The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-30
Aunt Abigail Chest of Drawers
A TRUE STORY.

Aunt Abigail Chest of Drawers
TRUE STORY.
Harriette Rea, in Christian Register.
The room was low studded, and the
chest of drawers came nearly to the
top. The mahogany was dark with
age, the handles were brass, the base
was spindle-legged, with acorn-shaped
projections breaking the line. Be
meath the five large drawers were a
collection of smaller ones, three on
each side with deep space or cub
board in the centre.
This was enclosed by q door, orn a.
mented with brass knob and quai Mt
little knocker. The cupboard was like
tiny porter's lodge, and enveloped
the whole piece of furniture with an
air of mystery. It warded off intru-
sion, and suggested the pfopriety of
lifting the knocker to ask permission
of some shadowy spectre if one might
venture to examine more closely this
genuine adtiu1e.
The owner was evidently proud of
her possession and we found one day
that it had history true one. She
told it to US with the keen interest that
age finds in rehearsing the story of it's
youth.
1t was over a supper of Hyson tea,
butter-cracker toast, pound cake pre-
served citron, served upon round ia
BILE, before the open fire. The china
was white, with green sprigs, and had
been kept without preak for sixty
years. A teapot stood on the hearth,
waiting to supply second cup. The
talker slipped occasionally into old
fashioned forms of speech. but evident
ly she endeavored to avoid them.
II always wanted chest of draw
ers; and, when I went to work in the
factory, I determined to have one.
don't think much about gettin' marri-
ed, and havin' parlor of my own. !
just wanted that.
"Old Judge Pettingell had died, and
his niece was Willin' to sell everything
that belonged to Mis- Judge. I offered
her twenty-five dollars for this chest,
not known whether twas cheap or
not; but meant to have it. So
worked hard; and every quarters pay
ment put by little money in a silk
purse, all by myself, until I'd saved
enough.
when I had it brought hame, fa-
ther didn't seem pleased, and said l
was silly, and I'd better have put my
money in the bank: but but mother,
she looked at it, and her eyes shone,
and I used to see her standin' up be-
fore it, and opeEin' and shuttin' the
drawers.
"Then I gotacquainted with my first
husband. I always called him Hiram,
and so I do to this day. We were
married; but I wouldn't take away the
chest from mother while she lived. I
kuew she set store by it, as l did.
"After mother died-father went
first then I brought it home, and this
china. I set the drawers up where
they stand now.
flour or five years went by. Hir-
am and I were happy together, and
then he was taken sick. We hadn't
any children. He used to say that he
must make his will; but he put it off,
and put it off, and by and by died
without doin' it.
ST never thought that anything
bought myself could belong to Hiram.
I knew should get my thirds, and
that they would give nae the house.
supposed the furniture was mine.
"Fhe day after the funeral, Hiram's
two brothers came in with lawyer.
They said everything valuable had got
to be sold at auction. I could bid 'em
lin if I wanted to: but all the property
had got to be praised in order to see
how much ought to haYe.
"Then they went round the rooms,
saying what this thing was worth and
that thing was worth, and pretty soon
they came to the chest. The lawyer
. whispered to <Hiram's brother, but
heard him, This is worth considera
ble.'
"Ialmost screamed out !; 'You can't
touch that. I earned every cent of it
in the factory, and paid for it, and
brought it over here
1.-THE lawyer answered pretty sharp
We'll, ma'am, that don't make bit oil
difference. Whatever you brought
here belonged to your husband
That's the law of the land'
Ezekiel, Hiram's youngest brother
stood close by, and he put in, why
Abigail, you can buy back what you
want now if We give permission ]
was mad, and to I just let the auction
60 on: and when the day came, I bic
bretty low on my things.
The neighbors were real good, anG
never tried to bid against. me. When
it came to that chest of drawers, ! just
spoke up loud, so everybody could
hear and said, it's burnin' shame
for me to have to buy what's already
my own andif men folks have made
such law, they ought to take it back
and make another Then bid
twenty-five dollars, and paid for the
chest overagain: for l knew Ezekiel
would get all be could for It.
There was just enough from my
thirds to keep the house and garden
but Hiram'e brothers had all rest OF
the land. They sold it to Mr. Jones'
our nearest neighbor; and l shut up
: my house, and went back to work in
the factory. 'Twarn't very long before
Mis- Jones died. I used to think,
while the looms were goin', about our