The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-20

/ ways in pairs. standing on mats of I
crocheted worsted; three sea shells; and |
the cup and saucer tltat belonged to
grandma. which no one must touch be-
| cause they'd been broken and were held
together but weakly, owing to the imper-
fections of the home made cement
The new cabinet, naughty In its var
nished elegance, with its Vatican DANES
and courtiers. and perhaps eI the knowledge
| that it enjoys widespread approval among
| the elect-this is a different matter. In
every American home that is a home. to-
| day it demands attention. The visitor, after
eyeing it with cautious side glances goes
jauntily up to it. affecting to have been
| stirred by the mere impulse IF elegant
! idleness. Under the affectedy careless
scrutiny Of the hostess he falls dramatic
ally into an attieude Of awed entrance
ment Reverently he gazes upon the
| priceless bibelots within; the mother-of-
pear fam half open; the tiny cup and sau
4 Ger of Sevres on their brass easel; the
| miniature Cupid and Psyche in marble;
the japanese wrestlers carved in ivory;
| the ballet dancer in bisque; the coral
necklace; the souvenir spoon from the
Paris Exposition; the Jade bracelet; and
the silver snuff box that grandfather car
ried to the day Of his death If the gaz-
ing visitor be a person of abandoned char
acter he makes humorous pretence that
/ the householder has done wisely to turn
a key upon these treasures, against the
ravishings Of the overwhelmed and fren-
zied connoisseur. He wears the look Of
one who is gnawed with envy, and he
heaves the sigh of despair.
| But when he notes presently that he has
ceased to be observed he sneaks cheer
fully to another part of the room.
The w1at-not is obsolete. The Empire
| cabinet is regnant Yet, tho one Is the
lineal descendant Of the other-its So
phisticated grandchild-they are hostile
and irreconciable.
Twenty years hence the cabinet will be
prescribed and it's contents .cataloged IN
those same terms of dsparagement that
the What-not became long since too dead
; to incur. Both will then have attained
the state of honorable extinction now en-
ioyed by the dodo.
The what not had curiolsly survived in
: the Bines home-survived unto the.2con1-
ing of the princely cabinet-survived to
give battle if it might. X
= Here. perhaps, may be found the SYM
bollc clue to the strife's cause.
\ The sole non combatant was Mrs. Bines,
e the widow. "A neutral was this s good
s woman, and well wisher to each fac
n ton. @.
g: Il tell you it's all the same to me- she
declared; Montana City or Fifth avenue
IN New York. guess I can do well
enough in either place so long as the
: | rest of you are satisfied .-@s~ e.. =.
:. | IL Hdu DSen dill Cne same to Mrs, BlneS,
y for as many years as a woman Of so can
:, remember. It was the lot of wives in her
:. - day and environment early to learn the
:, | supreme wisdom of abolishing prefer
:, ences. Riches and poverty, ease and hard
4 ship, mountain and plain, town and wild
. erness, they followed in no ascertainable
% sequence, and a superiority Of indifference
Il to each was the only protection against
o. hurts from the unexpected. , 8, {
a This trained neutrality Of Mrs. Bnes
ii served her finely now. She had no Lead
o ing to ally herself against her children IN
their wish to go east, nor against Uncie
/. Peter Bines in his stubborn effort to keep
n them west. She folded her hands to wait
e on the others. rs
Il And the battle ragged 49, r. 4. <.
The old man, sole defender OF the
l. virtuous and stalWart west against ar
n east that he alleged to be effete and de-
it praved, had now resorted to sarcasm
thing that Mr.. Carlyle thought was as
le good as the language Of the devil
le And here, now, how about this dog
er luncheon" % he continued, glancing at.
l. New York newspaper clutched accusdglJ
Of irg his hand. 1T was give: I see by one
is one of your Newport cronies Now. that's
le healthy doin's fur two-fsted Christian
I'll amt it? I want to know. shappyrong.
ing a select company Of lady and gentle
lie men dogs from soup to coffee; pressing
little more Of the dog-biscuit OH this
m one and seein' that the other don't mis-
It. play its finger bowl no way. How would
Lh love to read Of a Bines standin' up al
in in purity velvet pants, most likely, to re
ne ce1ve at one of them bow WOW functions
a functions, believe, is the name of it?'
e he ended in polite inquiry. 4
ne There, there Uncle Peter!' the yolln,
r. man broke in soothingly; you mustn'
rd take those Sunday papers as gospel truth
LII those stories are printed for just sucl
l. rampant old tenderfoots as you are; an,
even If there is one foolish freak, HI
= doesn't represent all society III the bette
sense of the term
yes, and you!'' Uncle Peter broke OH
again, reminded Of another grievance
You know well enough your true name i
Peter-Pete and Petite when you was
baby, and Peter when you left for college
And you're ashamed of what you've done
too, for You tried to hide them calm
cards from me the other day, only yo,
want quick enough. Bring en- out! Tn
Sl bound your mother and Pish shall see 'em
A Out with emf
The young man. not without embarrass
= Ement, drew forth d Russia leather car,
case which the old man took from hin
as one having authority;
fc Here you are, Marthy Bines!" he ex
y. claimed, handing her a card; here yol
= are! read it! Mr.. p. Percival Bines
Of Now. doh, you feel proud Of havin' stucl
i out for Percival when you see it iii col
- print? You know mighty well his pa an
IS me agreed to Percival only fur a middl
name. Jest to please you-and he. wan
to be called by, it; only jest Peter 0
Peter p at most; and now look at tn
way he's gone and garbled his good name.
Mr. P. Percital Bi1ies bluslied furiousl
here. but rejoined, nevertheless, with quie
dignity, that d man S name was somethn
Il about which lie should Have the. rulin
voice, especially where it was possible fo
s him to rectify or conceal the unhapp
choice of his parents.
And while we're on names he con
tinued do try to remember in case yo
ever get among people, that Sis's name
Psyche and not Pish.''
eef The blond and cornplaceTt Miss Bine
81 here. moved uneasily i'll her patent blu
- plush rocker and spoke for the first time
"a IA with a grateful glance at her brother.
~ !u Yes, Uncle Peter. for mercy S sake. d
lc- try! Don't make us laughing stock! s
I'd but your name is Pish. A person
is. name is what their folks name en-
re ai11.t tt? Your. ma comes acrost d nam
3. in a book that she likes the looks of. an