The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-14
STORY OF A PRESENT.

g. oir own land in those later times and
,.rnp men were much the same in 1866 as
,bey are today The earliest worshipei
IN ,hf cool shadowy cathedral hurried
through his prayers. fancy. and made his
MA, quickly out into the sunshine of the
G-.ud place and through the narrow
,-,.bed old streets toward his lodging in
ttc Rae q Orievres.
lie would be thought singularly de
yaut Young man nowadays to got church
.taIin thc early morning Of his wedding
dsy bat times have changed. and ! dare
sst b, was mo- better and no worse
fler lots Of Us who have not been reared
pnler the eternal vigilance of careful
rrie,fs on under the no less constant
wa,.f II stone saints and Madonnas look
ing down from every street corner shrine
be- vas e strapPiRg young fellow, and II
n..an, figure for bridegroom as he
strobe along toward the street Of the gold
smiths Vow see the compelling power
ola girls eyes! They had drawn Quinten
Ns..y, from his humble anvil at LOuvain
" 70 magnificent, queenly Antwerp
whore wealth and power and luxury were
Il, their highest tide just then. to run his
life uc, with other men, and not as a
blacksmith but as an artist Frans Floris
tie famous painter. wrinkled his ragged
id lrous and hosted his shoulders up to
lis car- ~ the idea Of a son in law who
swung a hammer instead of welding
brush. and the young man determined TO
,how himself capable of work as worthy
a. live through years to come a. anything
that even ll0ris could produce
S. 20 Antwerp he came and labored for
his urize. and now he had won her. and
TODAY De was 10 claim his wife His
painting was praised by all the great arts
ne c.ty and even the emperor himself
had looked with approval at his work
And the favor of Charles V was a splendid
marriage portion with which to endow
the r.h who had created his ambition for
lin
Blt-human nature is Il queer thing
QgM.eu Massys had begun a. q worker in
metal and his heart was in the cunning
article Of hammer and forge And so he
lad made d wedding present for his bride
with bis own hands, and il was not the
production Of a painter, but of q smith
With the most loving care he had fash
toned q tiny silver box. whose double
cover showed the hand of master Its
outer case was deliberately beaten and
chased with the device of the order that
tie emperor had bestowed upon him. and
which he had taken for his family arms
The inner clasp was q network of silver
cobwcbs. wrought in a design that he
copied from piece of tapestry from
Brages And in the tiny hollow he had
placed little ball Of aromatic gum that
an Arabian merchant had brought to Ant
werp-the only city where such costly
perfumes could be sold.
SO thought then of the dreadful days
that were coming No hint on that bright
June morning of the gathering cloud OF
tie lnquisition. Of the Spanish soldiery.
~ of the fourteen months siege that
should leave barely two-thirds of Ant
werps citizens to open the gates at last to
the Duke oi Parna
As tie young artist and his wife came
cat Of the cathedral that summer after
noon into the cool shade Of the gray
tower people said so radiant bride lad
uoI trOddeu the stones Of the Grand place
since Charles was king
H.
The solid old houses of Blocker street
sheltered no happier young people, in the
year o. grace 1910. than William Van
CoFlear and his wife Lucy Ellsworth had
led her lover the usual dance to which
Q0pg..r girls are apt TO treat their ad
liref, but the Dutch incapacity to give
way q. discouragement conquered i'll the
end ild 81 Georges bells had rung III
their married life with 50 merry peal
that iis echoes had not ceased vibrating
through the five years that had passed
since the wedding day
Tie young husband was walking home
from his business on the afternoon of his
anniversary and trying TO think Of some
pretty trfe to slip into his wife's hand as
she met him at the door For, would you
believe that this foolish young matron,
unless kept away by accident. was sure
70 be watching for her spouse and to be
the first TO greet his comingg But, then,
you must remember 1t was fifty years ago,
and a. that time New Workers had not
dotted al their provincial manners.
Van Corlear paused few doors below
Iey street. at Marquand's, entered and
wandered from case % case. His wife
already had all the ornaments she cared
70 wear What was he to selectY The
salesman finally fshed out little antique
puugent box. whose cover bore strange
coat OF arms. nearly efpced by long years
u Use in many generations Of soft hands
whose dust would now scratch the
smooth silver Ilere'was dainty trife,
surely
you viii not find anything like it in
New York, sir, said the salesman. This
was picked up at an auction OF the brio a
orac collected from every corner of the
world by German prince who committed
suicide last year at Monaco. think 1t IS
lie most beautiful example Of early Elem
Sc metal work that ever saw, though ii
IS but a trile "
Il was quaint little box. indeed
Hardly more than an inch long and hall
IS vide. of silver. ut the touch of a spring
Is cover flew up showing a second hinged
cover or clasp Of intricate fligree work
mis- when closed. held In place fluff OF
.oiton, which was 10 be drenched IN
Whatever salt or essence madame chose
ne conceit struck the young man favor
-tiy and be waited TIL it was marked, in
'!ry letters o. the tiny case. just in the
enter Of tn, worn old Flemish family |
shield
.s.ssss..s..ss.
". 10 l..
is35-lSs0.
sr.t.s.s.. -.ss.