Warren sheaf., 1896-12-31
was the rather commonplace reply,
1--WE will investigate and see.''

VI
tive will Investigate and see.''
Well, they both approached, opened
the cover of my case, and Inez reached
in for ME. Much to her surprise I
seemed caught in a corner of the box,
and she had to pull gently to loose
me. Little did she think, my brown
eyed darling, that clung on purpose.
The case was old, one that had de-
scended in the family with me, and as
she pulled the bottom came up with
me and revealed to her astonished gaze
a cavity packed with papers, yellowed
with age, some covered with writing.
Oscar was quick to pounce upon them.
And what do you think they were?
Bonds, dear reader, bonds; together
with Bank of England notes and other
documents representing solid values.
They were counted up and amounted to
nearly $4,000. With them was docu-
ment, written by the great-grandfather
of Inez, willing all these to his only
daughter, the grandmother who had
lived and died in poverty before these
things came to view. They belonged to
Inez, of course, and made her quite an
heiress. You should have seen the hap
piness in those two young peoples
eyes. What do you know of JOY who
never plunged suddenly cut of the
gloom of poverty into the light of what
was by comparison unmeasured
wealth? Heaven that evening had
dingy walls and bare floors, and Just
two angels inhabited it as monarchs
Of all they surveyed. And the golden
harps" had been transmitted into az
tique violins. But assure you golden
harps never made happier music.
All this happened two years ago or
more. The poor lover became Prof
Oscar Hammerstein, and year ago
Inez became his wife. They were mar
ried on New Years eve, and happi-
ness reigned supreme. Better still, it
was made SO warmly welcome that
it has remained with thens to this day.
At that wedding there was sweet mu-
sic in abundance, and was chief mu-
sician among the violins. laughed and
the world laughed with me, as it is
prone to do with the prosperous and
Independent. And 1ningling with the
New Years chimes which, from many
tall steeple, rang out the old and in
the new, was the angelic voice of my
mistress made vibrant and vital with
unspeakable joy. Unspeakable in mere
words, of course, but capable of inter-
probation in song. People said my mis-
t1ess and I were inspired. Of course
we were, for was full of sunny mem
cries voiced in music, and lnez, radiant
with love, interpreted in songs sublime.
This household has been happy one
ever since, and in the place of honor
outranking newer and fresher furniture
in the family sitting-room is my an
tique case and myself We, see all that
is going on, and Inez makes of me a
sort of shrine, for she loves me still
as in days of yore. The constancy of
such natures is proof against change.
Happy indeed are they who have such
friends.
Near me in the sitting-room stands a
crib, and the jewel in this particular
casket is a pink-cheeked baby with
those wonderful italian eyes, and looks
in which those of it's father and mother
sseem strangely and mysteriously blend
ed. But it's music? Well, I do not pre-
tend to interpret the songs of all emo
tions, and this little cherub's song is
too much for me. I can stand it's laugh
and enjoy it's cackle or crow, but when
it lifts it's voice for more vigorous mu-
sical effort prefer boiler factory or
the filing of saws. love it, of course,
hut one can love wee sinner without
loving it's sins. AS an antique gifted in
harmonics and such, I protest against
it's methods of playing '.bawl' or ser
enading.
The strangcst thing of all is that it's
father and mother, loving and under
standing harmony, seem to love even
it's war yells and efforts when sailing
to windward in q house-madc squall.
All the same, we shall have christen-
ing this New Year, and from the plans
[ have overheard, it is to be a gay event.
Ills babyship is to be saddled for life
with name, and there will be feasting
and dancing galore. We violins love
dancing, for at such events we rule the