Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-01-28
TIE OLD CABINET.

| and you must 90 by yourself 70 the Testers
| YOU won't mind SEW 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 brougharn Thine.
FRED
Fred is my brother, and was invited, like
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 mire-John March, commonly called
| Jack
.What keeps Frelg" was my passing
thought; then | read little longer, dressed
and drove to Portman square. As turned
the corner I saw visible preparations and
| signs of the mcrrow's wedding at the Testers
,o1r 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
1 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 confectioners men
| were arranging the ornaments and flowers;
the cake. with its conventional erection,
stood conspicuous. My friends maid was
| putting moss into the fiower-baskets and
decorating the high dishes containing the
more durable part o: the feast well,
Barker l was beginning, when l caught the
woman's eyes She was doing her work with
q strange gravity, AMI her face was full of
| horror and pain When she saw me she let
fall the flowers in her hanl
Oh, mama, Oh, Miss Sarah. you've
come
"Of course I've come answered. "Whai
is the matter
You haven't seen them ma'au, have
you 7"
Seen whos-the ladies. No; / came
straight in here 10 look at the Ia bles. l.
there anything wrong suppose we're to
dine in the library for to-day. How nice il
| all looks!"
Mice, Oh, ma'ani, it's a nockery, its
awful! To see it all, and TO go on Is if-as
10 Lord.n and the woman sat down ana
rocked herself to and fro with the tear
running down her face
was thoroughly alarmed now "BarSar,
is there anything wrong' Is any one i'll OF
donIl Don't brighten me like this. I'll go
and see them if you don't speak out and
went 10 the door. L just saw that Barker
had descended to the floor, and that her head
was on the chair, which she clutched, sob
bling alOui.
met the butler and another man cross
Ing the hall, both with sacred solemn faces,
and went on TO the morning room on the
same floor There all looked much as usual
The pride OF the house. 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 ONLY genuine brass work OF
old time can be; curiousIy inlaid wood work
which no pua lint ss ,s-flar
understood and no one else dared NEEDLE
with 1t was very old friend, the greai
armoire, playing with the children Of the
house in nv own childhood. | knew it, in.
side and outside, by heart. A mystery and
a wonder then-an interest later-always
thing TO admire and wonder at even now.
1t had three doors. The center one abou,
four feet wide and certainly six inches thick,
shut in another, which again inclosed, with
4 space of about eight inches of waste room,
n set of six drawers, OF different sizes, and
sort of cupboard between them We used tc
stand as little children between the drawers
and the inner door, and wonder, supposing
We We're shut in, whether we could. breathe
long in that narrow Enclosure, or bs heard
by any one without, supposing awful
thought-we were forgotten, or the
outer door was shut. 1 remember
thinking of it in bed at night, a,
nervous children viii think Of such
things, till | was cold with horror Bott
these two doors shut with a catch which
was not lock; but we children were forbid.
den ever to open or shut them, except wheE
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 door
opened with curious keys, which stood in the
looks chained to the armoire They vert
valuables in themselves. The great key Of
the center door, worth hundred pounds OF
more was considered too sacred for common
eyes ami lay in a vslvet-lined case in Mr..
LISTERS own keeping-brought out only &C
casionally TO show to those who could appre
ciate such things.
IL stood there in the summer twilight,
looming darby in the quiet room. darker
than the rest of the house, as back rooms in
London often are. Chilly. it seemed to me,
in nv thin white dress, com
ing from the hall full OF sunset light Turn
ing to leave the room, saw a man lyin;
prone on his face upon a sofa; so still and SC
straight, and so strange in his attitude that
| could only stare for minute. and wonder
whether he was asleep or dead His hands
were over his ears, grasping his hair. as in
Iain; and noticed the soles Of his boots
turned quite up one notices trifies in the
midst Of alarm or bewilderment The nails
III his boots showed he was not dressed for
dinner. His hat was lying on the floor on
its side Hjs face l could not see; but l
knew il was Jack March, and touched his
ann N wonder
Jack. are YOU awake, Are you asleepl
What is it," | asked with growing alarm.
Wos to find sornethin, strange in every
room | entered in this houSe3 Jack" l sail
again. He Turned, and | saw his wild, bag
CARL face, that looked AT me with vague eyes
that seemed not to see; and then lie put his
head down with moan and covered his ears
once more, aS if t. shut out sight and sound
The room felt darker and chllier for this
silent figure. ami the gaunt old arInuire
seemed hi ,ser and more oppressive. ! ran
ont OF the room in a sort OF panic. Upstairs
the drawing door stood open. Tie
glow o. The sunset was over the room. bright
with flowers and pictures, and the open
windows showed the balconies, lined with
r.d cloth, and ready for the guests next
day. Silence here, and silent figures, two OF
them-ole cruuched upon tho hoOr. with
arms outs.retched upon n sofa; another lying
half across an ottaman-the brides mother
AMI SISTER. As | came in and spoke. now
fairly bewilderel and fIiShtened, Mrs. Lister
rose up with a dcspairing wall
"Saleel.. Saloon She stood Shakin- ard
crying out my name.
Dear Mrs Lester | said, taking the poor
womGn'S could hands, come ami sit down,
and tell ma what has happened l
called - the girl ON the floor. come and give
mo that cushion" She came mechanically,
AMI helf'ei her mother to the armchair.
Now tel me. II YOU can"-Bu. Mr.. Testers
head had fallen back upon the cushion and
size had tainted The girl aroused herself
No wonder. she said. she hiss cate.
nothing al day; and then all this Its too
awful. SIlcen. l shall 90 mad if l think;
and papa has never come back
w here is yuul father"
i don't know We ssnt down u tho ciut.
an to tn ;ouse; the> can't find HIM. AMI
we've searched his room AMI is not there
It's nowhere. AMI Jack i, nearly Wild: and
W. darrn't break II oTea7
1T What; child Can't Won say what
YOU arr talking about shall ~ iaai next
What can't VOC find, And what all. you
allf
'Salcen i;'S Mary Mary Is in therr: aud
the key Is gone. and papa i away, and SHE'S
dying there-sufiocatin-; AMI the ci,l flung
herself on the iloor with wild sobs ant t.arS.
NJ. Lester Law forgotten in her Swoou. "a;
10 led IN unavailinc misery on the CARP /
feel downstairs The servants were a ,uSy
rs ever / X ew Il all now.
Good Coll, ! said ~ the butter. who wss
carrying p trsv of glass arr yo,: goi 2 on
with all -hiS useless F1tly and that c-irI diving