The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-10-06
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VII.
THE HAPPY MAN MAKES ACQUAINTANCE
WITH MISFORTUNE
Cornelius De White, after having at
tended to his family affairs, reached the
house of his godson Cornelius Van Baerle
one evening in the month Of January,
1872
De White, although being very little of
a horticulturist or OF an artist, went over
the whole mansion from the studio to
the greenhouse, inspecting everything
from the pictures down to the tulips
He thanked his godsou for having Joined
him on the deck OF the Admira's ship,
"The Seven Provinces" during the bat
tie of South void Bay. and for having
given his name to a magnificent tulip
and whilst he thus, with the kindness and
affability OF a father TO a son. visited Van
Baerle's treasures, the crowd gathered
With curiosity. and even respect, before
the door of the happy man.
All this huLbub excited the attention
of Boxtel, who was just taking his meal
by his freside. lie inquired what it
meant, and on being informed of the
cause of all the stir, climbed up TO his
post of observation, where, in spite of the
cold, he took his stand, with the tele-
scope TO his eye.
This telescope had not been of great
service to him since the autumn Of 1911.
The tulips, like true daughters of the
East, averse TO cold, do not abide in the
open ground in winter. They need the
shelter Of the house, the soft bed on the
shelves, and the congenial warmth Of the
stove. Van Baerle, therefore, passed the
whole winter in his laboratory, in the
midst of his books and pictures lie
went only rarely to the room where he
kept his bulbs, unless it were to allow
some occasional rays o. ;hc zGu 30 enter,
by opening one of the movable sashes of
the glass front
On the evening of which we are speak,
ing, after the two Corneliuses had visited
together all the apartments of the house,
whilst a train of domestics followed their
steps, De Witte said, in low voice to
Van Baerle-
my dear son, send those People away,
and let us be alone for some minutes"
The younger Cornelius bowling assent,
said aloud;-
"Would you now, sir, please to see my
dry room2"
The dry room, this pantheon, this
sanctum sanctorum Of the tulip fan:ier,
was, as Delhi of old, interdicted to the
profane uninitiated.
Never had any of his servants been
bold enough to set his foot there. Corr
nelius. admitted only the inoffensive
boon Of an old Tristan housekeeper.
who had been his nurse, and who, from
the time when lie had devoted himself
to the culture Of tulips, ventured no lon
ger 10 put onions in his stews, for fear Of
pulling to pieces and menacinS the idol
of her foster child.
At the mere mention Of the d,y room,
therefore, the servants, who were carry
ing the lights, respectfully fell back.
Cornelius, taking the candlestick from the
hands Of the foremost, conducted his god
father into that room, which was no 9TH
er than the very cabinet with a glass
front, into which Boxtel was continually
prying with his telescope
The envious Spy was watching more
intently than ever.
First of all he saw the walls and win,
dows lit up.
Then two dark figures approached.
One of them tall, majestic, stern, sal
down near the table on which Van Baerle
had placed the taper.
In this figure, Boxtel recognized the
pale features of Cornelius De White
whose long hair, parted in front, fell over
his shoulders.