Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18
THE EBONY CABINET.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.
 Miss Dillingham; was dead, and Miss Curtis was in tears. She sat up in her own room sobbing bitterly while the last sad offices were being performed. She had good reason to weep, poor soul, for she had lost her only friend on earth.
 She died so suddenly, too," thought the hapless spinster, " that she made no provision for me. I know she would have left me something, and how thank ful should be for even five hundred dollars 8 year. Here I've had every thing, and I'm just cast on the world as helpless as baby. For years I've just made her caps, and read aloud to her. and walked out with her, and driven out with her, and poured the tea, and made the puddings, and been like her daugh- ter; and how often she had said: sTher- esq, I'll not forget you She knew what 1t was to be single herself, but we neither of us counted on apoplexy. I fear she took too much old port ana lived too high. I fear she did-poor thing-I was so fond of her.
 "Gracious me to think that dreadful cousin of hers will get it all The house-all her money, and all the furni- ture, and the dresses. Every thing is sealed up, and the china, and the orna- ments That nice cabinet I declare. when l think of that pretty hanging cabinet She'd have given it to me. Why, she meant to give me legacy. Why, if could ask her now, she'd say. Take it, Theresa can hear her good, old voics. She'll have that, too, for the lawyer said, If no. will was found, her next of kin would have everything. declare" said Miss Theresa Curtis, wiping her tears away, "l mean to have that cabinet. I'll get it, and it will just go into one of my trunks. Miss Dill ingham would say was right, and I'll do it."
 Miss Curtis. having said this, arose and crept softly down into the dressin g room next the bedroom, where all was now so still and terrible. She took the cabinet from its nail, and crept up stairs and hid it in her trunk, with feeling that some one might be at her heels ready to call "stop thief" To be sure she knew well enough that old Miss Dillingham; would gladly have given her the cabinet; that her Cousin Spear was not favorite, that the old lady would have preferred that she should take all she possessed to giving it to the person of whom she always spoke distastefully as "that Sally Spear" But all the same, that silent creeping over the stairs, past the door where the watchers sat together that moment when she laid the cabine in her trunk and covered it with folded garments, gave Miss Theresa Curtis . sense of having been thief. She never forgot the action, or ceased to fee ashamed of it.
 Time stalked away, using his scyth as usual. The funeral was over. Searcl was made for the will. Mrs. Spear wa declared heiress to all. and Miss Curtis who still occupied the house, was noti fled to leave. Fat Mrs. Spear waddle, about the house and talked of tn changes she would make and There's Curtis sought a carman to convey he trunks to cheap boarding house. Sh was five-and-forty, and had lived witl Miss Dillingham; for fifteen years. He wages as companion had allowed her t, accumulate few hundred dollars. brI she had had expectations. In he kind heart she never reproached ol, Miss Dillingham; for having left then unfulfilled. And sometimes, as sh trotted about answering advertisement and failing to please, 1t occurred to he that when they met in Heaven the, would have great deal to talk over.
 "I know she's sorry she didn't mak q will, thought poor Theresa; "and shall tell her just how Sally Spear too on herself. I'm sure she'll be glad hid-the cabinet" And yet the dee troubled her.
 At last Theresa found situation 8 nursery governess. There were fiv children to teach, dress, and walk on with. They had been used 10 8 cherry checked, light-handed girl, and tease the serious, middle-aged woman all da long. Still she bore it, until at las mamma declared that she had no dis cipline, and once more she went i search of an employex.