Evening star., 1936-06-24
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

think nine-tentf1s of the population away
for the evening.
Nine-tenths of the people are at home,
where they belong. enjoying life. missing
the jolts of the public vehicles, the rank
odors Of gasoline, the heat and roar of
the streets.
They are at home, enjoying the cool
Of the evening, the comfortable friend
ships OF those they know and love best
Old dog Fido stretches out on the lawn
There are soft chirps of birds which
hate to go to bed, but go to bed they
do, protesting gently in musical tones
from time to time.
There are crickets chirping, the sounds
OF radio some place, the drone of talk,
the inner comfort of a cool drink.
*F*
Above all is the spectacle so old yet
ever new, the magic change of light into
darkness, old when Akhnaton watched
It. new when Cheops was lad, old for
the youngest today. new for the oldest in
the garden, or on the sun porch or the
open porch, or the terrace in front or
behind the house.
"Out Of darkness, light" said the noble
motto, but here in the twilight the idea
is reversed
Now it reads: "Out of light, darkness. -"
This is the fateful hour, not when
witches appear, but simply when light
gradually gives place to darkness.
Motion pictures can give the spectator
this in few seconds, but it is crudely
done, after all, compared with this per-
feet interchange, gradual tempering of
light with darkness, slow-motion change
from the positive element to the mega
tive, darkness. Out of darkness, light.
said the ancients, because that was the
more dramatic change. but every evening
Nature gives us the other phase of the
eternal drama which goes on just the
same. whether any individual or any
group Of individuals watches it or not.
**x
And then II you want lamps to look
bright and sparkling no matter whether
meter tests show the current below par
or not, keep them off until well after
complete darkness has come.
What brightness. then, after they are
turned on!
1t is by such simple means that life
is made happier, not so much by great
N'S4aSo A4oPRCAA JOoG a ACn
or perhaps never, in any life.
The man or woman who is able to
make small daily events such as waiting
for darkness before turning on lights. a
part of the daily life, who has given
some thought to such matters and seen
them good, is in the position of a ring
side spectator at the big fight.
He misses nothing that goes on and
does not get in the crowd and surge to
get out the gates, but permits the rest
of the crowd to jam, while he brings
up the rear. He is not in hurry, but
takes it easy. and gets out finally only
few minutes behind the rest, but in
good shape.
Sitting in the dark brings with it a
certain good vacancy of mind which is
excellent. in view of the complexity of
modern life. "Ninety-five per cent Of our
risk is moral" says the accident insur-
ance man to you, after you have been
injured while riding in a bus. You are
viewed with suspicion. even before you
sign up, and If you do.
Here. in the garden. or on the porch,
there is no risk at all. no suspicion. no
nothing, as the ungrammatical but force
ful popular saying has it, Nothing, that
is. except beauty, peace and the music
OF the brides in the trees. saying their
last good nights to each other