Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-02-28
cHILDHooD.s MELoDRAmA.

cHILDHOoD's MELoDRAMA.
Varied Ways in. which tho Theatrical
Instinct Asserts ITSELF
Lonely children particularly develop
the dramatizing faculty, creating COM
panions, as. lacking toys, they gre i'm
genlous at inventing playthings A
brotherless aud sisterless four-sear-old
of my acquaintance, taken upon q
journey. gave her fond mother some
sensation, the little one being over
heard reciting to q friendly stranger
the outrageous FRANKS. including
theft, assault and battery and incen-
diarism, to which her "big brother
Peter" was addicted. As an offset to
the disgrace of this relationship. she
dwelt with sweet enthusiasm upon the
winning traits of her little sister,
Sally Pinker" On being questioned
by her mother. it appeared that this
hypothetical brother and sister were
very distinct realities to the solitary
child, nor for a long time would she
drop them from the list of kinship.
As child, my record for truth-tell.
ing and righteousness of behavior was
never impeached; yet 1 recall instances
of mental chicanery which, had they
been made patent, would have sufficed
to raise grave doubts in the minds of
my natural protectors whether should
not become a perjurer of the blacklist
stamp. Well do 1 recall that dull,
rainy afternoon when, open-air sports
being out of the question, cast about
for some novel entertainment indoors.
/ had heard of the extraordinary delu.
sions which had seized upon a relative
of mine while in the delirium of a
fever. /, too, would be delirious. see
visions and talk wildly. I succeeded
so we'll at this kind of feign-
ing that not only was my ten.
der mother alarmed, but I myself
became genuinaly ill, unnerved by the
vividness of ny own Pigments and the
blood-chilling character of my own
incoherent utteranoes. Also. well re.
member being taken to the ph0tog-
rapher's. and the lugubrious result
attending the united efforts of the
artist" my parents-and myself.
However exhorted to smile, the rec.
ord of each experiment showed a uni
form grimness of pursed lips, saucer
eyes and slightly corrugated brows.
The ''infant SPHINX" as the photo.
graph was afterwards known in the
family. was often clandestinely in
spected by me with extreme delight.
Before and during the operation / had
resolved that if I were to have my
picture taken l would look noble
(synonymous in my mind with SO.
vere). That 1 had succeeded in my
design was the fond impression re.
tanned for several years
Beside this witness to the theatrical
impulse in children might be placed
another portrait which was lately
shown me--that of laughing-eyed,
dimpling, coquettish Lalage face. The
lady whose child-self is thus daintily
memorized tells me that the motive
of the sitter was to ''look as though
my sweetheart had just kissed mel" II
was this same elf who, having been
corrected by her mother, conceived q
plan for decorating the heart of the in
furious parent Her eyes being at the
height of their showery fit, she caught
up q crimson-bound picture book, and
bending over it, let fall upon its ad-
mired cover two great tear-drops, with
infinite satisfaction watching the
circles of stain which in
future years should SO poignantly re-
prOach the maternal despot. The little
red book is still extant, and I have
seen it, with its twin hieroglyphs ex-
pressive of SO much naivete and
fnesse.-Atlantic.