The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-06-09

pgwer, Robb was living In chiid's
world Of many mysteries, in that level
Of small experience that Is still SUR
rounded by imaginatlon's misty hills.
He was on an earth such as the old
photographers used 70 map, with all the
poetry and fable OF life located IN q
ezra incognita Just over the horizon.
No Columbus had yet found where
Robb's east met hts west IN tho cold
light Of common day. There was Etlll u
corner on his continents for fnirylnnd,
the caves Of dragons enchanted castles,
and prices riding to the rescue. There
we're seas to tioat his pirate ships to un-
charted islands stuffed with buried
treasure. And up somewhere among
the SHOWS Of the north, in an Ice palace
stocked with toys, Santa Claus still
labored and grew fat.
He WIS the eldest son Of a young fam
lIy neglected in his lnquisitlve years
for the infants who succeeded him. and
In the absence Of better sonFcs Of
knowledge he had drawn upon his imng-
nation for the explanation OF things IN
general. He had been taught to read
by Mamie" the little nurse-mald, and
his library consisted chiefly OF an "ln-
destructibfe" edition dc luxe of Jack
and the Bean Stalk" Jack was his ma
tlonal hero. and when Miss Morris an
nounced with the most insulting care
Icssness that jacks history was all nom
sense and Jack a myth, Robb felt rs n
patriotic Frenchmnn would feel should
history pronounce Napoleon and his
warsa falCy-tale. From a small lrrlta-
ton ut this apd other such attacks upon
his childish fhpcieS, Robb settled down
to n happy indifference. Miss Morris
word could not outweigh the authority
OF print and pictures, nor change in an
instant the FIRST Impressions of his
childhood.
He learned at her tlictation that tho
earth is round like an orange md Aat-
tened at the poles. But such nonsense
was forgotten when he looked from the
playroom window into the red west and
saw the brlck-and-s realities Of lie
fade away into the haze OF terra lncog-
nita. Similarly, Miss Morris. hearing
him express hunger by saying that hls
legs were empty, lnotured him upon the
arrangement Of his interior. Her
knowledge did not prevent him, there
after, from keeping his legs as straight
as possible under the table, 80 that the
food ne was eating might have an ensy
passage down them to his hollow feet
And although she denied that the crust
Of the earth noated on q bottomlo4s
ocsah--to which the street MIGRANTS
weTo connected by q length of pipe-ho
continued to watch with anxiety how
tho men dug drains in the street, fear
ing. the bottom would fail out of the
holes they were making md drop them
all into the fearful waters Of the under
world.
But Miss Norris persisted with the
patience OF theoFist who held that
children should not BIZ taught lies.
There were never my arguments, be-
cause Robb could not explain, much less
defend, his conception of things She
lay In walt until he spoke thought
that Indicated more OF "his nursery
nonsense" and when she turned II
searchllght into another dclIclousy
dark corner OF his world and disclosed,
not mystery. but fiat commonplace. He
had vaguo idea that "Dreamland"
was n second world where one went to
play ut night. She let tho hard light In
there, and made Robbs dreams an af-
fair Of the stomach. She looked with
such an eye upon his mimic warfara
with blocks and marbles that hc was
driven to locking himself In his play
room from her scorn. She was self
compliment Science snecring at tho
simplicity Of Faith, He fed and feared
her.
"Robb IL such strange child" she
said one morning to his mother, HE
has such bnbylsh fancles about many
things have great difficulty correct
ing him." Madame received this adj
verse criticism OF the cldes, OF her on
spring as Il reflection on herself.
"Rabyish fancles2" she said. How
do you meun2" Miss Morris, tiustcred
by the mothers manner, tried 70 ex-
plain With;
"oh, like Santa Claus-only about
other things"
Welt" Madame said coldly II think
would leave tho child to his Santa
Clnus."
It followed that Miss Morris went up
to her days duties with spite agalnst
Robb's mother, and showed It In her
manner towards the child. ~ suppose
you believe In Santa claus?" she said
Robb frightened Mt the name and the
thought OF Christmas hut Miss Nor
ris' lean chin was pointed under su-
perior smile. He chilled with suspicion
isn't he2" he graspcd,
isn't he WHAT" sho laughed.
Isn't he-rcally?"
She did not delgn TO reply. Robb eyed
the Sphinx wistfully. 1--WE will begin,
she said. with yesterdays lesson again,
You will have 10 make better progress,
Rohb, or Frankie VII catch up 10 you
Robh had the unupokrn thought that
he hated his small brother aud despIsed
the Improbable knowledge that Ia
bound In books. Hut his spirit was
weak with long struggle. and h. was
dumb before the danger that threaten
ed this last and dearest belief OF his In,