound more
distinctly on my ear returning to release
me. l bear the jaIler's keys Jingle with
Joyful sound OF freedom from my seIf-im.
posed torture, aud the door 1ics open.
cannot sreak. and, w6manlike. choke down
sob instead.
At this my friend shows me bis watch.
"How long hsye tcen therei" faltered
out. "Exactiy one minute" he replies.
Sure enough this Is true, yet In that one
minute all my life seemed to come ap be-
fore my mental vision, Just as il Is said
oDe's life comes up 10 the drowning man
or woman.
| am told that usually one dose OF the
dark cell sufices the culprit, and cannot
Danish the impression that 1t Is haunted
with fiendish spirits. l know II was silly
OF me 10 he SO upnerycd--I. who have
gone about London's slums, and know no
fear Of living thieves In Londou's 1t 'eets,
met at uncanny hours. Well. call me sem
timensal II sou like, for, all the same, So
lemnly assure YOU that had rather die on
the instant. be shot down In the twinkling
OF an eye, than be locked and bOlted Tor
one nie bit in the dark cell at Newgaie, with
no more tangible terror than those born OF
my terrOr-stricken apErehensions.
II Is such little place, only big enough
to sit ina little dark closet, in fact. Some
inhuman mothers shut up their reirac DRY
children III darF cl0ibes-preSs as a pun
ishment. At all times believe the woman
who strikes q child 10 he human monster,
unfit 10 hold the sacred Office Of "mother."
After this | shall still more loathe the
woman who shifts he mischievous little
child in closet for five minutes. or even
minute. as punishment, for j know now
by experience the awful fright entaiied.
Oh, mothers! don't terrify the little
folks. Perhaps their yeXiug little pranks
are only an overflow OF animal spirits.
Learn to curb your own temper, and be
gentle with the mites. Take the hot, fret
full little girl in your arms, undo the pima
fore and wee Irock. and, slipping her out OF
the burdensome clothes, place her in
warm bath daintily periumed. and my
word for II. the nervous little one Will
soon be splashing about the water in merri
ment. Don't forget that children have
nerves as well rs grown folks, and that they
have their troubles in child-hnd. But
implore you do not put children in dark
closets rs punishment. III you can't con-
troll your owR nerves, you are unfit to
quiet your cbildren's nerves, and had best
employ some woman TO manage your Off
spring who Is actuated by more lofty prin-
ciples and more ll-balanced nature than
yourseN