Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-09-28
THE ANTIQUE DESK.

1t was the last week of the year,
when, one morning, read aloud this
Advertisement:
VIYANTED-To buy an antique desk. liberal
w price will he paid for one satifactory in
every respect
''Oh, Luciler' 1 cried, ''this is your
chance. You can now retrieve your
fallen fortunes" And I tossed the
newspaper across the breakfast table. ="
Lucille read the advertisement again,
and looked ever with sigh to where,
between the windows, an old desk, such
as the newspaper described, occupied
the post of honor.
II should feel as if were selling my
grandma's bones," she said, decisively.
''Well, don't believe your grand
mother" began, ''would blame you If
she knew"
Here Ruth stopped me with look,
and began telling something that had
happened in the store that day. Ruth
was saleslady in the cloak department in
one of our great city establishments. 1
taught school. and Lucille had been the
French instructor in young ladies'
academy. We kept house together
until quite recently in two rooms in the
third story of New York house. We
had our own furniture, and cooked our
own meals over little gas stove. To
who had been motherless from childhood,
and to those, to whom the word 'home
was word with no meaning, such a
life was very pleasant.
Lucille was dark-eyed, graceful
French girl, who had once seen better
DAYS, though she was quite reticent to
US about it. She was so innocent and
beautiful that Ruth and I loved and
guarded her as if she had been our
Younger sister. Ruth was sturdy, in
dependent, and New England born, and
so true-hearted and brave that We look
ed up 10 her in everything, and felt safe
under her protection. As for me, l
was Mollie, born in the sunny south,
wilful, high tempered, but capable of
deep feeling, they said. The war had
ruined the fortunes of my family. and
INV life had been full of hardships ever
since
I do not think three girls could have
been more unlike. And yet We led a
very tranquil, happy life, until month
or two before the evening Of which 1
write: when a cloud had appeared on
our horison.
That night Lucille came home flushed
and indignant. It took but little ques-
tioning to discover the cause. The
assistant principal of the shool had long
annoyed Lucille with his attentions, and
her studied avoidance of him did not
seem to make any difference. He
dogged her steps, wrote her notes, and
sent her flowers, until the poor girl was
nearly crazy. At last, unable to endure
it any longer, she had refused him per
emptorily. Two days later she received
her dismissal, and that, too, without a
"Never mind" said Ruth, encourag-
ingly, "you need a rest and Molhe and
I need housekeeper. This Is your
home. you knew"
The girls dark eyes filed with tears.
''You are very kind" she sobbed
out.
s.But, ah it is this that makes me
think of the old days in France, when
grandmama was alive. We lived in the
country, you know, and in such a
beautiful little chateau. And the
neighbors were so kind, especially those
in the next place. Ali what pleasant
days 1 had, she added, recalling it with
a sigh, playing in the meadows with
their son, Henry; and what pretty fetes
they gave. But then granma lost her
fortune; and she was too proud to say
where she was known, and she came
ont to America and died. You know
the rest. Oh, you are very kind"
We tried, after this, to get her anoth-
er situation, but were not successful.
Finally. found two of my scholars who
wanted TO take French lessons, and this
kept up her hopes.
That night after showed Luclle the
advertisement, she left the table and
went to the desk, passing her hand
lovingly over it. 1t was a quaint, old
fashioned thing, il laid with different
kinds of wood, in the style of the last
century. 1t had belonged to Luciies s
grandmother, and to the family before,
and was the only relic she possessed OF
her happy childhood in France.
knew what her feelings were when
suggested the idea of selling it, but L
knew still better that she needed the
money sorely. There was an unpaid
doctors bill that haunted her, when
Ruth and 1 dare not pay on account OF
her pride.
The next night was New Years eve,
and when Ruth and came home the
desk was gone. There were traces Oh
tears on .Lucile's cheeks, but she made