New-York tribune., 1907-11-10

strainng and oppressive that long confined prisoners
make desperate efforts TO break out the risk
Of their lives. Again, cOsencss Is dangerous be-
cause should danger confront one IN narrow place
his chance of escaping would bc small 1t Is not
probable that the dread OF closed places was So
strong III animal iorebears 10 be transmitted
through all the ages that separate us from them
FEAR or CELESTIAL OBJECTS-Clouds partCu-
larly black lowering clouds. the moon, red sunsets.
northern lights, falling stars eclpses, etc, are
feared by many children. In clouds they trace al.
sorts of animals and imaginary monsters, angels,
CharOtS, Bible pictures, etc; IN the moon they see
ANYTHING they wish and TO the consultations they
attach a wonderful variety of meanings, Just
done by early ancestors and IS done by prlml-
tive peoples to-day. To a cultured mind, the heav
ems are awe inspiring; but to undeveloped mind
they are terrifying and the child to-day IS full oi
traces of the fears and supcrstltons which SCARED
the human soul III ages long past
FEAR OF DARKNESS This Is one of the most
common of the fears of childhood. Some children
ALWAYS look behind them IN the dark, Others never
dare to- feel that somebody Is looking at them,
or reaching out after them or even pursuing them
some cannot knee to say their prayers tor tear that
some one under the bed will grab them by the legs.
To sleep in the dark IS the worst possible punish
rnent for some-theV imagine that bears other
ferocIous animals are the room. Some cannot go
down a cellar by day, or step over TO their
neighbors after sundown. Familiar stumps become
robbers animals at night, and the teldS when are
pa vgrounds by day teen with ghosts and spirits
few hours later
Darkness is the most favorable condition for the
av of the imagination; but this does not explain
shielded from danger should imagine all sorts OF
horrible and terrifying things rather than pleasant
ones. The reason seems 70 be the tact that IN the
past history of the painful and dangerous eX-
periences at night have been very much more
numerous than happy, pleasant ones, and these
have left their indeble impressions upon the soul
stuff which the child nherlts. Only two cases IN
all our returns writes President Hall, report
exemption from this fear Often IN the
best born and most carefully shielded and healthy
they break out suddenly on the slightest
or none at all. and overwhelm all con-
troll predispose to, actually cause deep seated
nervous disorders
FEAR OF SoLIrUDE-Some children dread nothing
more than TO be left alone If they even dream that
they are alone in the house they awake crying and
trembling all over. Young woman writes that all
through her school days she had namelesS dread
of being left alone in the house, as she often was
everything within seemed gloomy and awful Every
few minutes she would 90 out and look every way
to see if some one was not coming. Every effort at
diversion was vain The clock tlcked so loud that
she could feel the silence, which almost stunned
her 1t felt as if everybody was dead. | would
sing and do the most unusual things, watch the
clock the approach Of night dread every preposter-