Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-06
A MINUTE IN A DARK CELL.
The Experience of a Lady Who Recently
Visited Newgate.
B0sfOD Herald

''And suppose a woman is unbearablJ
| aggrayating, kicks and shrieks, ETC.,
suppose you put her in a small, dark
! cell?'' l query. ''That we do after al
| other measures are tried in vain," replies
my host. ''Well, please put me in one
and go away for five minutes" | request
ed. On this l am led toward the cell
''most politely" as is sung In Princess
Ida. ''PIease, Mr.. Jailer, l want new
| sensation: | want to struggle and be
| forced in, and hear the key click in the
lock with spiteful snap; else how can
write of the dark cell realisticallyw
On thisT proceed to throw my arms
| about and behave otherwise in most re-
! belliOus manner. With quiet smile l am
humored in my little crank" and in a
second find my hands pinioned in firm
| grip, 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 of the light. / know it was silly, but,
overcome with terror, l was speeches.
for one brief second, and it seemed to me
as if an icy cold hand held my temples in
a cruel pressure. Then from my dumb
lips came a piercing shrek, that echoed
through those deserted halls with horrible
distinctness. Five minutes! 1t was
hours before they returned with the Ian
terms. sob, DEAR" l groaned, "will be
here always? Have they forgotten which
one am locked in?'' l 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 in
creases; the steps sound more distinctly
on nv ear returning to release me. hear
the jailer's keys jingle with joyful sound
of freedom from my self-impOsed torture,
and the door flies open. can not speak,
and, womanike, choke down SOD in
stead.
At this my friend shows me his watch.
GLOW long have ! been there?" / faltered
out. ssExactIy one minute" he replies.
Sure enough, this is true; yet in that one
minute all nay life seemed to come up be-
fore my mental vision, just as it is said
ones life comes up to the drowning man
or woman.
am told that usually one dose of the
dark cell suffices the culprit. and l can
not Danish the impression that 1T is haunt
ed with fiendish spirits. / know it was
silly of me to be so unnerved, /, who have
gone about London's slums, and know no
fear of living thieves in London's streets,
met at uncanny hours. Well, call me
sentimental if you like, for, all the same,
/ solemnly assure you that l had rather
die on the instant, be shot down in the
twinkling of an eye, than be locked and
bolted tor one night in the dark cell at
Newgate, with no more tangible terror
budu luOSS Jul IL VI III OCAiOA-SeAAS oP-
prehensions.
1t is such little place, only big enough
to sit ina little dark closet, IN fact.
Some inhgman mothers shut up their re-
fractory children in dark clothes-press
as a punishment. At all times l believe
the woman who strikes child to be hui
man monster. unfit to hold the sacred Of
fee of s'mOtker.1 After this | shall still
more loathe the woman who shuts her
~ eli e,AF
minutes, or even minute, as a punish
ment, for / know now by experience the
awful fright entsiled.
Oh, mothers! don't terrify the little
folks. Perhaps their vexing little pranks
are only an overflow of animal spirits.
Learn to curb you- own temper, and be
gentle Witk the mites. Take the hot. fret
full little girl in your arms, undo the pima
fore and wee frock, aEd, slipping her out
of the burdenSome clothes, place her in
warm bath daintily perfumed, and my
word for it, the nervous little one will
soon be splashing about the water in mer-
riment, Don't forget thai children have
nerves as well as grown folks, and that
they have their troubles in child land.
But implore you do not pat children in
dark closets as punishment. II You can't
control your own nerves, you are unit to
quiet your children's nerves, and had best
employ some woman to manage your of
spring who is actuated by more lofty prin-
ciples and more well.balaneed nature thar
yourself