Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-06-02
His Hideous Heirloom.

at her death, she wiled a time-worn ant
hideous bureau to her favorite nephew
and nothing else.
Marvin Chapman debated long OF
whether to favor the relic OF an artleS:
manufacturer with resting room or rele'
gate it to a secondhand emporium. In tht
end love and certain respect for the OLE
lady won; the bureau was installed in tht
otherwise up-to-date apartments OF th'
young man.
Miss Harriet Herlien had been highly
esteemed woman, aggressive in word anc
action. She had a Shrewd mind, calcu'
lating, keen.
Chapman, who had not seen his aun
for a number OF years, remembered he
as a sharp-eyed old lady, Silver-hairee
and always garbed in black.
The bureau amused the friends OF the
young artist, and laughing congratulations
were given Chapman on having secured
so handsome an antique He volun-
teered no explanations. The bureau be-
came a permanent fixture in his rooms.
Chapman was an artist of much talent
but as yet little success. He managed by
rigid enconomy 10 live within his all-too'
small income, and keep up appearances
Meanwhile, the spotlight of publicity was
gradually coming closer.
The youth had always believed that his
aunt was a woman of vast wealth and tina
he was to inherit all of her fortune. Be.
lieving this, he had made no effort to huS'
band his own little money. Now he real.
lied his miStake-thls leaning on posi-,
bilities-for his dream was farther away
from him than ever-and he had imagined
it most tangible and OF bound-to-come'
true construction.
But, after all, even if the little country
studio, far away from the stress and cla'
NOR of the town, were eliminated, anc
the constant production OF "pot boilers
was always TO be necessity, the heart o.
the dream was still left to him. The hear
of the-dream, the radiant centre arounc
which all these thoughts and visions o
the future revolved, waS-Annette Legs
The young artisthad known the girl fol
years. They had been fellow-StudentS
in Paris, and her dark eyes, studded be-
meath perfect brows, had made theil
strong appeal to him long before he hac
become acquainted with her. Above anc
beyond her perfect figure, her rare poiSe
above and beyond all these, the magnet
ism of her personality had claimed him
and he knew in his heart that there never
could be any other.
The youth had been green boy, treSt
from the country in those days, and wha
the girl could have found in him was ;
mystery. To be sure, the aquiline nose
the firm, frank eyes and the fighting jaw
told of victories to come; but, as a gen
eral rule, young girls are not able to judge
of such things.
Both Chapman and the girl were now
back in New York, and the friendship
, had long since ripened to an engagement
and full understanding. Annette'S ca
/ reer as an artist was in the same state a:
that of her sweetheart.
81 think it is rather quaint" compll
mented Miss Legs, upon her first glimpse
ofthe monstrosity. Nevertheless, her en-
thusiasm broke to no fine frenzy. Polite
fabricatiens came to the girl with Difficult
| ty. Her perfect lips and her rather seri
GUS profile were consistently above tri'
vial word vagarieS.
Several months after the installation o
the heirloom Chapman received a caller.
"My name is Cummings" introduced
the elderly person, having calmly helpeC
himself to a chair. He removed an an
cient tile and mopped the shining dome
of his head with gaudy handkerchief
"You have never met me, sir, but you
late aunt-a most estimable woman-in
sisted that call on you when in the city
We were friends" he finished simply.
The keen eyes of the caller roameC
about the room, resting at last upon
little door leading TO chamber. Jus
visible from where he sat was the freal
gift that had descended to Chapman.
The artist noted the curious glance o
| the visitor. "That bureau" he laughed
"was my inheritance. Aunt Harriet will
ed it to me. If had followed first i'm
pressions the thing wouldn't be here now
but-well, Aunt was good old soul, an'
she certainly must have thought some
thing of the old affair or wouldn't hav'
been inflicted withit Her sentiments ar
mine. shall stand by that ancient ches
of drawers until grim death relieves MI
of its guardianship
81 wouldn't mind owning it myself,
confessed Cummings. "l'll give you twlc'
what the thing cost-just to own it for
keepsake, you know"
at is notfor sale" answered Chapman
al will give" said the old man, stickin!
TO the subject, "iust 500 for the claptap
Better take it.''
at is not for sale" reiterated Chapman