News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-12-04
MY OLD CHIPFOuIBR.

ture. 1t is inlaid and polished, Will
lock of FURNISHED copper, and alwayl
seems to be smiling, as if its red ane
white mOsaics were merry, rosy lips.
1t was given to me by my grand
mother, who inherited it from hel
grandfather, and l verify believe thai
it once stood in a boudoir of tht
palace of Marty.
Never was an innocent little piece
of furniture abused and rated SC
mercilessly as my chiffonier was whel
L chanced to think of it one day
during my sOjourn at the Pirnus ir
Greece You will, no doubt, ask wh1
| thrust my trembling hand through
my hair and cried out " "Miserab ole
idiot" without stating whether the
epithet was applied to myself or tc
my chiffOnieP Good -heaNeffs~ A.
only wonder~ was -effetBI left Il single
hair on my head! Judge for your
self
had been so fOrtunate-sOme time
befOre-as to be loved by the most
charming of women. | shall not at
tempt to describe her, not even by
the color of her hair; it is sufficient
to say that for two years | called her
my angel" and bright image OF
my Dreams At the end of that pc
riOd | allowed one of my friends to
say to me, in speaking Of her: How
could you be such a fool?" She sent
me back my letters, and [ neglected
to return hers, but put the whole lot
into a drawer of my old chiffonier,
without thinking to turn the key.
That chiffOnie. WAS in my room
my room was in my mothers chat
eau; my II others chateau was 500
leagues away, in the middle of Prov
ence. In ,e TIM off unexpectedly on
a diplomat; mission | had complete
ly forgotten to destroy those remains
of an attachment which had been de-
lightful-as long as it lasted. When |
accidentally called out the memory of
those letters from some obscure cor
ner of my brain, | started up in sur
prise and shame, for | knew that my
thoughtlessness might seriously com
promise a woman who had done
nothing to deserve such treatment at
my hands. | felt that my conduct
had been unworthy of Il gentleman,
and in fine frenzy rushed out of the
house, inquired for the first steamship
bound for Marseilles, took passage,
and listening to nothing but the
voice of my conscience, returned to
France.
A week later l arrived at the ma
ternal abode, and will spare you q
recital Of calculations, the What! !!
You? George! Why? So SoOn?"
which greeted me as soon as | ap-
peared. My mother nearly stitled
me with her embrace and was sure
that something dreadful had happen
ed to me, and l had great difficulty
tOreassure her. When she had grown
calm, said in as Indifferent a tone as
possible:
& Will you have my valise sent to
my room, mother, dear?
- Certainly, my soTr;z must b,
tired out, she answered. Then, sum
moning Il servant, she said: Take
my sons baggage to the blue room,
Pierre"
You mean the green room, adj
ded.
NO, the blue room, persisted my
mother.
But the green room is my room. p"
' Il was yours once, George" " she
said smilingIy
"And whose is it now?" l asked,
in surprise, and my mother pointed
to the door, saying merrily:
Here comes the present occu-
pant"
Gabrielle!" | cried, going to meet
my cousin, the lOveliest and most
Of girls, with abundant
blonde hair, eyes as blue as heaven.
a smile of childish innocence and
tt eth ike pearls. 1t was she, of all
persons, who was occupying the
green room, and who, no doubt, had
ran sacked the drawers and cup
b ards.
Unfortunate, thrice unfortunate
man that | was
Gabrielle, gay, artless and cOntid-
ing, though a trifie shy, gave me her
hand, looking delicious as she said: p
"How do you do, cousin GeOrge?"
My face must have betrayed my
confusion as | took her hand and
looked searchingIy for some sign of
dissimulatiOn in her soft eyes. Had
she found the letters? Had she read
them? To tell the truth, Mrs. -
had loved me ardently, and had been
so imprudent as to express her senti-
ments in writing, running the gamut
of obs and abs with plentiful exclama-
ton points attached thereto. And
suppose little Gabrielle had read
them? | blushed at the thought
But quite calmly she said: How
do you do, cousin George? ?"-that
was all, and in my great palm lay q
soft, cool, maidenly little hand.
All, but what abyss is deeper than
a woman's heart, as the psalmist
says; suppose she had read the let
terS! The only way to make sure
was to go into the room and look
for them. Gabrielle's room! What
sweet melody in the words, yet | felt
that dared not enter that sanctuary,
although | had known my cousin
since she was a child.
Come, George, and see how prettl-
ly | have arranged your room, she
said suddenly.
Joy, bliss, ecstacy filled me as she
spoke. | was saved. Innocence had
come to the rescue of depravity!
Lightly and gracefully she ran up
the staircase. What a pretty figure
she had | followed her like a culprit,
feeling almost afraid to 90, but yet |
must at all hazards get my letters.
Ny former room was perfectly
charming, decked out in blue and
white, and with no odor of cigars
anywhere. The little bed was mod
estly draped with snowy curtains,
which looked like the wings of guar
dian angels. | looked around anX-
iOusly for the old chiffOnier. There 1t
stood, as usual.
"May | have some water, cousin
Gabielle, | am dying of thirst" |
said.
She took up the carafe, but |,
artfuI demon, had already observed
that it was empty.
WAIT a minute; l will get you
some water" she said, and lett the
room.
rushed TO the chiffonier and open
ed the drawer-horrOr! twas empty
The next instant my cousin re
turned, gave me a glass of water
then showed me her album, and ther
we talked merrily, just as we used tC
do when we were piayfellows.
But where were my letters? HaC
she found them and hidden then
away, or had she burned them? NJ
head seemed to swim as | wondered.
As soon as | could think of n pre-
] 1 = l. II II 4 lLA L.l LII