The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-08-25
THE STORY OF A SCREEN.

The level beams of the mellow May
sunset were revealing every flaw and
crack in the cheap papering which COW
cred the walls of the little garnet room
where Mabel Moore sat busily ut her
sewing machine, and single pot OF blue
velvet pansies in the high, narrow win
dow made spot of color for poor Mrs.
Moores weary eyes to rest upon, as she
toiled at the floss silk embroidery, which
was her whole occupation.
The room was small and scantily fur.
nished, but there was within its walls
one relic of vanished days-a black satin
screen, mounted on q standard of gilded
bamboo, and painted in deep, rich col
ors, with q scarlet famingo floating up
ward against background of reeds and
grasses, while in the distance famed a
stormy sunset sky.
Mamma did it herself, when she was
a girl at boarding school," said Mabel
Moore to those who sometimes asked the
history of this one remaining token Of
luxury.
"We have kept it through everything.
I would not part with it for its weight in
gold"
And then she would laughingly tell
the tale of how half q dozen collectors
of antiques and aesthetic furniture had,
at different times, endeavored to pur-
chase the old satin screen.
Zone man wanted to buy it with pair
of tongs and brass coal scuttle," said
she; "another one offered broken set
of Thackeray's novels and a fender, and
third bargained with tete-a-tete set OF
china and q broken nosed alabaster
statute of Psyche"
For Mabel was q bright eyed, sweet
faced girl, who had.a very keen sense OF
the ridiculous, and lived through the
hard realities of her life with the quiet
fortitude of an Unborn heroine.
But after all, the secondhand dealers
were nothing in resolution and persist
ence as compared with Miss Ann Azalea
Harper, the daughter of the landlord
from whose leaky and badly drained
premises they had removed few weeks
previously. Miss Ann Azelea had a
very fair idea of brio a-brac treasures,
and she had cast her fine eyes upon this
very screen. >,
"Its worth deal of money" said
Ann Azalea to herself. "And it was
only this morning that Aunt Hepsy was
wishing for just such an old-fashioned
SCREEN"
Now Aunt Hepsy was rich old maid,
shrewd, crusty, elderly and full of dis
trust of all the smooth-tongued relatives
whose expressions of love and respect
were so extreme.
\ "a screen?" said Aunt Hepsy. eyes,
i want o SCREEN"
iii paint you one, dear aunt" said
Ann Azalea.
"Much of a screen you'd paint" said
the old lady, disdainfully.
II improved good deal Mt boarding
school, said Ann Azalea meekly. "And
I'll stretch it upon an antique bamboo
rack, and really think it will please
you,"
II DON'T" said Aunt Hepsy.
"May try, aunt?"
EYES," said the old lady, grudgingly,
you may try"
And Ann Azalea, who had already in
her mind appropriated poor Mrs. Moore's
antique screen, set diligently about
the work of getting possession of the
same.
s.You owe my pa $40 for rent" said
Ann Axelea, spitefully, as she sat pant
ing for breath in the little garnet room,
after having toiled up the three long and
narrow flights Of stairs. "You can't
deny it,"
cit is quite true," acknowledged the
meek Mrs. Moore, who, in her daugh-
ter's absence, was absolutely defenceless,
"but-"
"You ought to be ashamed of your
self to owe so much money as that, said
Ann Azalea.
I'VE have been very unfortunate of
late," said Mrs. Moore. But we fully
intend to repay all our Indebtedness in
full as soon as my daughter"
ed Ann Axalea. "Pa ought to have put
an execution-that's what he ought to
have DONE"
Poor Mrs. Moore shuddered.
"And it amt too late now" added the
young lady. ignoring the Code and all
its provisions.
'Oh, Miss Hsrper,"
"But we don't want to be exorbitant."
graciously went on Ann Azalea. $50
sooner than be at the expense Of a law
suit, I'll take some triAe or other in pay.
That screen, for instance" with her
greedy eyes fixed on the pictured fight
Of the scarlet Aamingo. "Ten dollars is
. deal OF money and the screen is an old
style thing, but wouldn't mind calling
things even, just to case your con-
n \