Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-08-21

The Experience Of Il Lady Who Re-
Gently Visited Newgate.

"And suppose woman is unbear-
ably aggraVating, kicks and shrieks,
etc. l suppose you put her in a small,
dark cell?" l query. That we do
after all other measures are tried in
vain" replies my host. "Well, please
put me in one and 60 away for five
minutes" requested. On this I am
led toward the cell '.most politely" as
is sung in Princess Ida. "Please, Mr..
Jailer, L want a new sensation; want
to struggle and be forced in, and hear
the key click in the lock with a spite
full snap; else how can [ write of the
dark cell realistically"
On this l proceed to throw my arms
about and behave otherwise in most
rebellious manner. With a quiet smile
/ am humored in my little ''crank, "
and in second find my hands pin
Toned 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. l know it was silly, but, over
come with terror, was speeches. for
one brief second, and it seemed to me
as if an icy cold hand held my temples
in cruel pressure. Then from my
dumb lips came piercing shrek, that
echoed throughout those deserted halls
with horrible distinctness. Five min
utes! 1t was hours before they re-
turned with the lanterns. ooh, dear, ="
| groaned, twill [ be here alwaysp
Have they forgotten which one 1 am
locked inp'' / felt that much longer of
solitary confinement would turn nay
brain, and [ began to gasp for breath.
At last they come; the CLEAN of the
light increases; the steps sound more
distinctly on my ear returning to re-
lease me. hear the jailer's keys jim
gle with joyful sounds of freedom from
my self-imposed torture, and the door
flies open. / can not speak, and, wo-
manlike, choke down and sob instead.
At this my friend shows me his
watch. "How long have I been there?"
| faltered out. Exactly one minute"
he replies. Sure enough, this is true;
yet in that one minute all my life
seemed to come up before my mental
vision, just as it is said ones life comes
up to the drowning man or woman.
l am told that usually one dose of
the dark cell suffices the culprit, and [
can not Danish the impression that it is
haunted with fiendish spirits. | know
it was silly of me to be so unnerved, I,
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 / had rather die on the in
cto loac 1, " IL, &
an eye, than be locked and bolted for
one night in the dark cell at Newgate,
with no more tangible terror than those
born Of my terror-stricken apprehen-
sions.
1t is such little place, only big
enough to sit ina little dark closet,
in fact Some inhuman mothers shut
up their refractory children in q dark
clothes-press as q punishment. At all
times / believe the woman who strikes q
child to be a human monster, unfit to
hold the sacred office of mother" After
this | shall more loathe the woman who
shuts her mischievous little child in q
closet for five minutes, or even a min
ute as punishment. for [ know now
by experience the awful trlghG enJa1IUu.
Oh, mothers! don't terrify the little
folks. Perhaps their vexing little
pranks are only an overflow of animal
spirits. Learn to curb your own tenn
per, and be gentle with the mites.
Take the hot, fretful little girl in your
arms, undo the pinafore and wee frock,
and, slipping her out of the burden
some 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 merri-
ment Don't forget that children have
nerves rs well as grown folks, and
that they have their troubles in child
land. But implore you do not put
children in dark closets as q punish
ment.-B0St0n Herald.