The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-16
RANDOLPH IS such

al chorus. He was the sort OF man
women love to love- His patumony
was sufficiently TO make him thorough
~ worth while. his mental depth was
beyond noDody's fathomins, and even
the men who were inclined 10 leave
him alone admitted. nerforce, that be
was n good enough fellow. lie could
40 SO many useful things, tOo-wield q
chahng dish or banjo. lead a german
or sall boat-all with equal grace
and skill
But the measure Of his popularity
was the measure Of the plunder ae
accumulated from year TO year. HIS
apartments might have rlyaled q pub.
he exhibition ia point Of hts collection
of photographs. There were girls of
an sorts and conditions Of beauty and
style. blonde girls aud brunette girls,
stately girls aud kitienish girls, tail
girls and petite girls, ana girls 10 every
variation 81 hahiliment from BATH
ing suit 10 mourning weeds. varying
IN size from tiny miniatures gently
limiting they might be enshrined IN the
watch-case, to the large iridium panels
that lined hls walls Ia Tiers And ihe
sofa cushions that filled every NOOK
would have made the fortune Of
charity bazar. After noting the fact
that about every third girl who gave
him her picture was industrious
enough Of cared enough 10 make him
a cushion, Randolph at a rough esfi
mate. had fixed the number at twenty
eight and two-lhrds cushions. Every
holiday season a new pile was started.
and rs each girl peffumed her gif.
with her fai0rite sachet. nothing but
she most powerful disinieclant could
mitigate the combined odOrs OF tAe
tweniy-eight and two-lhird saehei
powders Such 4 IS 10 be acclaimed
"a charming fellow
But Randolph was not ungrateful;
Ia return he loved them an collective.
ly. His only trouble was that be could
NOT dedncc bis ideals from the COM
poslle ree-times.fw .fwenty-elght-and.
two. thirds 70 the individual But Ma
r.. Courtney Randolph was 20 be a
fiawless creature who combined every
grace of mind and body. and much
time was spent m a dlligent search for
.'that not impossible che" The search.
indeed. threatened to rival the hobby
he had ridden. or. rather. that had rid.
den him az a brcak.neck pace all bis
life. He had been a victim of every
collecting Fad people with long pockets
ana short wits are heir TO. But he
was shrewd 10 bis judgment and his
insight had brought him not a few
treasures from unsuspected sources.
The furniture he had gathered about
him evoked associations Of the First
Empire. early Colonial. old Dutch, and
French Renaissance. Once be had ST
his heart on piece Of bric-a-hrae he
could brook no barrier But now, for
the nrst time. Randolph was bsGed.
and iy n woman nt that
Down in Monterey. IN 4 crumbllng
OLD abode house that might once havs
been the home OF some naughty hidA'-
10. but which now bore only the piiifu'
Traces Of is early pretentions. BE dis
covered q great treasum- hne old
spanish chest Of most unique design
The old abode house had been burned
ont on the inside. leaving the walls
hlackened and charred. She floor was
the bare ground baked almost into
cement from generations OF use: the
window panes were broken and board.
"a over 20 keep out the rain In such
q rlckety little hole stood this regal 5ld
chest that might have held the court
robes of Queen Isabella. Almost black
with the lapse of centuries. lar-e
enough for whole famlly's wardrobe.
the massive brass trappings tarnlsht.
hy the touch Of hands long ago crun'
hied 70 dust. It's ever aspect breathed
an atmosphere of romaace and trad'
lion.
The manner or It's discovery was che
mcrest chance. While taking a shotT
cut from the hay hack 90 the hotel
Randolph had stopped e. a house thas
hooked 4 little less dirty than iis neigh.
iors. to ask for Drins of wafer. While
the old sonora had gone TO bring il ns
tspied through = crack "a TIE door this
marvel 81 ihe melal-worker's art The
chest. which STOOD several inches fron
ihc f8or. supported hy lions claws
was ~ cedar or mahogany. a. nearly
as be could tell through iis coating ~
dust The edges were held hy heavy
carved brass arabesquer and ID
wrought ca every lock and hinge vas
ih, crown and shield Of Spain. Tire
proof of iis royal lineage.
When the woman returned with ihe
cooi wafer. she .sund the stranger
spaied on an up-iurnpd whsle vcrteirt
before the chest. pulling at The brass
ines. and wondering at its excellent
preservation Dropping the glass aud
fhrieklng ROSA. Rosaf she ran 10
give the alarm 10 her daughter that
ihere WAS a burglar ia the house. it
was several minutes before Randolph