The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-06-06
Her Curiosity
Shop

BY Jean Dickerson

~ " ~ -
Copyright, 1872. by Associated Literary
Press)
Elsie was glad TO leave the stuffy
office and come out into the afternoon
sunshine of Madison square. She
paused for an instant and hesitated.
Up In the little hall bedroom that
she called home in lieu of better
one. there was pretty cotton frock
to be finished II she expected to veal
1t on Sunday. Every afternoon for a
week she had hurried home to sew.
and every stitch must be made by
hand-and yet. there was another and
a stronger call that turned her feet
toward Fourth avenue. Elsie Chaplin
yielded to the last call and went.
Perhaps 1t was laughable that a
quiet little dove-like stenographer
could find delight in poking about
among the secondhand shops of
Fourth avenue after day spent in
transcribing dull business letters on
a Gathering typewriter 1t was true.
however. Whatever OF color and TO-
nance came into her lonely life was
furnished by the multitude OF lovely
and curious articles In these antique
shops.
There was food for fancy In the an.
cient pewter dishes and the willow
pattern china; a chair that had be.
longed to some long-dea parsonage:
perhaps . bedstead upon which royalty
had slumbered In distant land: tall
clocks that had marked the days Of
forgotten lives; IN empty jewel Cos.
ket; . piece Of rich tapestry-thers
was . story IN every article. and Elsie
Chaplin had learned to read each one.
THIS Afternoon she FASTENED her
steps until she reached the particular
shop that che called her own. Ths
attendants had long ceased to b SUE.
pictous Of her lingering there among
The treasures. Perhaps they read ~
hss rapt and dreamy eyed abstraction
~ truth Of her coming. II vs. net
he articles nor their value that ne
was the story che reed n
zach one.
Sometimes one Of the attendants
called her attention 10 some newly
required article. always assured Of her
interest and appreciation. They could
not know that In the days before her
unfortunate fathers failure In business
Ind bis subsequent death. there had
been many treasures In her own home.
She was alone now and. perforce, con.
.ent with looking at the belongings Of
,ther people.
There was an ancient escrltoir with
! fascinating number of pigeon holes
and secret drawers that attracted FL.
sic this afternoon. She was standing
here. wondering II within some still
compartment there might
not be bundle of old love letters
lied about with blue ribbon which
would fall to pieces at a touch. There
might b" a withered rose or a wrnkled
little glove. some relic of a bygone ro
nance
From her dim corner behind the i
,Scrituir Elsie was reused TO look 10 |
ward he front of the shop where the |
was IN conversation with a
slender. dreamy eyed young man who
Vas holding a violin 10 the light.
IT is an Anla'i'" protested the
'oung han
"Nll violin, are Amati or S,ra'livar /
MS replied Tie prop cor skeIrical +.
y Mr. Spohr. ! will give You 500
~ the instrument. II buy it am
akac risk | 10 not like to handle
musical ii-trar,nls
The musician tent lis head over the
beautiful Violin lie passed a tender
land olcr tho satiry wood licked a
string 'ln Nhrat,d with allaos. hu-
nan melancholy and Ih.u hid tie in
truicnt IN Is casc.
II, is yoGrs Tor that mi r." Le SAT-!
quietly bat Elsie read IN bis tHfe de
.pair aud almost agoNy a The PARTING
With an instrument that Nas doubt
css lis meals vi livelihood. ior Spohg
vas rather stability dressed AMI thin
nd pale as though he We're recover.
ne from some ,onG Illness or had
'cen insuiiieicnti' nourishcd
Elsie's tender heart was wrung N.'h
,ity at this little tragedy being .r
.ctcd before her Many times She
lad read tragedies and romauces in
he antiques OF her curiosity shop
Vow she was Witnessing real heart.
breaking drama
Fascinated. she saw the proprietor
count out roll Of bills TO the violin.
ST. and triumphanily bow ont the DO.
ected young man
'y the time the proprietor had 70.
turned to the violin Elsie was stand.
ms beside him
This Is for sale" she asked 1,S.
stly.