Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-07-10
A MINUTE IN A DARK CELL.
The Experience of n Lady who Re
Gently Visited Newgate.
Boston Herald.


And suppose woman is unbear-
ably aggravating, kicks and shrieks,
etc. | suppose you put her in a small,
dark cell?o L query. THAT we do
after all other measures are tried in
vain, " replied my host. "Weu,
please put me in one for five minutes. .
I requested On this [ ana led toward
the cell most politely" as is sung in
Princess Ida. PLEASE, Mr.. Jailer, l
wan a new sensation; [ want to
struggle and De forced in, and hear
the clink in the lock with spiteful
snap; else how can [ write of the dark
cell realistically"
On this I proceed to throw nv
arms about and behave otherwise in
most rebellious manner. With a
quiet smile [ am hum ored in my little
crank" and in a second [ find my
hands piniOned in q firm grip, and
pushed into the dark CELL hearing the
key clink in the lock, over the one
wee bar at the top seeing the last of
the Light. [ know it was silly, but,
overcome with terror, was speech
less for one brief second, and it seem
ed to me as if an icy cold hand held
my temples IN cruel pressure Then
from my dumb lips came q piercing
shrek, that echoed through those de-
serted balls with horrible distinctness.
Five minutes! It was an hour before
they returned with the lanterns.
ooh, dear" I groaned will [ be here
always? Have they forgotten which
one | am locked in?" [ 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 car re
turning to release me. I hear the |
Jailer's Keys jingle with joyful sounds
of freedom from my self-imposed |
tortdre, and the door flies open. |
can not speak, and, womanlike, choke |
down 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 nnJ life seemed to come up before
my mental vision, just as it is said
ones life comes up TO the drowning
I am told that usually one dose of
the dark cell suffices the culprit, and
| can not Danish the impression that |
it is haunted with fendish spirits. |
know it was silly Of me to be so I'M
nerved, |, who have gone about Lon
dOn'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 instant, be |
shot down in the twinkle of 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 APP
prehensiOns
Tt is such a little place, only big
enough to sit ina dark closet, in
fact. Some inhuman mothers shut |
up their refractory children in a dark
clothes-press as a punishment. At |
all times believe the woman who
strikes child to be q human monster,
unfit to hold the sacred Office of |
mother" After this I shall still |
more l0athe the woman who shuts
her mischievous little child in acloset |
for five minutes or even minute, us
punishment, for [ know now by
experience the awful fright entailed.
On, mothers don't terrify the lit
tie folks. Perhaps their vexing little
pranks are only an overflow of ami
NAL spirits Learn to curb your own
temper, and be gentle with the mites. |
Take the hot. fretful girl in your
arms, undo the pinafore and wee
frock, and, slipping her out of the
burdensome clothes, place her in a
warm bath dainty perfumed. and my
word for it, the nervous little one will |
soon be splashing about the water in
merriment Don't forget that chill
dren have nerves as well as grown
folks, and that they have their
troubles IN child land But [ implore
you do not place children in dark
closets as punishment. If you can't
control your own nerves, you are un-
fit to quiet your children's nerves, !
and had best employ some woman to /
manage your offspring who is actual
ed by more lofty principles and more
Well-balanced nature than yourself
4 Ne1 Mormon Invasion.