The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-06-18


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 its open door and
sky window, Riggs looked like an old
time lantern itself. 1t was a rickety
frame house standing under a 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 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 % that it resembIed the
dim eye of age. A broken bowsprit
and ships anchor leaned against the
bleaching clapboards. 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 drawing, sleepy voice. AID
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.
1 shall never forget that evening I
came to the little shop. The boy had
put out all the lights but one-an old
tin lantern with a spray of lights
bursting through it's perforated sides.
Riggs was showing it to some
stranger. AS he held it aloft the
little lantern looked like a castle tow
er, it's many windows lighted, and as
he set it down there was golden
sprinkle on the floor, as if stone had
splashed upon some ma gle, 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 si-
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:
That I may see go I'll 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 a 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"
think we were dreaming.
''Went to bed one night" he contin-
ued, stroking his long, white beard,
land saw the lights go out and the
dark; and it's never come morning.
went into a dream after I'd gone to
bed and dreamed that l vas blind.
And then l thought | woke up and
could hear my shipmates dressing. And,
says L: it's a terrible dark morning.
And l thought they laughed and
said it was broad daylight, and wanted
to know what was the matter. And
i heard myself ask:
"'Ain't it night?' And 1 heard them
answer:
Night, why, man, We must be
dreaming Then l thought / felt my
way back to my bunk; and I'm lying
there yet in dream and it seems very
long. And I've dreamed everything a
man could think of since then. You
see l was coming home to marry and
settle down. Thought / came home
and my mother and sister met me at
the dock. OF course l couldn't see
them, and I felt all over their faces
and heard them crying, just as if it was
real.
And, says 1, Where's Annie?' mean
ing the girl l was to marry; and L
they told me she was there.
and put her hand in mine and l tried
terrible to see her. I thought l sat I
down and cried and cried, and then !
happened to think that l was only
dreaming after all. ! dreamed that |
she went away and that my mother
died and that l started this little shop. |
Seems as if it was all real. and yet ] I
know I'm only dreaming. You men who /
come here to buy things and talk with (
me are only part of my dream. One .
day 1 thought a man came in and told !
me Annie was married. Well, sir, | /
sent the boy home and sat there in
the shop alone that evening. And by /
and by my sister came in and says she
to me: What are you crying for?'
and says I: Armies married.
" oh pshaw!' says she, you're only
dreaming. It'll all come right