Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-08-11
THAT CUPBOARD.


When Aunt Mehitable died she left
her niece Bessie a curious cabinet, Sc
ugly, Bessie thought, that few days
before she married Victor Harper she
packed it off to storage warehouse.
When the storehouse man died she re.
ceived letter from his widow inform
ing her that the old cupboard had been
loaned to a genteel boarding house
keeper, where it would receive the best
of care.
The lady who kept boarders unfortu-
nately found it impossible to make finan-
cial ends meet, and at the end of year
gave up her clientele, and the next ten
ant put the old cupboard up into an un-
used room.
Its queer thing" said he, "but
suppose somebody'll call for it some day
or other. And, as it don't eat nor
drink, there it may stay.
There, accordingly, it remained until
one day long bearded eesthete pene-
trated into the deserted room where it
stood against the wall, and, much edited
by its decorations and age melIowed
tints, straighaway brought other critics
to see it
@Bess, said Mr.. Harper, as he smoked
his cigar by the fireside one evening,
~Pve seen treasure to-day-a perfect
art treasure.
"Indeed?"
Bess was changed now. Not less beau
tiful, but less provincial. She wore long
clinging gowns of dull sage color, and
sat on a madonna blue sofa, with her
hair knotted low at the back of her head,
while the carpet was of one shade of
gray green and the curtains of another.
There were no brilliant colors now to
battle with each other. no gaudy tints,
no startling effects; but only tender
blending hues and soft shadows surround
ing her like an aureole.
"a genuine Antwerp cabinet" said
the artist. I'D give thousand dollars
for it.
aThen why don't you buy it?" muir
INJURED Bess who In this refined atmo-
sphere was changed in voice and manner,
as well as in dress.
@That's the worst of it" said Mr.. Har-
per. 1t can't be bought"
aNot for a thousand dollaEsY with up
raised eyebrows
Not for any money"
What is an Antwerp cabinet, any
way r vaguely questioned Bess.
Its a thing of beauty" her husband
answered enthusiastically. "a joy for
everi A poem done in dark woodi A
dream of medieval arts I'll take you to
see it tomorrow, Bess. It's in the old
room above Varley's studio. All the fell
lows are raving over it. don't think
there's anything finer on this side of the
water, unless it's that one in the Middle
sohn collection in Philadelphia.
And then he relapsed into silence, star
ing at the fire and smoking harder than
ever.
Bessie went with him the next day to
sthe old room above Varley's studio, to
look at the @poem done in dark wood. /"
She clasped her hands with q little cry.
@Oh, Victor, she cried, ~it'f minel"
aYourss"
Young Harper stared at her with eyes
Of wide open amaxement.
That old Aunt Mehitable Barlow left
me-. said Bessie, = IN her win. And IL
didn't understand the value of such
things as do now. And sent it to NAL
vina Perkins to be stored in her hus-
bands warerOoms. and she left it with
Mra DnckwOrthy, who used to live here
and keep boarders- at least this is the
number rand when Mrs. Duckworthy
failed she must have gone of and forgot
ten al about it So this Is an Antwerp
cabinet, u isl Well, do remember that
Aunt 1fehitable told me over and over
again how Uncle Joe bought it from q
merchant in Antwerp the last time but
one that be ever sailed there. He was ,