Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-06-27
The Night of a
Thousand Years
By IRVING BACHELOR. |
Copyrighted by Daily Story Pub. Coz

lie WAS "a man I had been looking
for I was entering upon dark
and unknown ways of life when I met
Riggs, who stood at the edge of the
darkness selling lanterns. They were
his speciality. He would sell you an
chors and fathoms of chain and rope
enough to hang you to the moon, but
his lights" were the great attraction
of Riggs. He had every kind of Ian
tern that had ever swung on land or
sea. After dark, when light was
streaming out of it's open door and
sky window, Riggs looked like an old
time lantern itself. 1t was a rickety
frame house standing under steep
roof close to the pavement. The peak
had sagged in the middle, and its caves
hung over the sidewalk in a warped
line that one might touch with his
hand in passing. An old ships Ian
tern swung on an iron crane above the
door, 1t was low, broad door
planned for a time where men had big.
round bellies and nothing to do but
fill them and heads not yet too far
above their business. 1t challenged
the eye with its big knocker and mas
sive iron latch. The shop had one
little window gone blind with dust
and cobwebs, so that it resembled the
dim eye of age. A broken bowsprit
sand a ships anchor leaned against +he
bleaching clapbeards. Coils of rope
and rusty chain, blocks and heavy
bolts, a steering wheel and an old
brass compass lay near the door.
Inside were rows of lanterns hang
ing on the bare beams and rafters,
and Riggs, who sat beside a bench.
and gave orders to the lad who served
him, in a drawing. sleepy voice. Ap
old Dutch. lantern, its light softened
with green glass, sent a silver beam
across the gloomy upper air of the
shop every evening. Riggs had been
blind for many years, but there was a
heaven full of light in him for all that.
I shall never forget that evening I
came to the little shop. The boy had
put out all the lights but one-an Nd
tin lantern with spray of lights
bursting through its perforated sides.
Riggs was showing it to some
stranger. AS he held it aloft the
little lantern looked like sast1e tow
er, it's many windows lighted, and as
he set it down there was a golden
sprinkle on the floor, as if a stone had
splashed, upon some magic, sunlight
pool there in the darkness. Riggs
lifted the lantern presently, and stood
swinging it in his hand. Then its rays
shone upon the darkness, falling 81
lently into every nook and corner of
the gloomy shop and breaking into
flowing dapples on the roof and
walls.
'Here is little handful of daylight"
he said; and then came the words that
seemed to have been written for his
tongue:
Hail. holy light. Offspring of Heavens
first born
His deep voice rose and fell, riding
this mighty rhythm of inspired song
until he reached the words:
'sThat may see and tell of things invisi-
BILE to mortal sight
When he had finished he sat down
and, holding the lantern between his
knees, opened its door and, as the light
streamed out upon his hands, rubbed
them time, silently. as if washing
them in the flood of light.
''Blind?" said the stranger.
NO." said he, "only dreaming as you
are-both of you"
1t seemed strange to me he should
think we were dreaming.
went to bed one night" he contin-
ned, stroking his long, white beard,
land saw the lights go out and the
dark; and it's never come morning. /