Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-05-03
QUITE In THE DARK.
Blind men, Ii

| hShhH AhNiiy toNCNCi Dtitu tllti
remaining senses may become, woult
not exactly be selected rs the fittes
agents for the purpose in which one,
found myself engaged. Still there is M
knowing to what they may have to pu
their wits, and although have no pre-
| tentions to being sharper than the RES
of my fellow sufferers, or claim the pos
session of any special dodginess, YET
there is no doubt when one has to rely
very persistently on all ones facultie.
in order to keep fairly abreast Of ordi
nary nortals it is wonderful how quick
the apprehension and the power Of
drawing conclusions become You are
not concerned with the history of my
infirInity lost my sight and SC
forth--it is enough fer the present pur
pose If | say that have been blind foi
some twenty years-that | have grown
quite accustomed and reconciled to my
fate, and without making light of il
have ceased to think about it, or re-
gard it as interfering materially with
the ordinary conduct OF daily life.
Very well. then. CHANGED some
three years ago to be staying with some
friends in their country house, not very
far from London, but nevertheless sit
uated in a delightfully."- rural and Sc
cluded district. My host and hostess
lived in good style, kept much com
pany, and entertained in munificent
fashion. Most of their friends, too,
were wealthy, and the jewelry, as l
was told, which occasionally sparkled
within those hospitable walls repre-
sented large sums of money. 1t was a
thoroughly easy going establishment
meals were made movable festivals, to
suit the varied arrangements which a
sometimes entailed
The month was August. The weather
was fine and hot, and on the particular
evening in question it so happened the
dinner was to partake Of the character
of supper, to suit the convenience of the
house party, who We're going on some
picnic boating excursion on the neigh
boring Thames.
Now, did not join them for two
RESPONSIBILITY, because | wanted to
enjoy the quiet and peace of the house,
gardens and shruLbery when entirely
deserted secondly, because, always
rather n bad sleeper, | had been more
than usually wakeful for some nights,
and | determined to go to bed early
and take certain narcotic which had
been recommended as quite harmless
and exceedingly pleasant. II consisted
of a powder, and the directions said it
was to be mixed with pint bottle of
light claret--a glass or two of which
might be taken on going to bed or in
the course of the night, If occasion re-
quired. Early in the evening secured
the wine from the butler, and myself
mixed it with the drug by simply shoot
ing the latterdeNterously into the bottle
Then lshook it, corked it and stood it on
the bed table, with large claret glass,
to be ready for use when | retired for
the night, This | did, as | proposed a
little before 10, at which time | was the
sole occupant of the house, with the
exception of the servants, Their quar-
tiers, with kitchens, etc, lay at the ex-
IRENE opposite wing from that in which
my bedroom was situated.
Thus, as | crept up the main staircase
with the aid of my stick, and by feeling
the well known landmarks by which
am always able to guide myself after
very little practice along passages and
corridors, my footsteps echoed strange
ly, and was conscious that an unusual
air of solitude pervaded the place. OF
course the autumn twilight had faded
into night by this time, but that made
no difference to Tie, and equally, Of
course, carried no chamber candle.
Somehow, nevertheless, had Il strange
feeling of not quite liking the solitude
a sensation akin to nervousness, |
suppose it would be called Unaccus.
toned to regard myself as n coward. |
yet could have wished that the house
had not seemed quite so lonely 1t was
a vague, vain and ridiculous idea. |
knew-still the nearer | got To my
room the more it possessed me- When
| laid my hand on the lock for a mo
uent it quite overwhelmed me, and
need hardly say that when found the
door resist my effort to open it my dis
comtiture was complete. Then. after
moment pulled myself together, feel
ing heartily ashamed of the rapidity
with which my heart was beating
Another push at the door, and it
opened partially -enough to admit me
Something had fallen inside and
blocked it, l stopped to discover what
it was, and presently my fingers lighted
on wedge shaped block of wood with
a screw sticking partially through it.
This had caused the jam. But what
could it be- However, left it on the
door, closed the door and walked slow
~ toward the window, knowing every
step of the way nearly as we'll as You
would with your eyes. The window
a French one-opening ON to small
balcony, to my surprise was not closed,
as | am certain left it an hour or two
earlier when brought up the wine to
my room. You might think these little
would have increased my
they had contrary eff
feet; at least every sensation was swal-
lowed up in surprise and curiosity as to
what could have hammered
However, | began TO slowly undress