Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-01-25
)NT FREDERICK COUNTY, MD, JANUARY 25 1906

Notwithstanding the little sleep had
had, sprung from my bed, and' nav
ing hurriedly dressed, sought my
father.
Somehow, in an ill-dcfined way,
was conscious Of the opening or new
era in nv life. Whether 1t was What
had transpired between my father ana
uncle on the previous night, or the
ioyousness of the opening day, which
was of sort that seemed to confirm
the death of winter and herald ap'
proaching summer, or both, l know
not. but it seemed to me that l had
hidden ndieu to boyhood and lad be-
come man.
NV father had risen full hour be-
fore me. and was pacing the outer
poth OF our old garden, with his haEds
c-asped behind him-his usual conteE1'
plntive attitude.
"Why," said he, after had acquaint-
cd him with my difficulty, "'tis only
Yesterday that noticed you sitting
upon one of the chests, reading. They
stand in the library. one beneath each
window, where they have stood for
the last 800 years or more. 1t was
yort grandmother, I think, VINO
worked cushions and vnln1ces for
them, and so converted them into
strange looking but comfortable set
tees"
As soon as wc had breakfasted my
father began to search fer the keys OF
the chests, for he had but vague
idea rs to where they might be found.
While he was employed rummaging
old bureaus and cabinets, l removed
the coverings from the chests, marvel
ing greatly that they should have so
long escaped my notice. TO do this,
and to clear the table ready to receive
the documents, did not engage me
many minutes, and was impatient to
obtain the keys.
But tho keys could not be found.
assisted my father in the search for
them. and together we turned over as
many .nick-knacks quaint jewelry,
miniatures. pocketbooks, tokens, old
coins, packets Of love letters tied with
faded silk and dated early in the last
century, metal purses, scent bottles,
ctc.--as would have stocked a first
class curiosity shop. But that which
we sought we could not find.
1T was now past noon, and my uncle
and aunt We're expected to arrive ut
o'clock. Though we had been search
ing for several hours we had not yet
examined the contents of half the cab
inets and closets which abounded in
c2l old manor house.. many Of which
had not been opened within the men,
ory of our oldest servant. My father
would have given up the search but
for my advice to him to continue it.
Wisely or unwisely, my father seldom
or never refused to comply with any
wish that l expressed, and he saw that
l was interested in the odds and ends
accumulated by our family.
After another two hours of search
ing my father found the keys of the
chests, tied together and labeled, in
the place where he had first looked
for them. With peculiar facial cX-
preston, in which it was difficult to
determine whether fatigue, annoyance
or triumph predominated, he tossed
them to me, and remarking that he
had had as much Of this affair as he
cared for in one day. left me to do as
| pleased.
Having hurriedly deposited the few
things before me in the places where
they had been found, fastened to the
library and proceeded to open the
nearest chest. The key entered the
lock as easily as might be wished, but
was turned with difficulty, and made
harsh, grating sound. had no sooner
raised the lid than the air became SO
charged with minute fungi that vol
unfairly stepped back and opened a
window.
The chest was quite filled with
parchment or vellum documents, some
rolled and others fat, and to nearly all
of them were attached large pendu-
lous seals. l did not pause to exam
inc them, but transferred them all to
the table, and opened the second chest,
wherein 1 discovered nearly as many
documents as in the first, all of simi-
lar character. But there was also a
thick folio volume, filed with close,
neat writing, every letter of which
appeared to be formed with great
care and accuracy. About two
thirds of the book was English and
the remainder strange characters,
which 1 had little doubt were Orien-
tai, though 1 was not scholar enough
to determine the language to which
they belonged. This book, and a cop
per box, about eighteen inches by
twelve, and five inches deep, were all
| found besides the documents. The
box, which was locked, was much
discolored; but l could discern writ
ing upon the lid such as may be pro-
duced by nitrate of silver upon cop
per. All l could decipher at hasty
glance was "Roger Trueman," written
in characters rather larger than the
others. Trueman being very old
form of our family name, and the box
exceedingly heavy for its size, Mt
once conceived the hope that it con-
tanned something of special value. AS
| could find no key to the box, l set 1t
aside with the folio volume, resolving
to carefully examine both at my leis-
ure.
AT this moment q servant entered
the room and Informed me that my
uncle and aunt had arrived. Dinner
had been ordered to be served as soon
rs possible, and there barely re-
mained sufficient time for me to pre-
pare for it.