The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-03-21
AN ADVENTURE IN THE DARK
BY EMMA L. HAUCK.

'IH happened SO manly, nudny
y years ago, l can still re-
member it wildly.
every vacation used to go out
to my grandmother's, way back IN
the country, and spend several weeks,
and what am going to tell you oc-
Cured on the first night of my ar
rival there in August, 1877.
reached there in the afternoon, but
found only my grandmother at home
my grandfather and the hired man
having gone off for certain things
needed on the farm. and my cousin
Will away for few days visit to
friend.
'sThe house was situated in rather
a wooded section of the country and
at least a mile from any other farm,
though this has little to do with my
story, except to show that we were
quite distance in the sbackwoods,'
as you city children would say.
"Grandfather was expected home
sometime between nine and ten
o'clock, and as l was anxious to see
him-to surprise him, in fact, for he
did not expect me until week later
Il concluded to sit up, even after
my grandmother had retired, a little
after nine.
II sat there reading for awhile
very calmly and contentedly, when it
occurred to me that would enjoy an
apple or two. 1t was little early
for apples, perhaps, but still
thought there must be some, for |
could not remember time when
there were not apples of some sort at
my grandmother's. Sc decided to
go down into the cellar and hunt for
some.
THE place was still little strange
to me after years absence, and the
once familiar objects all seemed to
possess peculiar newness for which
l could hardly account at that time.
| have now come to think that when
we are young it is harder to feel at
home among familiar scenes from
which we have been absent for any
length of time, and we have to re-ac-
custom ourselves to our surroundings
almost as if we were in new place.
Il lighted a candle and passed
from the kitchen into the old fash
toned hall, walked along for few
yards, until l reached the cellar
door, which | opened. Here | hest
tated for a moment, looking down
into the still blackness into which |
had not been for so many months;
but l did not hesitate long; the de-
sire for the apples was strong within
me, as it is apt to be in most boys of
that age, and l concluded to go in
search of them in spite of the dark
ness-and besides, l had my candle.
l left the door wide open, and conse-
quently had only gone down four or
five steps when gust of wind
through the hall blew the cellar door
to with a bang, extinguishing my
light at the same time, and leaving
me in utter darkness.
my first impulse was to rush up
stairs again pell NELL, and l even half
turned to do 80, when l felt a wave OF
shame pass over me. 1t was ridicu-
lous, | said to myself, that boy OF
my age should be afraid of the dark
and of course the barrel of apples
must be in the old place, only few
yards from the foot of the stairs, and
in a straight direction, too.
$50, stopping only to deposit my
useless candle in the corner of the
step on which l was standing, went
down the rest of the stairs, whistling
softly to keep up my courage.
found the barrel all right, and helped
myself to about half dozen apples
some of which l put into my pockets
and the rest l held in my hands. ]
then turned to leave the barrel.
"a sudden fright took possession
of me. First felt rush of warm
blood to my head, making me veal
and dizzy, this being followed by q
chill, which left an icy perspiratior
all over me; and all these horrible
sensations were caused by what
Simply two eyes, large and bright
which seemed to be staring fxedly
at me in the darkness from their higt
position, which 1 knew must be OF
the second or third stair.