Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-04-24
tn Night
MAGNlFlES

You have lain awake at night"
said a physician, land heard a mouse
gnawing at the woodwork somewhere
down in kitchen cupboard?"
His listener nodded.
How loud did it sound to you-as
loud as burglar splintering the door
iambs with a jimmy?"
Another nod
you have been awakened at 1870
a. N. by the crying of a teething in
FAINT next door,"
A shudder.
"And it sounded like the hoarse
murmurs and mingled mutations of
frenzied mob assembled outside to de-
mand somebody's blood?"
Partial collapse.
Along toward morning you have
listened to the thin, small voice of
mosquito circulating above your
head?"
An involuntary slap.
Did it sound like the screech of a
planning mill turning out clapboards
for barn?"
Two mods.
Would you have minded any of
those sounds in the daytime?"
A shake of the head.
Now, I have no doubt you think
that the seeming loudness of these
sounds was due to the contrasting ST.
lence of the night But take another
test. You have been in love?"
Um-um (without utterance.)
And do you remember how much
softer and warmer and more thrill
ing was the touch of your best girls
hand as you strolled with her on the
way home from singing-school at the
witching hour of half-past 9 p. m. than
1t was when you called in the forenoon
to ask if you might escort her to the
aforesaid vocal exercises?"
An unspoken yum yum.
WAS it the night silence, then, that
added the finishing touch?"
1T was not" the physician replied
TO his own question, noting his listen
er's look of uncertainty. Take an
other instance: You think you know
how to write-a little"
A smile of qualification.
well, you find yourself awake at
night and thinking A gem of an idea
suddenly sparkles in the darkness.
You surround it with epigrams and
while celebrating the setting you fall
asleep. What does this Jewel amount
to in the morning."
A sigh.
There you are You recall the idea
and some of the epigrams and little
Of the setting, and all of 1t is SO COM
monplace that you wouldn't think Of
trying to make anything presentable
out of It."
''The fact is" the physician went
on, "the night magnif1es. At night
our pleasures are more keen, our
pains more distressing, our small sue
cesses are triumphs, our little failures
are disasters, our family cherished
hopes appear before US as things re-
allied, our small worries as over
whelming calamities
you find yourself awake in the
night and your thoughts wander back
to some time in your youth when in
the presence of those older and wiser
you-as you now see it-were guilty
of some slight breach in department
or Of some little offense to good taste
In speech, and you dwell upon the
condemnation that must have fallen
upon you. In the morning If what you
we're dwelling upon so seriously oc-
ours to your mind at all you smile and
say to yourself that If your fault was
noticed by anybody at the time it was
too trivial for any one but you to re-
member
"The night magnifes," the physi-
clan repeated. Such things as I have
mentioned prove 1t. It is partly due
to the silence, but more to ourselves.
To account for the latter would keep
me talking.
But take it for granted that what
ever your cause fer worry at night it
will look smaller by daylight, and re-
fuse to dwell Cd 1t. If your anticipa-
tons are pleasant, nurse them, and
you will fall asleep. In the morning
you will not be downcast because your
magnifed hopes of the night seem un-
likely to be realized"