The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-16
THE ESPENDOLA CHEST


meant now mucn WOulu 9Ou ldke TOR
this chestg Twenty dolIarsf"
"Veinte pesosr' almost screamed the
woman, turning to her daughter.
"Veinte pesosr' echoed the daughter
again. without taking her scornful
glance from the strangers face.
"Yes, yes; twenty dollarsf' repeated
Randolph. not the least Disconnected;
would you take twenty dollars for
this chestf II ie very much cut OF
style. sou know, but might find a use
for it,"
The woman stood back a pace and
surveyed him with an expression that
made even Randolph begin to feel o
irine m at ease The daughter lined
herself up beside her mother and tried
70 echo The look. but her glance was
tempered with an admiration she could
not conceal
AS neither women seemed disposed
10 break the silence. Randolph con-
tinued: Well, say twenty-five dollars
that's a big price for such an OLD
fashioned thing but ! might give it,
The old woman broke into d TRADE
Of broken Spanish.
"yeinte cinco pesos for The chest
Of her soul; Nunca" The glory WIS
gone from her house and she was poor
yes. and she needed the money, but
this chest had belonged 70 her family
when they had held their heads high
IN Spain. Her father had brought Il
over here with him aud paid almost
half his shrigeled fortune 10 get Il here
-he would not have come without It.
When she had married II lad becu
given to her and when Rosa was mar
rled &c would 60 to her FOR q dowry,
and so on down the line Of Espendolas
as Il had come And every good Es.
pendola would guard Il with his life
II need BE- "Neinte y cleo pesos. Be-
gone lnsolenter'
AT last exhausted by her outbreak
OF anger and calling her daughter 20
follow her, she ordered him again 20
leave the house. stlll mutterlng 10 her
SELF. "veinte y cleo pesos. Diantrer
Rosa followed reluctantly. but not
until she had hidden the handsome
stranger a gracious good-by and
watched him through a chunk IN the
boarded window until the old state
house hid him from sight The moth
er's rage did not cool with the disap-
pearance of the intruder. and II her
ire had not been 80 all-absorblng she
would have noted that her daughter
did not echo her mood as usual
After supper the girl moved the ver-
zebra tenderly. and begin to furbish
the chest with a newborn love and re-
spect She polished the curved wood
surface until she saw her own renec-
ton In Il; she busted and rubbed away
AZ the carvings an the crown and
shield stood out boldly. and lastly with
patent polish she FURNISHED the
heavy trappings. which II she had only
known Il was desecrati0n.
Another day Randolph made his way
TO the abode house OF the Espendolas.
telling himself too much was at stake
to be deferred by an old woman and
silly girl This time he was more for
tunate; the madre was away from
home. and the soft-eyed Rosa had lost
her first Indignation at his offer Of
twenty dollars. She explained that
her mother had often been besOught
by visitors to sell the chest: there had
been some artist people and some writ
er people who had come to Monterey
and had given her no peace about n;
but no one. she assured him. could get
it, II was to be hers lie was wei
come 20 come again to see Il II 1t gave
him so much pleasure. especially on
Wednesdays when she would be alone;
but he must not anger her mother
again By asking her to sell Il.
The transformation wrought by
Rosa's cleaning was such a revelation
that Randolph was even more enam-
ored by the second sight Of It. Tie
would have embraced It. grappled f.
TO his soul. could be have done 50. He
saw Il IN fancy IN his own apartments
ia a npestritd corner where the duslSy
tones Of the mahogany and brass cary
ings would suggest a nook in the Al
hambra.
That evening Randolph related his
adventure 10 Miss Smyihe-Browne as
they stroiled down hy the Tennis
courts. Miss smyihc. Browne was very
sympathetic with BIS mood for She ap-
preciatcd his fondness for collecting
In the moonlight she was very heauti-
ful and Randolph was beginning 20
wonder ii. after all. she was not about
As near what Mrs. J. Courtney Ran
dolnh should be as any enc be could
find with what n queenly grace she
would preside over his cushioned
home. But the idea Of his apartments
without this ciiest was now impossl-
De.
Again and again he went 10 look al
L. The iiiilc girl was always there.
and now there were two vertebrae be-