Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-03-15
GRANDNo7HERs GohD BrcKAE
IA GREEN DOOR OPENS.

A-@''''
The July morning glowed with the heat of
an Italian summer, the sun poured down rays
of intense white light on the marble facade of
the Church of Santa Croce in Florence, and
on the open square in front, where the statue
of Dante seemed carved out of snow. In the
shadow of the pavement where the morning
had not yet devoured all the darkness, Il few
cafe loiterers occupied tables, or an occasional
pedestrian passed, hat in hand. The houses
surrounding the square had lifeless closed
aspect few pale children glanced out of
doorways: even horses and donkeys dropped
their heads beneath sheltering walls, as if
awaiting the fiery ordeal of MONDAY.
Henry Toppingham, emerging from the
cool darkness of the church, where he had
spent an hour with the conscientious zeal of
n tourist, felt all his senses smitten 10y the
dazzling light and sitting atmosphere OF the
day. However, he brayed sun-stroke to cross
the square and admire the statue Of Dante.
Few obstacles daunted him in travel, and he
liked to believe that few obstacles would
check him in life, if courage and prompt ac-
ton could overcome them. He was good
looking young man, with faxen hair and mus
tache, and sanguine blue eyes. Having sur
veyed the statue, he rotreated to the curb
stone, to discover the nearest route back to
the Arno He asked no direction of any one,
although those languid frequenters of the cafe
would have courteously aided him. Several
streets converge toward the Duomo and river
from this square; Harry Toppingham gladly
sought the shelter of the nearest one which
led to his destination.
The street was narrow, gloomy, and silent
The young man paused to survey a massive
palaZzo with grated windows and great closed
gates surmountod by a coronet, and as he did
so he observed the Green Door beyond. 1t
was such an enticing and unusual Green Door,
with a sly and mysterious aspect about 1t, as
if it had been opened in a blank wall OF aris-
tocratic lineage, which occasoned an apollo
getc setting toward the corner of the street
that Henry ToppinghGm was Immediately at
tracted. Add to this that II stood lnyitlngly
open, revealing a glimpse beyond, with the
proprietor on the very threshold, and it may
be naturally inferred that the fly was not slow
in approaching the spiders web, with curiosi-
ty and interest manifest on his countenance.
The Green Door evidently guarded shop,
and the proprietor. lean dry man. with yel-
low skin and vulpine nose pendent over n
black mustache surveyed the stranger with
one sweeping rapid glance, and led the way
to his treasure chambers. first closing the por-
tai.
Henry Toppingham smiled and glanced
about him He delighted in curiosity shops
at home in America the very name possessed
n CHARM 10 Llh cur iltiN "s'o ~ A'+A NA4N 80
the city of Florence, without name or number,
and reached only through Green Door! It
was still early in the morning, and he intend
cd to enjoy himself.
At first survey this bric-a-brac magazine
| presented many attractions over those rich es-
| adjustments where every article possesses in
trinsic value rs set forth by GupercilQus
shopman. Here were mounds of rubbish
| from which to sift gem at leisure IN dusky
| corners or dark cabinets mysterious twl-
light penetrating the lofty, dingy rooms from
| a single high window. The collector i'll shah
by coat with elbows frayed, was good-hunor-
| ed. patient, and exercised no surveillance 9TH
| er than to select such trinkets as might suit
the customer.
Pictures, empty frames, and broken statues
| Uttered the floor; open shelves lined the
walls, containing enamels, snuh-boXes, cruel
! fixes paste Jewels and tarnished silver fila
| gree-work. Henry Toppingham was laseinat-
| ed to explore the depths of inner chambers
| hung with bits of tapestry and damask, to
| raise the lids of battered strong-boXes to open
| old parchment volumes, like dried autumn
| leaves. 4 superb Florentine cat large, plump,
| and serene, had stretched herself on frag-
ment of purple satin in cracked porcelain
| punch-bowl. and blinked at him. Twin drag
| on heads of brass grinned at HIM from either
side of an ancient bureau, which brimmed
with costly articles piles of filmy lace of cob
web texture china cups; amber chains, like
| globes of sunshine an agate casket filled
with canoes and pearl rosaries. Above his
! head lowered one of those quaint groups from
seouestered monastries-a black Madonna
and Child wearing gilded crowns A panel
of stained glass, robbed from its place in chap
el or church, rested between an ebony cabinet
and embroidered arm chair, and the colored
robes of mtred saint in the centre glowed
with the richness of ruby, even in that dark
shop. Clearly treasures were abundant be-
hind the Green Door, yet the net despised nc
| trife. as wretched pictures, mended vases,
and debris of broken marble evineed. The
sharp glance of the customer noticed through
an open door an assortment of humber wares
Household utensils, crockery, fre-shovels
and tongs, and even piles of shabby garments
This must be a sort of pawn-broker's estab-
| lishment.