The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-13


The bartender's head and shoulders ap-
peared over the cigar case and his white
vest and apron and fabricated proboscis
shone by contrast TO the dull mahogany
saloon fixtures.
The negro pointed with his thumb over
his shoulder at the tired gentleman in the
vestibule and said with a chuckle. You'd
better go out and take your sign in
Xxx
Everything was in a high state OF futter-
alton in the Judge Jobson Jobkins's house
hold up on the North Side. AS said before
in this series, Miss Angelina, the judges
daughter, is just at that age when she Is
of an intensely romantic turn Of mind. II
seems, during the morning, Angelina had
been over on the West Side. in the old part
Of town, to a sale of the effects of one of
the city's oldest families. They had a lot of
rare old things she had long coveted-ma-
hogany tables with carved claw-feet legs, a
sideboard, chairs. a tall hall clock,
blue china, pewter urns, and silver
ware. Al these had remained for
years In the possession Of a num-
Der OF spinster daughters. The last of
- Wo@ ~ 80 &"N A1A 1922
were being sold at auction. She purchased
a colonial mahogany ten-legged extension
table for the library. 1t was somewhat
out of repair. and she secured the services
Of a cabinet maker the same afternoon, as
she intended to give a chafngdish party
in the evening for a few OF her brothers
(Whittlecomb Jobkins's) college chums-a
lot of big, bulky fellows with stringy
HF,-To A,s~ - 0L.--1I - A,,.ly
teeth when they grinned. laughed in the
lass clef, and smoked gold-tipped cigar
cites that smelled like a dogs bed burn
ing. Some young women in the ~neighbor-
hood had called to inspect the acquisition,
and they all gathered in another room to
whisper suspiciously about it being the
real thing" They were interrupted by
the cabinet-maker coming to the door and
announcing that he had discovered a Sc
cret drawer. "A secret drawer was the
general exclamation, followed by a chorus
of signs. clasping of hands. and gentle
squeals. They all went in and looked
again. There it was, but it was locked.
Angelina collected all Of the keys about the
house, but no one of them would fit, so
she sent a "hurry-up'' call over the phone
for a locksmith. She also telephoned sew
eraI more friends, who soon arrived breath
less, TO add TO the excitement and signs
and hand clasping and gentle squeals and
h.gh-keyed, many-voiced medley Of talk.
The old Judge was sitting in his den up
on the second floor. Feeling the house
shake by so much running about, and hear
ing the sounds of many voices in excited
conversation which was rot audible to him.
save the words secret drawer" at fire.
quent intervals, he waddled down stairs,
initiating his cheeks and sticking out his
mouth as he puffed and painted. He ex-
amined the table, looked at all the girls
with a savage eye, said pooh" several
times, 'it's all frizzle-frazzle," and went
up stairs again.
Miss Angelina had visions of silverware,
possibly a gold c~ruciix, old love letters with
the ink dimmed by time and tied with a
faded blu ribbon; letters of love, love now
lost by death. 'Oh, halcyon days of old
colonial times" An old manor house in
classic design, the interior decorated in
white and gold; a fair maiden of rare
Puritan beauty, gowned in organdie. play
ing a quaint old spinnet; her hair combed
down on the side like a scroll on the cap OF
an Ionic column. A young man in Beau
IL AAAhAN NOSNbAAAOg Will DN OAAA t1C0 dAl
hair. was beside her. The evening sun was
low and cast crimson, shadowy reflections
in the room through the golden autumn
foliage of the trees. as they nodded and
swung and swayed In the breeze. He lifted
his eyes heavenward in spiritual exa1ta-
ton Of love, as she sang to him. Angelina
was Weakened from these dreams by thc
arrival of the painting locksmith carrying
a big ring of rafting keys.
There was a wreath of bowed head:
around the table awaiting a glimpse inside
Of the secret drawer when it was open. AL
were breathless. Finally the drawer was
unlocked and slowly drawn out. The
chased-silver handled knives and forks, tho
gold %crucifx, the letters in time-dimmed
ink and tied with a blue ribbon, telling Of
love now vanished by d~eath-there wer,
none of these. But there it was as it haC
reposed for an age. yellowed by years-ar
old moth-eaten tooth brush.