The Washington herald., 1907-02-22
GONE AT FIVE
BY LOUISE N. ERRIFIELD.

And now. ladies and gentlemen, we
have this fine old piece Of black walnut.
Must have cost at least So fifty years
ago. Just observe the hand carving, viii
YOU? Every one of those punches Of
acorns is hand-carved Mirror real
French beveL See that initial hand
carved right into the wood on top? That
capital X stands for KltUedge. and this
here bureau is part of the original black
walnut handicapped bedroom suite
that old Grandpa Kitredge bought in
Boston hfty-two years ago. Amt that so,
Mrs Kitredgeg'
Standing near the veranda steps was
Grandma Kituedge, slender. erect. and
dignided IN her mourning. Her sweet old
face was Iear-stained, but coura geOUs. as
she watched her precious furniture go
under the hammer, piece by piece. 1t was
hard. nobody knew how hard. but they
We're all kind TO her, and even old Billy
Masters, the auctioneer. was making it
just as easy for her as he could; and.
standing next To her. one arm around her
waist. and the other hand holding hers in
"a close clasp Of loving comfort, was
Kitty-Kitty for whose sake the old home
and all it held. was being sold
With that soft young hand holding
hers. the strength came back TO her as
she remembered what il meant for Eitty's
sake each time one OF the old dear things
was sold. and now. even when the first
piece of her wedding suite was put up
she smiled bravery, closed her eyes TO
force back the tears. and answered:
THAT is so, Billy
They had bought it on their wedding
trip. the black walnut "set. as she called
it. It had been made to order in Boston.
and she remembered how proud she had
been of even the initial on each head
piece, the initial that she had taken for
her own through life only few weeks
before.
There's nothing too good for my bride
10 take back home with her" Tom Kit
tredge had said proudly And you shall
have the marble tops. too. Kitty dar-
ling"
Marble tops, And to-day old Billy was
telling her neighbors to bid up. that even
the marble tops were worth buying for
grayestoues. real. good, flawless marble
was getting SO scarce The tears forced
their way through her lashes this time,
and Kitty, jr., seeing them fall on the
hand she held. raised it 10 her lips and
kissed them away
Don't cry. grandma" she whispered,
III win it all back for you, dearest,
don't you cry"
Then while Billy's voice sounded far
Off. she closed her eyes to shut out his
figure standing on one of her dining
room chairs. shut out the scattered
crowd Of old neighbors and strangers
that spread out over the lawn in front
of the big colonial EitTedge homestead.
and reasoned it all out with herself
again. how it must be for Kitty sake.
Kitty the Third, as they had called her
when Kitty the Second had laughed and
cried the first time her baby daughter
was laid i'm her arms by Kitty the First.
And to-day Kitty the First was only
poor old Grandma Kittredge, and Kitty
the Second lay up under the pines in
the judges family lot on the hillside.
next to the Judge himself, and only little
soventeen-year-ol Kitty was left
Il was right that the girl should have
the full benefit from the old place
Grandma kittredge told herself over and
over again. She, too, would be sleeping
up under the pines before long. and then
only little Kitty the Third would be left
and what good would all the old-fash-
toned furniture be 10 herr Dudley liked
new things. and they were going to live
I'm New York after they were married.
She had heard him telling Kitty how
artistically and effectively he would fur
nish up an apartment for her. All I'm
mission style
Grandma Kittredge had wondered
vaguely what the mission style was, but
she said nothing. 1t was perfectly nat
uraI for Kitty 10 want her own things.
just as that other Kitty years ago had
wanted TO 90 up 10 Boston and have the
JOY of buying her own things for the
home wonderful OF course. Kitty the
Third couldn't understand how she loved
each piece OF furniture. She was 700
young. How could she feel sad over the
old bureau without the memory Of the
little baby garments that had been tucked
away in its drawers years and years ago;
of the dear old solid mirror thai had re-
hected the face of that other bride from
Boston and beside her, bending over her
shoulder. the laughing, merry, tender
eyed Tom kittredge, fifty-two years ago
1t was-but how could Kitty understand ?
But il was for the best; surely it was all
for the best. Grandma Kittredge kept tell
ing herself. for the young people wanted
to so to New York to live, and she was
20 go TOO. They were very. very kind 70
her She could not stay in the old house
all alone. and then there was no money
to keep it up with
Money? She had hardly ever bothered
about the word until the judge had died.
There had always been plenty ef money.
ShS had never even asked how much. or
what was left. The judge was ;he
judge that was enough. His father
had owned the big, white colonial man
sion up ON the hill before him. and even
the new trolley line that cut across the