Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-09-19

O1Gen IL Will Ouly weary you'
Somehow or other, it seemed to me
I had only then understood the posi-
bility of a heart of sorrow being at
tached to the exchange of goods such
as had that day sold.
"I am anxious to help you, madam"
And I was. I believe was growing
superstitious, too; for it seemed to me
as if ghostly pageant was crossing
and recrossing the dim mirror, and
the old screen shook as if the sighs or
sobs were coming from it.
"Thank you! I am looking for a
cedar cabinet" said the lady gently,
(which was among the articles part
ed with to Clutchem & Keep. and l
was told that it was sent here for sale.
j 7 wish to redeem it at any price"
She stopped suddenly as she saw my
face change.
A cedar cabinet!
remembered it at once. The hurt
on nv hand recalled it, also that it
had been labled for that days sale.
She grew frightened at my hesita-
ton.
"Do not say that it is gone ?" she
cried, rising quickly and grasping my
arm. "Oh, God would not so aftiict
me! Look, look everywhere for it, l
beg. I pray YOU"
Her hands shook so on my arm
so that could feel the quivering of
her thin fingers. .
I tried to think to whom had sold
the cabinet that day; then it flashed
on me that there had not been one in
the catalogue.
Had made a mistake and sent it
west with the bric-a-arac lot? If so,
lit could be recovered. felt glad for
nv error, but the poor little woman
mistook my silence and broke down
completely, sobbing 80 pitifully that 1
knew then that some great cause was
hidden beneath her desire to reclaim
the old cabinet.
"It is more to me than life or
DEATH" she cried out passionately,
looking straight before her. "1t means
nv children's honor. Listen and you
will be Influenced by my great need to
find this cabinet for me. I believe it
contains the certificate of my marriage
and nv children's baptism, without
which cannot lay claim to my hus-
bands estate in France. 1t is not the
money I want" she added, with proud
spirit-"I cannot hear to touch that
but my children shall not he robbed
of the right of their fathers name"
| She paused to look at me. l felt as
lif a severe tension upon her nerves
had given away at last, and, crushed
by the fear of her cabinet being lost to
her, her silence and reserve had bro
ken down, and that she had appealed
to me unconsciously in her need.
| The shadowy pageant passed to and
fro across the mirror, and as she went
on passionately with her story it seem
ed to me saw the whole sad episode
pass in review on the dim surface.
Fifteen years ago my husband de-
serted me. Evil influences led him
astray, and, while for my children's
sake 1 would have pardoned him, 1
never saw him again or heard one
word of him until I learned through
J the papers that he was dead, and had
left an estate to his wife and children.
II could not grieve, except that he
died in his sin !; unforgiven by me. l
, was poor, for be left me only the
, household furniture, and have toiled
r all these years to maintain my chill
dren. So, for their sakes, 1 applied to
lawyer to obtain possession of the
estate.
) "Oh, the shame, the despair, of find
] ing another claimant in France to my
children's name and honor.
"I must prove our claim as wife
and children said the careful French
lawyer, by the production of the mar
riage and baptismal certificates!
"And 1 knew not where they were J!
"The minister was dead, the wit
nesses gone I knew not where.
II felt as if my careIessness had dis
: honored my children, and for days
could get no relief from my horrible
, anxiety, until by a flash as if from
, heaven, I remembered that l had
placed the certificates with other pa.
[ pers in the old cabinet that l had
[ parted with to Clutchem & Keep.
went to them; they had sent it here
for sale, and now you"
She broke down and with moan OF
: despair. 1t was more than I could
, stand. That cry and the pitiful story
forced me into action at once.
E "You shall have back the cabinet,
madam" said, solemnly, as if devot'
Z ing my life to its search.
"Oh, sir! you will do "a noble deed
if you but find it for me-" she cried,
t gratefully, looking at me with beam
| ing eyes.
], Her face looked at me as if halo
, came over it, and l dimly felt why
had stood bareheaded before her
Truly had stood in deaths presence
, the death of hope and love in this
) poor woman's life--the requiem OF
| yladness aud impulse.