The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1921-11-04
In the Dark
A Fright and an Awakening.
BY AGNES G. BROGAN.
Copyright, 1921, W. N. W


been left behind, the invigorating
breeze coming sweet and fresh across
the lake, the chirping of birds in the
evergreens overhead brought back,
with an old sense Of joyous freedom, va
cations spent long since in this same
great Assembly.
Above, the trees arched close like
the roof of some green cathedral,
while beneath them scattered little
winding streets Of gayly painted
houses.
In the distance was the big hotel,
and there, in the very center of the
grounds, stretched the amphitheater.
1t was here In the old days that Gym
thia had sung in the children's choir,
here now that she hoped to hear far
famed speakers, brought to bestow
their %eloquence upon the favored men,
bers Of the Assembly.
Cynthia's admiration for a man who
had achieved was something akin to
W AS president of the Home Lit
erary club she hoped to obtain a per-
sonal interview with the coming great
speaker and noted divine, whose bril-
liant articles had caused widespread
comment, not only in her own country,
but in those across the seas.
Her friend and hostess of the cot
tage had arranged to make the meet
ing possible. And what a triumph
would be her report to he club. Gym
thia's eyes shOne in proud anticipation.
She would write out her own questions
to the great man and memorlze them,
that there might be no mistake In their
construction.
In order to accomplish this thought
fully, Cynthia took a long walk through
the wood. When she returned, Grace,
her hostess, greeted her jubilantly.
"Such luck" she exclaimed. Or.
Raymond Randall, the speaker, is to
be entertained at Miller's, next door.
You will have a fine chance to meet
him."
Dif'idently, Cynthia glanced over her
shoulder at the red bungalow on the
left.
"Silly - her friend Knocked her, "the
reverend gentleman does not arrive
until tomorrow, and I believe you are
trembling now at the mere thought Of
facing him."
"It's not that, exactly" Cynthia de-
MED, "but one feels that one must be
so proper In every respect before such
a Parsonage. Would yOu--would you
wear your gray frock II you were me,
as something quiet and suitable in
taste"
"He will probably not know wheth-
er your frock is gray or red," Grace
assured her; "the mans head is so full
Of ethics and 'isms.'"
So that evening Cynthia decided to
remain at home alone, while the 9th
ers attended the lecture. She wished
to rest after her journey, and to pre-
pare herself for the treat of the next
night to come.
Grace pointed out to her the lighting
button beneath the stair In the lower
hall as they departed.
"When 1t grows dark" she eau
toned. "press the button to light thu
upper hall before you ascend. W.
will leave the veranda and garden
lights going"
1t was truly a pretty sight, the lit
tie electric bulbs cleaning here ant
there among the trees, making thu
grounds as bright as day. Far out b!
the lake the hotel windows CLEANED
as with a hundred eyes, and she coult
glimpse the gay colors of the thronl
in the amphitheater.
One by one cottage doors wer
locked, as at the toll of the bell thei
inmates hurried off to meeting.
It came upon Cynthia PRESENT.
that in the vast, lighted stiffness sh
was a creature alone. Alone in he
tree-vaulted cathedral, the wash o
the waves cam to her rhythmically
distantly. It was rather eerie. Sh
laughed softly at the strangeness o
the situation. She would go to tn
upper veranda and read, she decided
some thrilling magazine tale tina
would put from her mind for the tim
empty locked houses and queer rustlln
sounds in the grass.
She found the designated butte
and pressed 1t, so that when she cam
to the top of the stairs the hall wa
lighted to receive her. She left 1t S
and went out to her favOrite seat !
the hammock. The tale was mo-
absorbing; in its perusal she forge
the Assembly, the absent friends, tn
very balcony upon which she was 81
ting.
Enthralled, she bent lower over tn
book and then-Cynthia street.-the
forth her hands; a deep, ~impenetrab
darkness enveloped her, darkne'
around about, darkness as she straine
her eyes above. AS realization can
slowly, her heart resumed its norm
beating. OF course, it was the ele
tricity which had failed; in a m
ment II would be on again.
But far away twinklea 'rhts
the hotel, and the am j." W;