The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-03-26

~
w sonally of the brighter
W side of this war situa-
ton? It's everybody's business
today to find that side, and pass
along to his neighbor whatever
tends to lift our hearts. For
there's a black shadow over the
world, and until it passes we
must help one another to see
shining through it the same old
guiding lights of faith, hope and
charity.
Here's something that may save
some of the women who live far in
land some hours of anxiety. My
home is on the Pacific coast, be-
tween San Francisco, on the north,
and all the many army and navy
bases that are strung along down to
San Diego, on the south.
After Pearl Harbor we had bad
scare, and we leaped into action
with that passion of patriotism that
stirred the whole country. Pearl
Harbor's tragedy was on Sunday;
on Monday night, just as a family
dinner got under way, we had our
first wild siren call for a blackout.
Two minutes later the town lights
were extinguished and everything
went pitch black whether anyone
liked it or not.
It was a balmy December night,
with stars. Everyone rushed out of
doors and voices were heard at all
the gates and gardens in neighborly
fashion, and since many of these
voices were young, may as well
admit that most of them were ex-
cited and laughing. People talked to
one another as they never would do
in broad daylight; a few women ex-
pressed uneasiness, but they were
few, and the general tone was rather
like that I remember at the time of
the great earthquake OF 1906.
Gee, something's happening!
Let's get into it,"
Gaiety in Blackout.
After awhile we all went indoors
and each in his own house began to
arrange a blackout room. We Sc
lected the living-room, kitchen and
pantry. In no time, by the light of
candle that belonged on birthday
cake, we were standing on chairs
pinning and mailing things in place,
and going into gales of laughter as
the unaccustomed inconvenience of
total darkness began to make itself
felt. And after awhile the lights
came on again.
The next blackout, a night or two
later, imposed upon each household
the necessity of complete darkness.
And again the street was filed with
friends chattering and laughing and
looking up at the December stars.
Newly appointed wardens made
their rounds; husbands asked wives
in undertones whether it would be
all right to light cigarette. To see
a dim glow in neighbours house
became a sort of game. There's
light in your basement" Look,
George, not a glimmer from the
kitchen!"
We've had one blackout since. 1t
was brief, to cover-rumor said lat
er-troop movements. We have war
dens now, everybody is doing some
thing, everybody is ready, but I have
known only one woman to be really
scared. She is anyway, and has
been raising bogies to brighten her
self for years.
Years ago she selected cook be-
cause she was big, strong woman
who would keep poor Elise from be-
ing attacked in the night. But when
a terrible case was described in the
papers of a single man who went
into a house where six persons were
peacefully playing cards, and killed
the lot, Elise moved her family to
a hotel. Now she's moved them
again, from the second to the fourth
story, which, rumor again says, is