The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-06-27
Select Sturg.
THE SECRET OF A SCREEN.

From Phiiadelphla Saturday NlRhI-
"Phyllis |"
eyes, auntie."
"Mrs. Van Roosevelt was here again to-
day"
The girl busying herself around the little
kitchen paused at the words.
"About the screen, auntie ?" she asked,
Nistfully.
"About the screen, my love.
"And she offered ?"
"Segenty-f--e dollars this time"
"Aud," rather hopelessly, ''you-"
Il refused it, dear p very promptly and
proudly.
Phyllis pressed her red lips very tightly
together.
How she wished her aunt would sell the
article in question! They were so very
poor. Her salary as teacher in the village
school barely paid for their necessaries, and
she did so long to be able to spend few
dollars foolishly sometimes.
She was pretty girl-an extraordina.
riIy pretty girl. Her slender but well
rounded form was most alertly and charm
ingly graceful; and the face, with its smooth,
broad brow, its sunbright hair, its short,
arch features, its delicate coloring and
dreamy, violet eyes, deserved better gown
ing to emphasize its exquisiteness than the
faded and mended old blue cashmere,
which she wore.
"But auntie, all your other old heir
looms went long ago to buy bread and but
fer for us both-went in the time before
I was old enough to earn the little do.
Why do you prize this so much more high
" than the rest p
The small, withered old lady, dressed in
black alpaca, with a net handkerchief
crossed over her bosom, ceased her slow
rocking and looked up into the questioning
young face.
'Tm keeping it to give you for wedding
present
"That is very kind Of you, auntie, but
indeed j would rather have you sell 1t and
enjoy some comfort now.
Mrs MerEit's little brown bird like eyes
txinkled shrewdly.
Il would if | were offered enough for
it.
seBat," cried Phyllis, stopping in the act
of filling the tea kettle, "seventy-hve dol
lars, auntie J" =,
"Seventy-fye dollars cant touch it =
declared the old lady, with asperity.
Phyllis sighed.
It was quite useless to argue with her
aunt when she got an idea in her head.
As the girl washed the supper dishes
and tidied up the tiny room which was
both dining room and kitchen, and which,
with two other apartments, formed their
whole establishment, she recalled many OF
the odd stories she had heard about her
aunt.
A peculiar character every one seemed
to consider her-demented, many intimat-
ed. Certain it was that one episode related
of her seemed to justify suspicion of her
sanity.
Very wealthy in her own right was she
when she had married handsome adven-
turer named Oswald Merit. She had con-
verted all her property into money, invested
the money in bonds, and then made bon
fire of the bonds! Her jewels disappeared,
no one knew where. She said she wished
to test the sincerity of her husbands love,
and believed husband should solely sup
port his wife.
But a test so severe Oswald Merritt could
not and did not stand. Infuriated at his
brides deed and doctrine, he told her he
had only married her for her money, and
took himself off.
For years, worthless, abusive, dissipated,
he hung around the neighborhood, seeking
no reconciliation with his wife, but ever to
her proving persistent and malicious
menace.
To her immense relief she learned one
day he had fallen out Of third story win
dow and broken his neck.
His widow devoted herself to the care Of
her brothers orphan child, Phyllis Clyde
and till the latter was of an age to work
had supported them both by nursing, doing
plain sewing, and occasionally selling BIT
of her antique furniture or old family silver
Now the only relic left was the fire screen
with which Mrs. Merit so stubbolnly re.
fused 70 part.
That night, when she had given her aunt
her regular cup of cocoa and tucked hei
snugly away in bed, Phyllis went into the
wee box of parlor and stood before tht
screen in question.
"WOrth more than seventy-6ve dollars
indeed' she murmured, disgustedly. "Tha
clumsy, ugly, useless old thing But ther
it is just the articles which are ugly, clum.
sy and useless that rich people seem to rur
crazy after nowadays"
Ii was oval in shape, bOundin dull silvel