Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-03-26
The Fear Of Fear.

By Charles Dwight Willard.

IITHEN a man has passed his IF
Wy tieth year, is unmarried, has
no near and dear relatives or friends
to whom he is especially attached,
when his life, whether in business or
in leisure, is methodical and I'M
changing, and when things that divert
and give pleasure to Others have be-
come a burden-then let him beware
of his mind, for he knows not
what trick it may be making ready
to play upon him.
1t is with souls as with animals
starvation and ill-treatment will rem
der even the most gentle of them I'M
manageable, eccentric and danger
GUS.
l am moved to set down these re-
Elections by the peculiar fate that re-
Gently overlook Andrew Dawley-a
man whom | had known for ten years
or more with some degree of init
macy, but whom l hesitate to de-
scribe as a friend of mine, for the
reason that l have once or twice
heard him ~say-coolly and without
bitterness-that he had no friends.
There were 20 years between our
ages, an interval that would be likely
to forbid close relations between two
men who were without common
tastes and interests. Propinquity
gave us acquaintance, for | occupied
at that time the room next but one
to his, on the fourth floor, in the east
wing of the Hotel MacMahon; but
it was an acquaintance that vas as
slow of growth and almost as frigid
as a glacier.
The first year, 1 think, we merely
nodded when we met in the hall.
During the second and third years
we exchanged an occasional word
About that time, l remember, he cap
tured a sneak-thief on the stairway,
overcame his fierce resistance and
held him until the police came, and
/, hearing of it, went to his room to
talk it over.
Then | left the hotel for a matter
of five or six years, and on my re-
turn found Dawley the only one
knew in the place-still occupying the
same room, and living the same un
varying life. And now, at rare inter
walls, we spent an evening together
usually on his invitation, and in his
room. He seemed to be ill at ease
elsewhere.
Up to the time that he explained
to me his peculiar theory on the sub
iect of fear, | had regarded him as
a dull and commonplace character
Conversation with him was difficult
by reason of my apparent inabilit.
to discover a topic in which he wa:
genuinely interested. There were in
terminable pauses, during which h
drew slowly and regularly at his pipe
and stared into the fire.
Our discussion on the subject o
fear began with my commenting OF
the fact that a light was burning il
his room the night before at on
o'clock, which l had noticed, coming
in at that hour, after a dance.
81 keep a light in my room a.
night" said he; 81 hate the dark"
Now this had not been his custor
when / was d neighbor of his som
years before, and 1 commented upo
the change.
II suppose it is an evidence OF tn
weight Of years." said he; but | al
troubled of late with peculiar fancie
and dreams. Sitting alone, here in tn
evening, things somehow get on m
nerves, and the thought of suddenl
waking out Of a sound sleep to fin
myself shut in by blackness is quit
intolerable to me-"
Now this sentiment was so utterl
at variance with my conception {
Andrew Dawley--a cold, practic'
man Of business, and Of the worl
rs n knew him--that instead Of drol
ping the subject, as might hay
done with q more sensitive man,
pursued 1t somewhat farther.
GAS d child," I remarked, Il had
great terror of the dark; but
ceased entirely when was o
enough to reason with myself"