ound the wall. "I can never get used to electric
lights at Eleanor's," said she. "And I don't see the place here, at
all."

She searched for the switches some time in vain, but at length
discovered them and succeeded in extinguishing the lights of the room
the pair were in. But the lights of the adjoining rooms still burned
with brilliancy.

"Oh, dear!" she sighed softly. Then she appealed to her husband.

Uncle Rufus, who had nearly fallen asleep while his wife had been
searching, spoke without opening his eyes. "Shut all the doors and leave
'em going," he advised,

"Oh, no, I can't do that! Think of the cost, running all night so."

"I reckon they can afford it," he commented drowsily.

But Aunt Ruth continued to hunt, first in the large outer room which
looked like a drawing-room, and possessed an elaborate central
electrolier whose control, even after she discovered the switch, caused
the little lady considerable perplexity. When she had at length
succeeded in extinguishing the illumination she returned, guided by the
lights in the other rooms. The bathroom keys were soon found, and then
she applied herself to discovering those in the dressing-room. These
eluded her for some minutes, but at length, all lights being turned off,
Aunt Ruth found herself in total darkness. She groped about in it for
some time without success, for the heavy curtains had been closely
drawn, and not a ray of light penetrated the spacious rooms from any
quarter. After having followed the wall for what seemed an interminable
distance without reaching a recognizable position, she was forced to
call to her husband. He was asleep, and responded only after being many
times addressed. Then he sat up in bed.

"Hey? What? What's the matter?" he inquired anxiously, peering into the
darkness.

"Nothing, dear--only I couldn't find the bed after I turned the lights
out. Keep on talking, and I'll work my way to you," answered his wife's
voice from some distance.

Guided by his voice--he found plenty to say on the subject of putting
people to bed in the midst of large, unfamiliar spaces--she groped her
way to his side. He put out a gentle hand to welcome her, and as she
took her place the two fell to laughing softly over the whole situation.

"Why," said Uncle Rufus, "for all I've slept for forty years in the same
room--and a pretty sizable room I've always thought it--I've never got
so I could plough a straight furrow through it in the dark.