 In just a moment auto light presents suspense starring Rosalind Russell How is mr. Auto light by Cornelius Wilcox is fine December evening by Cornelius fit as a fiddle hap How's yourself all set for winter? Yep overcoat data moth balls. Yep. I storm windows up snow shovel on the back porch Well, auto lights stay full battery in your car Hello, you know friend when the bottom drops right out of the thermometer You'll appreciate a dependable auto light stay full battery more than ever Why everybody ought to switch to auto light for those auto lights stay full batteries are just loaded with extra features First they have an extra large liquid reserve need water only three times a year in normal car use what an extra And what's more here's the next auto light stay full battery extra Harlow? suspense Auto light and its 60,000 dealers and service stations bring you Radio's outstanding theater of thrills Starring tonight. Miss Rosalind Russell in Anton leaders production of the sisters A tale well-calculated to keep you in Suspends here is one. I think would be very lovely. It has a far superior lining pure silk much heavier than the others We've looked at Do you care for this one miss Haskell? Yes, that's very nice But I believe I'd like to see something Perhaps even a little better. Oh, of course if you will just step over this way miss Haskell Now here here is an exquisite casket something that really does honor to the departed. Yes It's beautiful now the interior is just the same as the last but the casket itself is a bronze solid bronze Won't that be rather heavy? Oh, yes, but not too heavy. Will they be six Paul bearers? I don't know where it doesn't matter really four men can carry this very easily very Miss Haskell I want you to notice the floral design you're all hand wrought every bit of it And oh, yes notice the seams in this casket airtight and watertight guaranteed You know, of course how important that is yes Yes But this casket in a hundred years or even 200 years will be just as strong and work just as beautiful as it does on this stand today You couldn't buy a finer piece of workmanship. How much would this one be? Please this casket a juravo by the way juravo for durability We say in the trade. This casket is priced at $775 We can't bring back the departed our only solace is the knowledge that we have done them the last possible honor very well I'll take this one. Oh, I'm sure you are making a very wise choice in all my years as a mortician I've never found a family that regretted money spent on a juravo Now, uh, let me see. I'll give you a check. Oh, that won't be necessary. Not immediately after the funeral will do Oh, by the way, we haven't mentioned it our um, are we handling the funeral arrangements? I don't know yet Oh Well, uh, you want the casket delivered uh somewhere? No I'd like you to hold it for a while, please Hold it but uh for how long? For three weeks Three weeks I don't understand. Uh, who is the party the uh deceased? Who is the casket for? It's for me And Lydia you've been gone all afternoon. I've been shopping. But did you buy did you get the ribbons? I asked for? No, I didn't have time Oh, I wanted some new ribbons. These are all worn out. See, Lydia Ellie, I wish you'd stop putting ribbons in your hair like a schoolgirl. You're almost 40 years old I know Lydia. I know then try to act like it Oh hand me my sewing and light the lamp. It's getting dark I wonder why we have to grow old Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had always stayed young like we used to be? Remember when mother used to send us out to school with our ribbons matching and our dresses matching And at the end of the day, no one would even guess we were sisters because I was always so must and you were always so clean Oh, I wish we were young again, Lydia. Stop talking nonsense Ellie. It is nonsense, isn't it? Oh the doorbell rang while you were out just before you came home You didn't answer us. Oh, no, you told me never to answer I just looked out of the upstairs window Did you see who it was? Oh, yes. Yes. It was a man a rather big man He rang a long time and then he went away. He didn't see you. Did he? Oh, no I just peeked ever so carefully from behind the curtains Then I came down here and watched him going down the walk. You came downstairs I told you never to come down those stairs when I'm not in this house. It was all right, Lydia I held on very tight to the banisters all the way and I didn't once look down the stairwell So I didn't get dizzy and I didn't want to jump. Well, don't do it again It was just that I was lonely. I didn't think you were ever coming home Lydia, you didn't tell me what you bought A deravo What's that? What's a deravo? Don't ask so many questions Ellie. All right Lydia, I think I'll sew too. I could fix up one of these old ribbons here May I Lydia? Yes, you're so it will be good for you. Thank you Lydia yes, Lydia could I go shopping someday? Don't be a fool Oh, I'm sorry I just thought that No, I suppose you're right. It wouldn't do Not yet. Lydia sing with me. You know, I never sing There wasn't any mail today. Wasn't there? No I thought perhaps there'd be a letter from David It's been such a long time since he's written, hasn't it? I haven't noticed. Oh, yes He used to write every week on Tuesday and I'd get the letter on Thursday But there wasn't one this week or last of the week before that Strange isn't it? But perhaps he's been busy Perhaps Still he never used to be too busy to write I can't understand it Do you suppose there's some other reason? What are you trying to say to me Ellie? Are you hinting perhaps I'm keeping your mail from you? Oh, no. Well, you certainly seem to be Why should I keep David's letters from you? But I didn't say that I just said it was strange that David hasn't written that's all You wouldn't keep David's letters. I know that Lydia Go on with your sewing. Yes I want to finish this ribbon Mm-hmm stop singing that stop it But Lydia it's a him. I don't care. I said stop I'll learn something else. That's all you sing day and night day and night same tune over and over now stop it Lydia sometimes you frighten me The way you look at me you make me think that That perhaps I'm not getting well That perhaps I'm still Crazy I'm not still crazy. Am I Lydia? Good evening. Are you miss Lydia Haskell? Yes Well, can I speak to you for a minute? I was here this afternoon. There was no one home What is it, please? We had a call from dawn brothers the undertakers. I'm from the police department. Oh really? I don't see what the police could want with me Come in if you wish. Thank you sit down. Yeah, thank you Well, there's nothing we want miss Haskell except it's sort of unusual for a woman to order a casket for herself Unusual I've heard of many cases of that kind People who are alone in the world. There's no one else to look after things. Oh, yes, sure. I know Only it's a little more unusual when you can name the date The uh the undertaker said you wanted the casket held for three weeks Why three weeks? There must be some reason for it There is I'm going to die I shall die in three weeks or perhaps even before There's no doubt in my mind about it. And that's why I've ordered the casket You may call it a Premonition if you want Maybe I could also call it suicide Well, that's why I'm here miss Haskell I don't know whether you know it but suicide's a crime in the eyes of the state A crime for which there is no punishment Not if it's successful. No, but there is prevention. I know I'm going to die. I feel it But I have no intention of taking my own life There's no need to do so Miss Haskell this premonition as you call it. Uh, have you any idea what I've brought it on? No Have you been speaking to anyone? No fortune tellers or anything like that? No Oh, what makes you so sure? How do you know you can trust this premonition? You're not an old woman. I I'd say you're in pretty good health You've got a lot of good years ahead of you. I have a religion not a church religion Just one of my own It preaches that people go on living until they've outgrown their usefulness Then they die from one cause or another When that time comes the desire to live is gone And only desire keeps the body and soul alive and breathing I don't understand that I'm sorry Miss Haskell do you live alone here? Yes, no relations. No housekeeper. I live alone here Yeah, it's a pretty large house for a person living alone There are three floors and far too many rooms But it's on the outskirts of town. It's quiet and it gives me the privacy I've been looking for a privacy which you are invading for the first time since I moved here five years ago I'm sorry miss Haskell. I'm only doing my job. I was told to look you up and find out why you bought that casket Then I think we may assume your job is over I guess so but the office might ask me to drop back once in a while just to keep in touch, you know I won't be at home. Why you don't go out very much. I ask the folks in town say they don't even see you more than once a week When you come I won't be at home All right, I'm sorry to bother you. Good night. Good night Oh miss Haskell How are you going to die? I don't know nor do I consider it important. Why should you? Good night. Good night For suspense Auto light is bringing you miss Rosalind Russell in radio's outstanding theater of thrills suspense Extra hear all about the big extras you get with the wonderful auto light stay full battery How can I help hearing extra number one auto light stay full batteries have an extra large liquid reserve need water only three times a year in Normal car use why an auto light stay full battery can give aces to an oasis and still have water to spare Here we go extra number two auto light stay full batteries have extra large electrical capacity That means extra power when you need it most by Cornelius and listen to me friend You don't want to get caught with your battery down. So get an auto light stay full battery right away Set them up in the other alley. 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Hono your heart by Cornelius friend if you knew what I know You'd switch to auto light stay full batteries right now You'd pop into your puddle jumper pour on the power and set off at a peppy pace down to your nearest auto light dealer For a splendid new auto light stay full battery the battery with all the extras Why the thought of all those extra features makes me excited exhilarated exalted Exhaust you'll be an ex-announcer if you don't be quiet and listen to suspense And now auto light brings back to our hollywood soundstage Miss rusland russell as lydia with miss lorraine tuttle as ellie in The sisters a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense After he'd gone I stood there in the hall thinking Perhaps I'd made a mistake Perhaps I shouldn't have gone to the morticians I have thought it would be so clever But I hadn't thought he might become suspicious center policeman Send someone snooping around asking questions trying to find out things I was so upset thinking about it. I I hadn't heard her come down the stairs Ellie what are you doing down here? What are you doing sitting on the steps in the dark lydia haven't I told you never to come down here at night lydia? What do you want? I heard that man who was here Lydia why did you buy the casket? Why are you going to die? You must lydia you mustn't die. I'd be alone if you died And you know what would happen. They'd send me away like they did once before The people in the town would come and find me living here and they'd send me away Go up to bed ellie go to sleep. Can I sleep? Oh lydia you won't die promise me you won't. I promise you now go to bed But why did you buy the casket? And the things you said to that man is if you wanted to die. Why lydia? Why do you want to die? I don't want to die. No one does. You have such a lot to live for haven't you ellie? Yes I've been happy lydia you made me happy And someday when i'm well again i'll go back home And david will be waiting for me You know he'll be there. You've always told me he'd be waiting And he'll see that i'm well again and you'll take me back I'm not so old am I? David won't see me as old He told me that that when i was well no matter how long it took he'd still see me as a young girl That's why i've been happy Just waiting for the time i can go back to david. Haven't you heard yet? And haven't you learned it? Don't you know yet that you're mad and you'll always be mad? No Don't say that. I'm getting better lydia You know i'm getting better. Yes, of course putting bows in your hair sewing ribbons all day long Sneaking about the house at night spying on me singing the same hymn over and over and over until i think i'm going mad too Is that why you want to die to get away from me why i thought you loved me lydia? Why should i love you? Look what life has given me and tell me why you've always spoiled everything for me even from the time we were children Why how could i spoil everything? We were just like the same child lydia twins You were i and i was you we looked the same yes We were born the same day. Yes, and that's where it ended You were the nice one i used to hear them say so you were even the prettiest they said as if they could see any difference between us Well, whatever you wanted you had you smiled so beautifully and i never smiled I was the sullen one the dark cloud in the house. You made it so lydia. We all love you when your doll was broken They gave you mine when you tore your dancing dress. You took mine. You gave it to me lydia I remember you gave it to me. You gave it to me. I've always given things to you I've given you my whole life. I even gave you david You were in love with david He came to our house Was it you he came to see? Oh lydia i didn't know You never knew No one did I had to stand by and and watch you take him from me And when you had your first attack i was glad People said it was a shame, but i was glad because i knew that he could never have you Oh, yes, you were going away and be cured. He was going to wait It wouldn't matter how long he waits. You'll never be cured and he'll never have you never You hate me You've always hated me. I see it now Even when you've been taken care of me when we came to this town you didn't bring me here, so i'd be cured You wanted to keep me this way man That's why you took me out of that place Because they might have made me well again. Go upstairs. You hate me And now you're going to die. You leave me without anyone. I will not die. Oh ellie ellie, i'm sorry we had this quarrel I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that i'm upset myself and tired I didn't mean the things i said you bought a cask and it was only an idea i had in case anything ever happened to me You bought a cask was it for yourself? Or is it for me ellie you wouldn't You wouldn't would you let you what are you talking about? Hold the lamp up hold it close to you I want to see your face Go up to bed. I can see it in your eyes It is for me You're going to kill me You're going to murder me. Don't be a fool ellie. It's true. You want to get rid of me Because you hate me I see you love david and you're going to kill me and they'll come and find me and bury me And they'll think it's you quiet That's why you bought the casket They'll think it's you who is there because no one knows i'm living here And then you'll go away and and and you'll go back to tape and you'll say that lydia has died And he'll think you are me and that you're well again And he'll marry you You'll have him you'll be ellie You'll have david in my place Did you hear what i said be quiet? I'll go upstairs and get to bed Oh lydia Can you be so wicked It did dear you mustn't think anymore about what we said tonight Do you hear? It's not so ellie. It's just your imagination. You mustn't think about it It will be bad for you. Are you asleep ellie? She's not asleep. She's lying over there on the other side of the room staring at me through the dark She knows it was the truth tonight. She was going to die. I'm going to kill her That quarrel. I shouldn't have let her know. I lost my temper stupid now. I must Oh, I must think clearly What was my plan? How was I going to kill her? It mustn't look like murder. There's suspect things and it must be suicide And it must be soon other she knows She's starting again. She's singing again that him that him. No, no. I must be calm Don't get excited think clearly How was I going to kill her? Oh, I wish it were over I could go back then Back to david How quickly she's thought through that That I'd go back in her place But he'll never suspect I'll be ellie to him ellie could and happy again I'll learn to smile At first she must die which way is best the stairs Of course the stairwell She gets dizzy if she looks down into the stairwell Yes, it will be so easy in a day or two that policemen will come back to the house They'll find her and they'll think it's me the stairwell Three floors from the attic here three floors straight down It's so easy when you think clearly the stairwell, of course You mustn't cry anymore You hear me? Are you afraid of the dark? I'll light the lamp for you. There dear That's better, isn't it? Why you're shivering. Are you cold come? Put your wrapper on we'll go down to the parlor and light a fire And I'll make a nice cup of hot milk for you. Come ellie. No ellie stop acting like this Now now come dear. Here's your wrapper Put it around your shoulders That's a girl now get up get up now I'll carry the lamp Give me your hand dear Why you're cold as ice Now be careful Walk slowly There we are Now hold on to the banister dear That's right I'll hold the lamp up high so you can see better It's right here dear. You see ellie you must get over that here Look ellie Just look down There's nothing to frighten you Look down the stairwell ellie. No, I'm holding you dear now. Just lean over and look down You can see all the way Don't make me look don't make me. It's nothing. There's nothing nothing at all. Are you dizzy? I'm holding you Let me go. I can't stand it. Come closer. Lean over. Lean over. No no. Do you hear ellie? Let me get back. Ellie look down. No It was brought to my mind of course because this is the house just here. This one? The next one we're coming to yes She was in Duceus just a few days ago came in to order the casket She saw a casket she wanted and then she told me it was for herself Hmm. She must have had a premonition. I notified the police of course why she said she wanted me to hold a casket three weeks Then just the day before yesterday the police came back to the house here And found her lying at the bottom of the stairwell dead though. She'd been dead about two days Funny how she knew as the banister up on the attic floor broke away and she fell Did she have any people? No, let alone they tell me We're going to bury her tomorrow. Haskell the name was Haskell Strange living all by herself here in a big three-story frame house. Yes, isn't it? Say Well, what is it? My imagination I guess I could have sworn I saw a light in the attic window just now Oh, I couldn't have been the police have shut it up Yes, yes, of course That story of yours really gave me the creeps. Let's walk on What a queer thing the power of suggestion is you've conveyed it to me Well, you you know just now I thought I could hear someone upstairs in there a woman a woman singing a woman Yes, sort of uh crooning to herself Some kind of him Look supposing just supposing you didn't already have an auto light stay full battery in your car What would be the first thing you'd do tomorrow morning? Eat breakfast Then what? Well, then uh, right, right You'd make hay with your coupé right straight down to your nearest auto light dealer and ask for an auto light stay full battery That beautifully built battery with the biggest bunch of bonus features you ever saw Why that auto light stay full battery needs water only three times a year in normal car use Has extra electrical capacity and an extra long life What's more friends the auto light people make over 400 other automotive aviation and marine parts in their 26 nationwide plants Every part famous for its auto light engineered Dependability and remember friends Auto light means batteries stay full batteries Auto light means spark plugs ignition engineered resistor spark plugs Auto light means ignition systems the lifeline of your car And now here again is miss rusland russell It has been a great pleasure to appear here tonight Unsuspense and I want to thank tony leader and his fine cast And especially lorenne tettle for her splendid performance as ellie I know none of you will want to miss james cagney's appearance next week on radio's outstanding theater of thrills In a story called no escape another gripping study in suspense Miss rusland russell may currently be seen in the independent artist production the velvet touch tonight suspense play the sisters was written by George wells with music composed by lucian morroweck and conducted by led bluskin The entire production was under the direction of anton m leader In the coming weeks suspense will present such stars as ronald colman, william bendix, ethel barrymore, frank sanatra and many others Make it a point to listen each thursday to suspense radio's outstanding theater of thrills And next thursday same time here james cagney in no escape This is the auralight suspense show Auralight salutes the automotive industry on the occasion of the observance tonight in detroit of the production of the 100 million Motor vehicle. Good night switch to auralight This is cbs the columbia broadcasting system