The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-12-03
THE OLD CABINET.

a note for you, ma'am No answern
was resting in my own room, after riding
lit was O'Clock, too early to dress for din
der, too late to dress twice after taking OF
my habit-sleeping over book, and COM
Portable in my white dressing-gown I was
bored by the interruption The note was nc
moro than this:
DEAR SALEEN: / must stay where am;
and you must 90 by yourself TO the Testers
you won't mind saw Jack, and he said
there was no party, as it would be trouble
some with the wedding tomorrow, and the
dining-roOm is given up TO the breakfast.
I've sent back the broughaIn. Thine.
Fred is my brother, and was invited, Iiks
myself, to dine quietly with these Testers,
whose pretty daughter was to be married
next day to a friend Of ours-specially Fred's
and mine-John March, commonly called
AJackn
~What keeps FredT" was my passing
thought; then 1 read little longer, dressed
and drove to PortmAn square. As / turned
the corner l saw visible preparations and
signs Of the morrow's wedding at the Testers
door. A cart with flowers was unloading; an
awning was being put up over the balcony
and hall door; men In white aprons came and
went AS the brougham drew up could see
through the open door the hustle and stir
within At home In the house, opened the
dining room door, TO see what progress was
being made with the tables. Several maid
servants and some OF the confectioner's men
were arranging the ornaments and flowers;
the cake, with its conventional erection,
stood conspicuous. My friends maid was
putting moss into the fower-basksts and
decorating the high dishes containing the
more durable part Of the feast well,
Barker" was beginning, when caught tbs
ha harv rN-ifh
a strange gravity, and her face was fuii, of
horror and pain When she saw me she lei
fall the bowers in her hand.
~Oh, ma'ma Oh, Miss Sarah you've
come.n
~of course I've come" answered. trWhai
is the matter p -
You haven't seen them, maiam, have
you |"
-Seen Nhoi-the ladiesi No; I came
straight in here 70 look at the tables L
there anything wrongl suppose we're to
dine in the library for to-day. How nice il
all lool1sin
@Nicel Oh, ma'am, it's a mocksry, it
awful To see IL all, and to 90 on as n-aS
TO Lordr and the woman sat down and
rocked herself 10 and fro, with the tears
running down her face.
was thoroughly alarmed now. Barker,
Is there anything wrongl Is any one i'll OF
deadl Don't frighten me like this. III &C
and see them IL you don't speak OUT and
went 10 the door. / Just saw that Barker
had descended to the floor, and that her head
was on the chair, which she clutched, sob
hing aloud. .... Vs.. ...
Tmet the butler and another man cross
ing the hail, both with sacred, solemn faces,
and went on TO the morning room ON the
same HOor. There all looked much as usual
The pride Of the boase, and Of my friends
rather valuable collection Of antiquities
stood facing the doors a huge cabinet, with
massive clamped doors and richly cut brass
work-cisele as. snly genuine brass work Of
old time can bei curiously inlaid wood work;
marvellous locks, which no one but its owner
understood, and no one else dared NEEDLE
with IL was n very old friend the great
armoire, playing with the children Of the
house in my own childhood. / knew it, In
side and outside, by heart A mystery and
a wonder then-an interest later-always 6
thing 10 admire and wonder at even now.
1t had three doors. The center one, about
four feet wide and certainly six inches thick,
shut in another, which again inclosed, with
a space Of about eight inches Of waste room,
a set Of six drawers of different sizes, and a
sort Of cupboard between them. We used tc
stand az little children between the drawers
and the inner door, and wonder, supposing
we were shut in, whether we could, breathe
long in that narrow inclosure, or be heard
by any one without supposing-a
thought-we were forgotten, or the
outer door was shut I remember
thinking Of 1t in bed at night az
nervous children viii think Of such
things, till Twas cold with horror. Both
these two doors shut with q catch which
was not lock; but we children were forbid.
a 20 chr
Mr.. Lester was present 1t was doubtful Il
any one else knew how how to open them.
for no one ever tried. The two side doors
opened with curious keys, which stood in the
locks chained to the armoira. They were
valuables i'm themselves The great key OF
the center door, worth a hundred pounds OF
more, was considered too sacred for common
eyes, and lay in velvetlined case in Mr.
LISTERS own keeping-brought out only oc-
oasionalg to show 10 those who could appre-
ciats such things, et r-~- .Hr.~ RI
1t stood there I'm the summer twilight, |
looming Garlly in the quiet room, darker
than the rest OF the house, as back rooms in
London often are. Chilly, IL seemed to ms
IN my thin white dress. en-
ing from the hall full of sunset light Turn
ing to leave the room, saw a man lying
prone on his face upon q sofai 50 still and 81
traight and % strange in his attitude that
could oaly stare for minute, and wonder
wnerner ne was asleep or dead HIS nAnds
were over his ears. grasping his hair, as in
pain; and noticed the soies OF his boots |
turned quite up, as ono notices trihes In the |
midst Of alarm or bewildermeuL The nails |
In his boots showed he was not dressed for |
dinner. His hat was lying on the floor ON
Its side. His face I could not see; but
knew it was Jack March, and touched his |
arm in wonder.
4VhAt Is itln asked. with growing alarm. |
room II entered in this housei slack, /" said |
again. He turned, and Lsaw his wild, hag |
gard face, that looked at mo with vague eyes |
that seemed not to see; and then he put his |
head down with a moan and covered his ears |
once more, as IL to shut out sight and sound /
The room felt darker and chillier for this /
lileut figure. and the gaunt old armoire
seemed bigger and more oppressive. I ran
out az the room I'm a sort OF panic. Upstairs
ths drawing-room door stood open. The
ylov q the sunset was over tho room, bright /
vita Blowers and pictures, and the open
windows shaved che balconies, lined with
pad cloth. and ready for the guests next
day. Silence here. and silent figures, two Of
them-one crouched upon ths floor, with
arms outStretched upon a sofa: nnother lying /
half ncross an ottaman-the brides mother
and sister. Az 1 came I'm And spoke. now
larry bewtlderel and frightened, Mrs Lester
rose Vn with despairing wall
tHaRonu Saleenn She stood shaking and
crying out my name.
-Dear Mrs Lester" I said. teking the poor