Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-03
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THE STORY OF A SCREEN.

The level beams OF the mellow May
sunset were revealing every flaw and the
crack in the cheap papering which COW
cred the walls of the little garret-roOm
where Mabel Moore sat busily at her sew
ing-machine, and single pot OF blue
velvet pansies in the high, narrow win
dow made spot of color for poor Mrs.
Moore's 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 evanished days--a black satin
screen, mounted ON standard Of gilded
bamboo, and painted in deep rich colors,
with scarlet flamingo floating upward
against back ground of reeds and grasses,
while in the distance famed 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 eve have kept it through every
thing. l would not part with it for its
weight in gold"
And then she would laughingly tell the
tale of how half dozen collectors of an
tiaues and aesthetic furniture had, at diff
ferent times, endeavored to purchase the
old satin screens.
Zone man wanted to buy it with a pair
of tongs and brass coal-scuttle," said
she: "another one offered broken set
of Thackeray's novels and fender; and
a third bargained with tete-a-tete set
- cfot11 Of
Pysche.
For Mabel was 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 persis-
tence 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 Azalea had a very
fair idea Of bric-a-brac treasures, and
she had cast her fine eyes upon this very
screen.
"It's worth deal of money!" said Ann
Azalea to herself. 'sAnd it was only this
morning that Aunt Hepsey was wishing
for inst 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 professions of love and respect
were so extreme.
GA screen?" said Aunt Hepsey. eyes,
I want screen"
'I'll paint you one, dear aunt" said
Ann AZalea.
'tMuch of a screen you could paint"
said the old lady, disdainfully.
II improved a good deal at boarding
school, said Ann Azalea, meekly. "And
I'll stretch it upon an antique bamboo
rack, and l really think it will please
you"
II don't" said Aunt Hepsey.
"May try, dear auntp'
eyes" said the old lady, grudgingly;
'syou 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.
"You owe my pa ten dollars for rent"
said Ann Azalea, spitefully, as she sat
room, after having toiled up the three
lOllS dutl LdliOW VI L Cu
can't deny it,"
'It is quite true" acknowledged meek
Mrs. Moore, who, in her daughters alb
sence, was absolutely defenceless; "but,
but
"You ought to be ashamed to owe so
much money as that said Ann Azalea.
owe have been very unfortunate OF
late" said Mrs. Moore. "But we intend
to repay all our Indebtedness in full as
soon as my daughter -
''Oh, that's all nonsense" brusquely
interrupted Ann Azalea. Spa 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 Harper!"
"But we don't want to be exorbitant,"
graciously went on Ann Azalea. $50,
sooner than be at the expense of law
suit, III take some trife or other in pay
That screen, for instance" with her
greedy eyes fixed on the pictured flight of
the scarlet famingo. "ren dollars is a
deal of money and the screen is an old
style thing, but wouldn't mind calling
things even, just TO ease your conscience.
if
~ couidn't-oh, l couldn't!' cried
poor Mrs Moore, the tears coming into
her eyes. SIT was work did as girl.
My own poor mother sketched in the
green rushes and grass with her own
pencil, and, if any one is to have it, it is
already promised to an old family friend,
who is to pay twenty five dollars for
it
every WE'LL" said Miss Harper, rising,
with an ominous toss of her head. "Then,
if you really mean to swindle US"
"Miss Harper!''
'sIf you really mean to swindle u.s. Sc
verely repeated Ann Azalea, 81 may as
well stop at the constable's on my way
back and put On the distraint at once"
Mrs. Moore clasped her thin hands in a
srot of nervous horror.
If poor Mabel, who had gone out so
buoyantly to carry home her little parcel
of finished work, should return and find
the minions Of the law in possession.
~ am selfish creature she told her
self, "to prefer my own inclinations to