The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-08-01
Classics FUN.

IL Consisted In Doing N She Would Not
Like to l3e Done By-How She Was
Cured.
jamie gave a little shrek OF fright
and sank in small heap upon the
grass. Cassie laughed as If she would
never stop. 20 Cassie! what makes
you scare me so?' gasped jamie.
''It's fun. What makes you jump
sop
1T frightens me worse every time
you do it | cant help jumping"
The truth is the startled scream and
jump were exactly what Cassie De-
lighted in. As many times a day as
she found an opportunity she waylaid
this timid sister. sprang out upon her
with ..Boo!' or a whoop. and then
laughed at her sudden terror. Cassie
had often been rebuked for this.
ut is very hurtful to be SO fright
ened," her mother said to her one day.
Little Jane isn't strong and you only
make her more nervous every time you
do It."
But she's so silly. She mover can
learn it's only me. She is always talk
ing about wolves and Indians, as II she
thought there was one around every
corner"
'.You give her no time to think.
She is very trusting little sister, and
you must not impose upon her.
"Tll try not" said Cassie gaily.
"But believe it's good for her. After
little she'll learn to be drawer"
"You wouldn't like her to be lying
in waiting at fence corner II you
we're running by. Nor would you like
her to be flattened against a tree. nor
hidden behind bush"
II wouldn't care. I'm not afraid. :"
.'But it isn't pleasant. You must do
as you would be done by"
.'Well. mamma, / will try-I'll try
very hard.
This last conversation had taken
place some weeks before. But now
Cassie had forgotten her mothers
warning, and had gone back to her old
tricks. Any thing she could laugh at
was q great temptation to Cassie. Of
late she had frightened jamie ut least
once day.
Little jamie did not get up from the
grass.
Come" said Cassie, pulling at her
arm. You're not afraid yet, are
you?"
my heart beats SO dreadfully.
must sit STILL"
Cassie was cOnscicnce-stricken at
once. .OJanie! I'm SO sorry. Please
don't tell mamma, for she said l must
never scare you again.
mo. won't tell her. But wait till
! get rested. then I'll play"
But jamie did not get rested. She
seemed weak and all the zest had gone
out Of their play. Finally she went
into the house and lay on the sofa,
where at length she fell asleep.
Cassie watched her anxiously. She
was greatly distressed. What would
her mother say If she knew she had
latterly disobeyed her SO many times.
How hard it was to do right.
AFTER this l surely will be good /"
she resolved, II surely will"
She was worried until jamie awoke,
and was relieved when she found no
harm except the temporary weakness
had come from her prank. But her
alarm served to make her moro con.
siderate after that, for, needless and
fond OF q frolic rs she was, sho was
yet tcnder-hcartcd. Throughout that
whole summer she was careful never
to startle jamie again. jamie was very
happy at the change.
"You don't plague me any more. do
you, Cassie?" she said.
Summer passed and the twilights fell
early. Ninny, the nurse, who had
always put the children to bed. had
leave OF absence for two weeks. Sc
Cassie and jamie for almost the frs,
time in their lives were trusted to go
to bed alone. In their room was q
large closet. Every night when they
went upstairs jamie would anxiously
ask Cassie il she thought any body
could be hidden in there. Cassie was
thoroughly vexed ut her for asking the
same question over 80 many times.
why, no, you little g,ose; who i:
there to hidep" But jamie needed con-
slant reinsurance. ..How foolish yol
are, jamie. Some time I'll hide in there
myself and spring out at you, If yo,
don't stop asking the same old ques-
tion." said Cassie, sharply. I'm sicl
OF hearing it,
'.Oh, no! don't, sister-please don't,
pleaded jamie.
Cassie really had no idea of doinl
what she threatened. But the mex
night she found herself up stairs be.
fore jamie. The gas was lighted, bu
turned low. A sudden impulse seizet
her to carry out her menace. Sh,
stole on tip-toe to the closet door
opened it softly and stepped inside
She could hear Janie's voice at tn,
foot of the stairs, calling out 'Goot
night-Good-night," to her father ans
mother, and then break into blith'
little song as she assembled.
As Cassie slipped behind the close
door her foot trod upon something soft
Instantly there was a snarling, kissing
sound, frenzied rushing back ant
| forth in the closet, scratching, q viii,
yOwl. Cassie had shut the door, an
whatever it was rushed against he
ankles and tore at the sides OF tn
room. It seemed as If there were hal
dozen things trying to get out. Q
trying to rend her into pieces. A col
SILVER, as If icy water had been dashe
upon her ran up and down her back
Her heart seemed to have stopped en-
tirely. Then she shrieked-not once
but over and over again, while the hol
rible thing in the little dark room wit
her kept up its dashing back an
forth. its desperate splitting and CLAW
ing.
Cassia's screams brought her fathe