The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-11-13

be had every day for the sake OF the adj
vertisements, and the vicar and the
doctor should be asked to help. All
this was set in train the next day; also
the next day Kate commenced a thor
ough turnout of the rooms, so as to be
in readiness for newcomer. The
evening post brought letter from
Harry dated "San Francisco. He had
not written for nearly year, and this
was the news: He had found farming
in Canada no good for him and had
gone to San Francisco, meaning, if i'll
luck followed him then, never to write
home again Good luck came instead,
and he was doing well.
II manage a store" he said, "and
two years ago my boss was worse
off than was when l came here.
won't say more, but I'll make this pay
Perhaps I'll be sending you some bank
notes home before the year is out"
poor Harryr' exclaimed his mother.
She smiled, and yet her eyes were
moist.
kate Maud tucked her hand I'M
der her sisters arm as they went up to
bed that night-''the days of glory are
coming againl Now! you seer'
Kate laughed; she was very glad
about Harry.
Il see," she said, "that you must put
clean paper in those drawers to-mor-
row"
Maud made little grimace. The
morrow came and she was doing it.
CHAPTER II. ~
Maud had opened the two drawing
room windows and let down the Vene-
tans over them, so that the room should
be cool and shady. How cool and sum-
merry it all looked! Ladies' fingers can
so easily give simple decorations an air
of grace and refinement. Then she left
that room and went into the one be-
hind; those two had been dear old Mr..
Harbutt's rooms, and also those of the
tiresome Miss Paynes. This back room
was shady, and at once the blind was
! drawn up to the top and the window
thrown open as high as it would 90.
There was in the room an old chest of
drawers, the piece of furniture that Mr.
Harbutt had once SAID was worth more
than all else the room contained put to-
gether.
1t was beautifully made, the dark old
oak was of the finest grain, and how
delicately were the jennings and corners
fitted! A reeded line was carved or
tur ied at the frontage of each drawer;
on its top too, making an artistic bor-
der or finish to its level polish, there
was the same reeded decoration running
four-square. Each drawer had two
! To-.
They copy these old things nowadays,
but this was veritable antique. Five
drawers in all, and in the top and most
shallow one a key protruded from its
keyhole. Maud remembered the whole
thing as long as she remembered any
thing, for in olden days it had stood
in the nursery. In those days the top
shallow drawer was just as exactly
level as the other drawers had been;
fancy methodical nurse allowing
that right-hand corner to project in that
uns Chilly way! If the piece Of furn ture
had not been so seasoned by age one
might have supposed that the wood had
warped at that one corner. Maud was
bent upon Strengthening it. All the
four lower drawers were provided with
their fresh white paper lining, and ROW
somehow, some one had locked tn top
drawer, had forced the lock and bent
the key.
''We'll have you straight" was
Maud's cry to herself, as she worried
the old key. Never bit would it move,
except indeed to fix itself more firmly
within the intrcacies of the lock.
"I'll physic you!'' Maud cried
A moment run downstairs for some
oil, and ''physic'' was tried. Some few
more wrigglings and turnings, and hey,
presto!- the magic is done, the lock is
loosened, the drawer is openedl
However, opened does not mean
simultaneous cure of its uneven corner.
Oh! no. Pushing and dainty humoring
are neither of any avail, the drawer
simply will not work to its pristine
! level. But Maud had a strong will, and
a mind that probed to the reason of
things. In trice she had the rebellious
drawer out of its groove and ignomini-
ously laid at her feet, while supple
white arm was barred to the elbow and
went on q search within the shallow
| space. From end to end arm and fin
gers went seeking then, the sinner was
captured! The girls pretty fingers, all
covered with dust and tlue, met the crisp
crackle of firm paper.
"Ah'' was Maud's quick little cry
! The paper was out before the light of
the summer sun. Thin, grey-hued pa
per, tightly pressed once, but now, by
some inherent strength surely, loosen
ing from It's pressure and elastically
unfolding itself. One fold-some DR. Mt
ed words and figures. BAH How dusty
it was! Another fold undone-some for
eign words quite clear. ''D'Itala."
| What was it?
Had the thing really some magic in
it? Maud S face became scarlet; then all
the color fled from it, and, leaving
drawer and dust and white paper in
confusion on the floor. the girl ran to
the staIr-head and called:
Mother! Kate! Come, quick!'
Both were busy, but such voice OF
alarm-yes Maud really was terrified
was not to be disregarded. They were
upstairs in few seconds.
1--WE opened the drawer" she said.
$50 we perceive. Have you found
dead mouse beh nd itP"
Kate, seeing Maud unframed, was
naturally bit rutlled at having been
unnecessarily excited nv the cry