The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-07-29

1.-THE upper cupboard door is always
kept locked, and my father carries the key
in his pocket; but the bottom shelf of the
upper cupboard is loose, and if you crawl
in upon this shelf on your hands and
knees, and raise your back up against the
shelf above, you can misplace it so that
one end will come off the Stat that holds
it, and all the things upon it will come
rafting down. | know about it, for did
it myself once when l was little girl,
and it did great deal of mischief. Your
brothers tin trunk sits upon that shelf,
know, for | saw it there when father open
ed the door to get his pocket-book just
| before he went away
:" ~ GU know how to misplace the shelf.
get in and misplace it yourself, said the
| hunchback.
81 cannot replied. 4 used to play
in there when l was little thing, but now
the cupboard will hold me no longer
HE looked me over, Il was large for
my age) saw that | spoke the truth, and
proceeded to crawl in upon the shelf HIM
, self, saying, in tone of authority:
8 If any one comes to the door, dom t
let them see me here; it would be too
ridiculous. Do you hear?
II nodded my head, too anxious for the
success of my plan to speak.
! NO sooner did he draw the last club
foot upon the shelf than l slammed the
door together and turned the button, then
catching the brass key from mother
thread basket put it in the lock and turn
ed it upon him. A S the strong bolt slip
ped into its place, ran back and dropped
into the cradle with the screaming baby.
| had been strong enough for anything
| but a moment before, now | was SO weak
| could not stand.
MY little brother hushed his crying
the moment my head sank in his baby
| lap, and putting his tiny cool fingers
upon my face, he laughed in merry glee.
1.-THE hunchback, when he found him
self caught, yelled like a Gagged demon,
but knew that the cupboard door was of
heavy plank, that the lock and hinges
were strong, and felt perfectly safe.
knew, too, that there was a crack under
| the door so wide that air enough would
pass to keep him from suffocating.
Ills threats We're so terrible to listen
to that began to sing hymns to the baby
as soon as ] could find my voice, and it was
not long before he was quiet, save an oc-
casional appeal to my sympathy, telling me
how uncomfortable he found his cramped
position, and begging me to let him out.
| was sorry enough for him, but my fear
lest he should harm the baby overcame
my pity.
Father and mother came at sunset,
and l never shall forget the look that
passed between them when | told them of
my prisoner. Father unlocked the cup
board door, but the poor hunchbac had
remained so long in his cramped position
that he could not stir. Father pulled him
out, carried him in his arms and put him
in bed and mother bathed and rubbed
him.
''He was sick for three months, and the
whole of that time mother nursed him
faithfully. That illness was a turning
point in his life. He lived for several
years a quiet, humble, Christian life, re-
spected and beloved.
''At his death he willed everything that
he possessed to me, in gratitude, he said,
for my saving him from crime by locking
him in the cupboard, as he was fully re-
solved if he could not obtain the papers,
| to burn the dwelling. He said also that
his imprisonment in the cupboard broke
his stubborn will, but mothers patience
and kindness in his long Illness softened
his hard heart
." The girl did do something in that
story said Margaret, going across the
room to give Aunt Hannah a hug and a
kiss, and then going to peep into the cup
board. ooh, grandpa, ism t ii pity you
can remember it?'
Il supposed all through my childhood
that l did remember it, said grandpa.
Il heard it told of 50 often; but Uncle
Pingree and l were great friends, and once
| coaxed the funny little man to get into
the cupboard and show me Just how he
lay there that long day when Hannah and
l were his iailers.