Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-05-28


swept over Helen's soul.
She looked around the darkening
hall and through her minds flashed
those words of Charles Lamb anent
his childhood: Il was Ireadfully
alive to nervous terrors. The night
time. solitude, and the dark were my
hell"
She turned to Fielding. Give me
the key, please"
Mistress said'-
mo, no, miss, She's quieted down,
now" Fielding held out the key in an
agitated hand.
Helen took it and swept up the
stairs.
She knew she might be ~disquieting
herself vainly, but the mere idea of a
child's suffering terror hurt her. She
had been a nervous child herself.
When she opened the door of the
boxroom silence and dim shadows
greeted her. She peered round the
room. which was filled with boxes and
rubbish. She recognized with a thrill
the ghostly possibilities of the place
10 a nervous prisoner.
Penelope" her charming voice
rang out clear and comforting.
Over in a corner she deserted a
bundle that looked despairingly
human. She made her way swiftly to
the corner and bent over the bundle.
Darling" She touched the little
figure, and a scream of terror echoed
amongst the empty boxes.
Helen saw that Penelope was lying
huddled up, face hidden against lne
floor, and both ears covered tight with
agonized hands. Quickly and with a
away.
She felt a long SILVER pass through
the little body, but no more screams
rang out. Penelope, l am Aunt
Helen. Darling, don't you remember
me?" She held her close to her warm
heart. Aunt Helen, dear"
Slowly the figure in her arms re-
Taxed. In a trembling whisper Pene-
lope muttered. "They will get you,
too-you, too
We'll come downstairs now" Helen
said cheerfully. .
A pair of arms chung round her
neck with sitting fervor.
will you lock the door," Pene-
lope whispered. There are such a
lot of them-oh, do lock the door!"
Eyes, DEAR" answered Helen sooth-
ingly, "but its only bad dreams, sweet
heart"
She turned the key with reassuring
creaks in the lock, and they went
down stairs. Helen's gray eyes were
blazing.
Did you have your tea, d~arling?"
she asked briskly, as they entered the
dining-room.
There was lne one with the light
green eyes," whispered Penelope,
'and he was ever so long, and he
crept round the boxes
Penelope" Helen's voice was very
firm. THAT was a bad dream: they
were all bad Dreams; none of them
were real. You must not talk about
them. I shall be vexed with you if
you do"
Penelope's arms frightened. ooh,
no! Oh, MOI"
VERY well. Now, tell me, did you
have good tea?"
Penelope shook her head.
"Why no?'
Il was too bad to have tea"
What did you have for dinner?"
The arms chung. 81 was-on the
grass"
do you mean that you have had no
dinner?"
eyes"
For a moment, Helen's lips shut in
a straight line. Then she said,
gently: "Will you stay here a minute,
dear? I want to get something nic9
and hot to eat"
Penelope's short life had been N
of obedience. She struggled ~valiantly
and loosened her arms. When Helen
saw the small white face for the first
time in The light, her upper lip
her again.
Penelope's courage gave way; her
arms chung round Helen's neck.
"Please-oh, please" she whispered,
81 don't want anything to eat-ever."
eve will ring for cook, said Helen
tenderly.
When the cook came she quailed
under the gray eyes and made voluble
excuses. Helen cut her short.
"Where is her dinner?"
"Cook did so ate waste, and that
Fielding 'ad such a big appetite you
wouldn't believe, and naturally they
thought when Miss Peniloppy didn't
come 'ome as 'ow she were dining at
the rectory."
''You mean you have eaten it.
What have you in the house?"
1t appeared that there was mis-
morrow.
make half of it hot at once for
Miss Penelope"
! Cook looked scared at that. She be-
gan a feeble remonstrance. "But I
will take all blame" said Helen. and
cook hustled away in a sudden hurry
of sympathy for Penlope, now that
all responsibility was removed from
her shoulders.
Helen sat down with Penelope on
her knee, and kissed the soft little
neck and cheeks and hair. Helen was
rarely demonstrative, but there was
al ache in her heart for her small
niece.
Penelope said politely, THANK you,
Aunt Helen," and looked up at her