Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-02-05
BY cLARIssA MAckIE.

tnTce SrhnunleceS ana gdSpeO, lue
silver fiagon is for you-it has never
been opened-you know the legend"
not one of us really knew to whom
the heirloom rightfully belonged.
In the library the two executors con-
ferred amiably together. In the kitch-
en- the servants discussed the legacies
they had received.
In the long parlor Amelia. Fanny
and | sat In front of the glowing CRATE
fire ON the white marble mantel-
piece above our heads stood pair Of
precious Dresden vases. Wedgwood
clock and Chinese fan. In the CEN
ter. directly under the painting of Mrs.
Dorothy Fabyan. was the silver flag
on. flawless IN shape and perfect In its
chaste design Of vine and leaf and
clustered fruit. Its polished surface
gave back distorted reflection OF our
three faces. rudy In the freight.
No mention had yet been made OF
Aunt Hannah's bclated disposition of
the family heirloom. II was not men,
toned in the will. and its ownership
must be settled among the three Of us.
Ii was Amelia who broke the long,
awkward silence by reaching up a
graceful arm and taking the silver
flagon from its resting place.
II am the eldest" she apologized,
settling back In her chef. land I am
quite sure that Aunt Hannah meant
me TO have II. She looked at me-"
Amella's tone was coolly defiant.
"She looked ut me. too. said Fanny
in gentle protest. II am sure she look-
ed at me, did she not. Esther"
shrugged my shoulders helplessIy.
~ thought she looked at me- 7 muir
INJURED feeby.
mo one could gaze In three different
directions at one time" said Amelia
impatiently.
Aunt Hannah could" l announced
loyalty.
For shame. Esther Fabyan" they
cried In duet, aud then they turned
their backs upon me and fell into whis-
pered converse over the probable con-
tents OF the bone OF contention-of
course mean the silver flagon.
The tall silver stopper fitted snugly
TO the neck. and around it was thin
stream Of red sealing wax.
The silver i;agon had once been the
property OF Mistress Dorothy Fabyan,
our sweet ancestress. and tradition had
Il that within its polished interior the
fair Dorothy had secreted the precious
jewels which her rich husband had
lavished upon her When she was
dying she had given the ilagon to her
young daughter, saying:
Guard well the fagon, daughter,
ana when you have reached years Of
discretion you may break the seal and
learn the contents-r1ibies and dia-
monds and pearls. Let no other woman
steal 1t away from you. 1t contains
what all women desire and but few
attain. 1t will be yours
And IL belonged 10 you. mother,
DEAR" the young girl had timidly ask
ed us she stroked the delicate. withered
cheek
Dorothy Fabyan had smiled proudly
ere she closed her beautiful eyes for
ever. AYE. II was mine for sea-
son" she said.
The young daughter had died in her
teens. and the silver flagon. with its
seal still unbroken. passed 10 distant
branch Of the family. gay townspeople.
who took small notice of Cousin Doro-
thy's bequest save to thrust 1t away
on the top shelf Of a cupboard and for
get It's existence.
And thus II had come down to US.
the last Of a long line. At times its
history bad been forgotten. and for
years II would remain merely an or
nanent on sideboard or mantelpiece.
Again some new owner would look
longingly at the seal. yet hesitate 10
break In upon the secret IL had con-
cealed.
Aunt Hannah had owned II last, and
she was so choice OF 1t that never did
vandal finger touch its surface or
careless dust cloth even approach its
throne on the white marble. No hand
save Aunt Ilannah's own came in con-
tact with the silver ilagon.
Aud now Amelia and Fanny turned
II this way and thin aud gently tap
ped the stopper. guessing idly at the
contents.
Amelia looked longingly at the red
seal II believe Ii contains the old
Fabyan jewels-it was never known
what became Of them after the war.
/ have heard that Dorothy Fabyan
stripped the gems from their settings
and concealed them somewhere. II Is
likely she hid them In this flagon.
How strange that no one has cared
enough about them TO investigate its
contenis.n
Suppose we leave the seal unbro.
ken" | suggested.
why should we do thntT' asked
Fanny. With wide open eyes.
at never has been opened said
lamely. so many Of the rabyan wo.
men have owned the tlagon and re-
spected the seal Of It's contents. why
should we open it,
Because It's ownership must be de
cided among us" replied Amelia firm
~. THE Fabyan women passed the
flagon down from mother 10 daughter,