The Bowbells tribune., 1900-08-17
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An Antique Treasure

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Through days Of sorrow and of mirth.
Through days Of death and days Of
birth,
Through every swift vicissitude
VI cnangeful time unchanged it stood.
-Longfellow.
The Cartons were an efcectionate
family. They embraced each other
when they met. They kissed each 9TH
er when they parted. They gave each
other presents on birthdays, on ami
versaries, at Christmas and Easter.
When they met each of the i've sisters
asked each minutely and in detail as
to the children of the other. They ad-
m1red each man who had married a
Carton girl. They rivaled each other
In afectionate admiration Of the off,
spring possessing such desirable par
ents. And they were quite convinced
that the Cartons, separately and COL
lectively considered. were of the elect
of earth and destined to an immortal
ity of unusual splendor.
When their only brother married
Marcia Wright. the family, with its
proud unity and generosity, took her
into the sacred enclosure Of the Carton
contingent. She shared the inesti-
mable pleasure Of being one of them.
She, too, received presents and ca
resses. She was patronized with the
utmost urbanity. 1t was Matilda who
took the lead in these demonstrations.
Matilda was the oldest. She was also
the wealthiest. Had the Cartons been
add1cated to the singing of hymns it
is unlikely that they would ever have
chanted in the original Praise God
from whom all blessings fow." The
name of the deity would unconsciously
have resolved itself into that of 'Tilda
at whatever sacrifice OF correct musical
cadence and devout 1audation. It was
Matilda who suggested names for the
new babies, who inspected the shop
windows for new styles, and beat the
family dressmaker down to her terms.
It was Matilda who gave her nephews
and nteces tin toys and bulk candy.
It was Matilda who. when she bestowed
china teapot on bride or q gradu-
ate. stuck bunch Of violets in the
spout and swathed the whole in tissue
paper. tied with baby ribbon-which
thus clearly indicated her artistic ten
dencies It was Matilda who, when the
first anniversary of Marcia's wedding
came around-or was about to come
around-informed the young wife she
should send her a valuable commemo-
rative present.
Marcia politely protested.
1T doesn't seem any time since you
sent Joe and me that beautiful vase"
she said. Her glance sought the vase
in question. So did that of Mrs. Dobbs
which, by the way, was the marital
cognomen of Matilda, nee Carton.
almost year, my dear. We al
ways observe anniversaries-we Car
tons!"
$50 sweet of you" murmured Marcia.
Young Mrs. Carton made no mention
of the fact that. while both the price
inscribed on the box and on the vase
itself was fifteen dollars. the edges
where breakages had been duly Joined
were, on close observation, apparent.
Sometimes" went on Mrs. Dobbs
dreamily, zone feels that to give an
article of personal significance-of in
dividual interest-far exceeds those
that may be purchased for certai,
occasion, or specified sum-"
Indeed, yes!" assented the bride CT
the brother of Mrs. Dobbs.
She was thinking of the lot of lumb-
er that had accumulated in the attic of
her new home. She had taken out of
storage the furniture of her mother,
who, being passed into the big black
ness, had no need for furniture, nor for
anything else material. 1t was only
that morning Joe Carton entreated his
wife to get rid of it.
81 know there are people who like
old trash," Joe had said. It may have
been lack of mutual opinion on such
matters which made these diverse
natures 81 dLIIdNl4V0 " SdCu OLuCT.
II like the new furniture-the kind you
can smell the varnish on. Let an auc-
ton man take the truck. Sell them
for whatever they will bring"
The varnish! Marcia had suppressed
a groan. Varnish! The deep, reddish
CLEAN of that old black mahogany
nickered before her eyes. And the
golden gloss Of the hand-polished
birdseye maple! And the dusky glim-
mer of rare butternut wood!
II know" said she. "But I'd like to
reserve the brass-clamped desk, Joe. I"
Reserve nothing!" Joe had decid-
ed. He was dictatorial-lik Matilda.
''Tell the Wabash avenue people to
take the lott"
Marcia had early learned the Carton
virtue of smiling submission. So, with
many an inward pang and innumerable
suppressed protests, she saw her an
cestral treasures carted from her door,
1t was only when Matilda had talked
NJ tho va1ne nf hereditary n0ssescfnns