The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-05-16
Stlrrtt1 Sturu.
From the Sunday Times.
THE LAW YER'S SOLD DESK
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

Several years ago i, WAS my fate TO re
side, for lew months during the Spring
and Summer. in the unint.restiug little
town Of 3, New Jersey. ! never
shalt forget the sleepy quiet Of The spot,
nor the stupid soI"mnity Of its Inhabitants
The houses, al alike, and unshaded tv
ire. or shrub. stood in formal rows, like u
line Of dolninoes after recently finished
game. The sun beat down upon them
all day long, and seemed 10 have peelsI
the skin of the staring red roofs. so raN
aud glowing did 'hev appear. In every
garden lines OF wet linen were perpetual
" hanging out to dry, and every ps,Ior
window WAS perpe,ually closed. Walk
Ing through the streets, morning and af
iernoon. II strangers general impression
would have been that every house keeper
10 the place had just finished her only
washing, and WAS lying down TO take n
nap. The only buildings Of importance
in the place were the school house aud
The meeting house. aud The only amuse
ments not considered sinful were scandal
and donation parties and sewing socie
ties.
TIE house we inhabited was large and
old fashioned. Its last tenant had been.
it WAS said. lawyer; grave stone in
the church yard near by bare his Bame,
and up in an unused room on the upper
floor stood an old desk, which sas said
TO have been his properly. One day,
when the town seemed sleeper than usu
ni aud I xas dnnmab ,n s.v.r,I Lnn.s ,r
loneliness. | sscended TO the apartment
where this ancient article Of furniture was
placed, and began lstlessly to gaze from
the window which overlooked the whole
place, and even distant farm house or
two. There being no sea, in the room,
petched tn, self upon the desk which
have mentioned. and. to prevent myself
from slipping of, rested my hand upon
little moulding which ornamented the
back. ! had not remained 10 his posi-
ton many moments, when n sharp pain
caused me 10 start suddenly, aud looking
down to examine the cause, observed n
little spring, half hidden by the carving
which surrounded il. hrd seen a spring
like this before, and, knowing what il
purpo,ted, | eagerly pressed il with my
finger, and opened 10y its aid little Sc
ciei drawer, OF the existence OF which
had never before had the slightest suspi
cion. lr this drawer were several papers
and = small kid bag. rhe latter I open
ed immediately, aud found il contained
the miniature Of female and lock OF
curly hair. With my curiosity fully a.
reused. ] seized my treasure, and, running
down to my own little room, closed the
door, and seating myself ip my li,tle rock.
ing-chair, began TO examine IL at my leis.
ure. The portrait was that OF a very
young and lovely girl, whose hair CORE
sponded TO that Of the curly tress which
lay beside it. The papers we're four in
number; two were little notes Of invita-
tioD. written in lively familiar manner.
beginning, Dear Mark" and ending.
"Yonr cousin Stella" the third wac
scrsp Of poetry in the same hsnd, and
the fourth WAS manuscript. In large, bus
iness like characters. but evidently not
legal or business document Manuscript
--at least, any except my own--alwa,s
fascinates me, and composed myself Cor
the perusal Of ihis vail OF my own And
ing The paper was old and yellow, the
characters faded by time, bni, by dint OF
perseverance,, at length deciphered it,
II ran as follows:
STELLA.
Love, true and perfect love, n not the