Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-02-27
THE LAST
LETITIA
By JEAN FOSTER

Not that tho old things worth
much" Aunt Letitia added hastily.
sBut I must say I love It, and beings
as you're my ~god-child, Lefty, you've
got a right to It"
Lefty laughed, and tried to settle her
pretty head more comfortably into the
new style ~goose-girl bonnet she had
just bought In town. 1t was a most
becoming bonnet, with Its soft double
ruffle of lace and silk framing Letty's
brown curls, and young face. and It's
close-fitting, coQuettish crown.
why, ! don't want 1t. Auntie." she
said positively. Where would Jack
and / put the old desk7 It's so big
and clumsy, and we're only taking =
five-room apartment to start house
keeping with. What 10 it-mahog-
any?"
mo, answered Aunt Letitia, cheer
fully. ITS cherry, / guess. They
used cherry a good deal back up oun
try when great-grandfather was q boy.
He made 1t himself. Lefty. / always
heard grandmother tell what q natural
born cabinet maker he was"
Lefty said no more. There was
nothing to say. But she made up her
mind that Just as soon as she was mar
ried. and that old desk had made its
appearance in Manhattan, via New
Devon. Vermont. she would ell It to
the first secondhand man who could
appreciate cherry.
1t arri ID the irst week after the
wedding. They studied 1t together,
Jack and Letitia. when he came home
at night. 1t stood In the little trent
room OF the five-room apartment. and
completely took away the effect of
Lstty's new three-piece mission set,
bookcase and new rug. 1t was Just
Ar old-fashioned cherry desk, with q
bookcase that nearly reached to the
ceiling, and a roll top, and drawers on
each side.
I'VE mustn't sell 1t, sweetheart"
Jack exclaimed positively. IF you
can't find any other corner. stick 1t in
my den. wouldn't hurt the old lady's
feelings by selling 1t. don'tyou known
And again Lefty said nothing. It
was one of her very wisest character
istics, the gift of being able to hold
her peace. and not argue when she
saw which way the wind was blowing.
The desk was moved into Jacks den,
the little front bedroom that had been
turned into his sanctum. 1t took up
nearly all n side OF the wall space,
and the Morria chair had 10 come ont
1aae taesa1Ass,saasesssss astM retty
sad n3shlns.
II was along in early summer when
the flrst streak OF III luck came TO the
honeymoon apartment. Jack had his
ankle crushed In an elevator down
town. and was at homo for weeks.
When he was on his feet and At again,
he found his substitute had stepped In
TO his shoes. He WIS an architect by
profession, but q very young one. and
the spring rush was already over in
the building line. There came a day
In July when the last nvs had been
drawn from the bank, and the rent
was due. and the gas bill. and the ice
bill, and the telephone bill, and all the
other interesting bills.
TN get the Duncan Job the frst OF
August. all right" Jack said, as he lay
stretched out on the Morris chair.
He's accepted my plans, and even IL
It Ia only a small two family place, It's
ready money, pet. don't you known"
I'VE need ready money now" Lefty
responded, smiling bravely. II wish i
could help out
Il suppose Aunt Lefty would let Us
come out and stay on the farm dur
Ing July, IL we asked her." Jack vent
on. but ct his frst word. Lefty forgot
all else. That was the solution, Of
course. She would sell the antique
desk at once.
I'm going out, dear, for Just 4 lit
tie WHILE" she told Jack.
Business. / ~supposef" he asked,
with mock severity, when she leaned
10 to kiss him. And Lefty said
nothing.
But she brought back the dealer in
antiques with her. She knew where to
and him by telephone. Had she not
looked in every antique shop she came
to, ever since they had moved to New
York, trying to ind out the value Of an
old cherry desk that had bean made
before Washington even cut down his
famous tree.
please don't scoid her, dear,
please" she whispered, as abe went
by the Morris chair, after confronting
the old German dealer with the desk,
We need the money 30, and It really
Is q genuine antique, you know"
And they both had to laugh, in
sheer desperation. So many times,
they had excused all other deficiencies
In the old desk by assuring them
selves 1t was o genuine antique.
TT is oyer one hundred ard seYen-
ty years DID, said Lefty.
Made by my grsat-graat-great
grandfather" Jack put In. "You q
see the date and his initials carved
In the wood on the back. It's all
hand carved, and put together by
hand. There isn't q nail in t."
Yes there are, hand made ones.
down at the back" Lefty helped out
-~ssh "a-@ eli tnt- sntat1 -o-s, .cc,
on top Of the roll top. Ian't it in
fns condition.
Very fine. These aide panels are
NOT cherry. They arc butternut.
Tbs old man tapped on them with
his pencil like o wcod-peeker at q