Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-15
GRANDMOTHER's RETICULE
IHarper's RsZar.1

=
IHarper's Rszar.l
The Joint owberS OF grandmotherS reticule
lived In an Old house In New Jersey which
claimed to have been WashingJon's headQu ,r
tiers. 1t was large white gam 1rel rooted
house, with two little windows, shaped like
hatf-open fans, In the gable end light like a
wide open fan over the front door; wide VIM
COWS In three divisions az either end OF the
long broad hall; huge rod tiled chimueyS with
brass hre-dogS. no mantel pieces. Dat tunnv
little closets high up and round the clrner5 OF
the deep jambs. The balls on DO b Il )ors VIZ,
spacious and unbroken. The stairs wound up
In st1Dgy little space between two room );
they were shut in by door, and painted Or "A
walls which gave perpetual remind r to tho ie
VITO went NJ ana down them. The roo-ns were
little cod and bare, with some hand io.na
heavy old pieces, such as mahogany secre-
taries, Clothes presses. and bureaus, g!ittering
with brass knobs and rings. tall bIfrec wi h
glass doors so set IN a twisted ." oil work of
wood that out little glass was let. Trough which
TO see the Old yellow mugs AMI gilt aud white
china coffee cups within. The chars were
as uncomfortable as possible; those which had
no! Tyre shaped backs and horse-har Sc as had
b2ckS IKE the fdceda OF q Jthic cathedral, and
cushions in dim embroidery. One room con-
tanned sort OF museum OF relics of Washing
ton and OF Revolutionary bittle 1eldS, such as
shagreen spectacle case or piece OF flint lock
muSket And beyond these the Ornamental
ton OF the house was OF pale aud me igre de-
scTirtfon. A stiff branch of brown Sc i-weed
balanced sharks tooth on either side of a tall
light green pier glass, In front OF which q gilt
faced clock on -four black stills licked with ag-
grdvattng deltberatiOD. An ivory tusk leaned
against the slopiDg chimney, over which hung
handles In the hall piece OF pe;rifed wood
kept company with a horse-hair sofa an en-
hrofdered bird OF wildly impossible colorS, and
a soft OF Scriptural chart, in the border OF
Which solomon slept and dreamed on q Ieen
Anne 0edstead In the hall of Greek temple,
aud Abraham welcomed a fat and w1il-favored
anger 10 a TWO story house, with a latuced WIN
doW. 1n which stood geraniumS ia red fiower-
pos. Here, too, an old iron movable Fireplace,
With brass dogs and a tail green wire fender
occupied the place OF a hall stove, and did not
Keep any one warm.
Bat to make up for all this, the old house
stood on little knoll, aud every window
framed lovely view Of sloping hills aud Wide
valleys, In mosaic OF every shade OF green.
sparkle Of a stream.
Here under leave of Uncle Edward who hai
Quilt for himself not lar away square and hid
eOuS brick house with tall cupoia like a long
neck, Deborah and AchSa Estey lived, taking
care OF their old father, gentle, pOtteriIs I'M
successful man, with small clerxshtp some.
ty. and never wondering why the rich old
bachelor did no. do more for bis pretty nieces.
Achsa was bright damSel OF seventeen, as
mcGern and fashionable as it was possible 60
De on no allowance whatever. She copied wish
1air success such styles as penetrated to the
sleepy town. wore MOntagUes, picked up
lttle slang from the girls At school, and tried 10
appear very wide awake with not too much
success. for she Was In reality {. simple lie arJed
unspoiled little girl. Deborah was her elder py
four years, and much less girlish In her gentle
ways than she should have been. On her fell
all the cares and economics OF their strait
ened Gfe, and the toll and effort 70 stretch
an 1Ielastic SUM OF money over years which
seemed somehow to have more days. II not
round had marked tiny pucker In her low
lorehead, and given an anxious arch to her
straight ulack browS. All her thought aud
care was TO contrive and contrive that her
pretty Achsa should go to church and to school
dressed as nearly as might De In the fashion.
he, fresh and dlmpled beauty set Off by bright
colcIs and dainty fabrics as for herself. 1t did
not matter much; she had long ago found
press full Of old dresses which matched Ihe
Observation-Disclosures and Shorl-Sieeved dresses
many TOO itch and delicate for her use but
most OF dalk colorS, and Of those time StuTS
with 10 Wear-Out to them. Into these Deb.
oTah stepped without waste Of tine In altera-
ton, and went about the old house like tue
ghost OF her grandmother who smiled at her In
miniature from black painted frame In the
parlor. In winter she covered what Achsa
called her old-time rig with an ample gray
COAX IA and SO could 90 to church without DIS
tracing the thoughts OF the congregation: and
In summer-well, in summer she.dId not go, for
hich We can scarcely blame her.
1t was hot and dusty July day. Achsa was
gone to school pic mic. Deborah had baked
bread and made raspberry short cake; she had
busted the room they called the museum and
brought In handful OF blazing red geraL1unS
which, stuck In the half of an exploded shell In
the midst OF the relics, somehow looked cool
Finally, she had been TO the barn and smoke.
mousse and along the fence, where hens OF LIE
regulated minds chose to lay. and had brought
In Ia her narrow apron ten warm, pink. glow
Ing eggs and as she crossed the dafkened han
U put them IL the cupboard, her s1n-dayzIai
eyes o!nly saw the figure of a young man.
who stood, hat In hand, just within the door,
The dusty young man had been there Soma
time. for having vaiOIU na l-nl
Wnlch grlnned at him mOckingly, he hal fin ally
lfied the Enob-OIe OF those WObely. uncartaIn
orasS Knobs, slippery, and 700 small to grasp.
= nii,9h 10 'IS ooofS OF our anceS:Or5-ani as
VIE TIE nappy Consciousness OF not being
lfaIp OK reldier And ncW in the gloom OF the
nal taii Young gtrl came toward hi IL bliaktng
tLe .roN hing little Ia the effort to see HIN.
pli sil4!!Lsg too, as il she did net dispute his
light 10 be there. Her short waistei g 1gn Ii id
'.ltle Iishs foT sleeve, leaving her roignd piok
ANS cutie bare; 1t was very short IN the Skirt
TSa hsse 5n5pow run ts
ty began ard ended at her feeD, aad at her
waist hung g huge beaded reticule fill of keys,
which made cool little clink!n2. Her brown
hair was not very thick, but was full OF golden
Streaks and waves and crtukleS, and Was twisted
Up into large loose bow On the crown OF her
head, where 1t looked like some huge brown
last opened from their dazzled pucAer, were
real china blue under their dark lashe5.
81 beg your pardon" said the young man,
choosing the most useful words male and pro-
vided for opening conversation. SO had heard
this house was Washington'S head quarters,
and was sometimes shown to strangers. am
a Stranger-and an artist. My name Is Hugo
Clifford" but he could scarcely have explained
the impulse by which he had told his name.
Il shall be very glad to show you the house."
said Deborah simply and quietly, 'if you will
please wait until put these eggs away"
Clifford smiled TO himself over her directne5S
and simplicity, and stood contentedly waiting,
while Deborah stood up on green wooden stool
and bestowed the eggs In the chimney cupboard.
He was a handsome fellow, tall and straight,
With regular features which must have been
satisfaction to his artistic tastes; his dark NUS
tache was trained into a fierce and truculent
expression, but this he had done himself, while
Nature had put the kindly sparkle which balied
1t In his dark eyes.
II beg your PARDON said Deborah, who be-
longed enough 10 these days TO use this hard
worked phrase, "but you do look SO warm and
tired. Won't you rest and get cool before you
look at the museum? The things In it are not
worth much" she added. with mischevous
little smile: perhaps you will be more chari.
table toward them when you have had glass
Of milk"
clifford sat down, not unwillIngly, In corner
OF the hard, slippery sofa. which had at least
the merit OF being cool, while Deborah opened a
door which let In rush of hot sunlight, and
disappeared with It.
By Jove!" thought he. "An ! reversing the
Rip Van Wrinkle proceeding; have [ walked up
fifty years ago and fallen In love with my own