Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1911-11-02
THE SILVER
FLAGON
A Wonderful Treasure II
Held For Many
Years
By CLARISSA MACKIE

Great-aunt Hannah squinted horri-
bly,. so when with almost her last
breath she looked earnestly at her
three grandniecee and gasped, 1.-THE
silver nagon 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 toesther In the kitch-
en- the servants dhcussed the legacies
they had received
In the long psElor Amelia, Fanny
and sat in front Of the glowing CRATE
fire. On the whlte marble mantel-
piece above our hsads stood a pair Of
precious Dresden vases. a Wedgwood
clock and O Chinese fan. In the CEN
ter, directly under the painting of Mrs.
Dorothy Fabyan, was the silver flag
on, flawless in sha1e and perfect in it's
chaste design OF vine and leaf and
clustered fruit. its polished surface
gave back a distoated reflection Of our
three faces. rudy In the freight.
No mention had yet been made Of
Aunt Hannah's belated disposition Of
the family heirloom. 1t was not men
toned In the VIII, and it's ownership
must be settled among the three Of u.s.
1t was Amelia who broke the long,
awkward silence by reaching up a
graceful arm and taking the silver
fagon from its resting place.
II am the eldest" she apologized,
settling back in her chair, land 1 am
quite sure that Aunt Hannah meant
me to have It She looked at me-"
Amelia's tone was coolly defiant.
'She looked at ms, too" said Fanny
in gentle protest. Il am sure she look
ed at me, did shs not, Estherr
1 shrugged my shoulders helplessIy.
Il thought she looked at me-" muir
INJURED feebly.
mo one could gaze In three different
directions at one time" said Amelia
impatiently.
Aunt Hannah could" announced
Loyalty.
For shame. Esther FabyanP they
cried In duet, ana 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 fagon.
The tall silver stopper fitted snugly
to the neck, and around It was a thin
stream Of red sealing wax.
The silver fago4 had once been the
property Of Mistress Dorothy Fabyan,
our sweet ancestress, and tradition had
it that within its polished interior the
fair Dorothy had secreted the precious
Jewels which her rich husband had
L II
dying she had given the flagon to her
young daughter, saying:
Guard well the fiagon, daughter,
and when you have reached years Of
discretion you may break the seal and
learn the contents-rubies and dia-
monds and pearls. Let no other woman
steal it away from you! 1t contains
what all women desire and but few
attain. 1t will be yours"
And 1t belonged to you, mother,
dearT the young girl had timidly ask
ed as she stroked the delicate, withered
cheek
Dorothy Fabyan had smiled proudly
ere she closed her beautiful eyes for
ever. AYE, 1t was mine for a sea-
son." she said.
The young daughter had died in her
teens, and the silver flagon, with its
seal still unbroken, passed to a 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 its existence.
And thus 1t haA come down to us,
the last ola long line. At times its
history had been forgotten, and for
years It would remain merely an Or
nament on sideboard or mantelpiece.
Again some new owner would look
longingly at the seal, yet hesitate to
break in upon the secret 1t had con-
cealed.
Aunt Hannah had owned, lit last and
Have You Read II?
The Adler-i-ka book telling how you