The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1912-12-13
LIGHT OF OTHER DAYS


shall ever do with all our things,
sighed Mrs. Hemming when she ant
her husband decided, after much dis
cussion. to move from their house
which was too lonesomely big nov
that the children had all gone away
to homes Of their own. Our apart
ment won't begin to hold our furni
ture. to say nothing OF all the things
We have stored In the attic"
"Pick out the furniture you neet
and then turn a secondhand mar
loose In the house." suggested Hem
ming.
"But. Charles. you wouldn't want me
to sell all our old keepsakes, would
you?"
Most assuredly. What earthly use
to any one are a lot OF old books
vases and pictures that no one ever
looks at except at house cleaning
time. Do they do anybody any good? p
mo, don't suppose they do" reluc
family admitted Mrs. Hemming, "but
hate to part with some Of them.
That's just sentiment, my dear. The
you are rid Of all that old lumber"
Perhaps l could select just few
Of the oldest things and we could put
them In the storeroom of the apart
ment. You know there's a nice big
storeroom. Charles"
Yes, I know II, Harriet. and I'm
planning to keep my golf clubs there
and my fishing tackle. So II you
please. we won't fill up that storeroom
with lot OF useless trash"
After the secondhand dealers visit
Hemming said to his wife: 81 hope
you were sufficiently strong-minded to
let everything in the attic go?"
well, nearly everything" answered
Mrs. Hemming. There are a few lit
tie articles that II seems a shame to
sell, such as"
Never mind enumerating them
Harriet. / shouldn't be interested in
q list Of crippled furniture or ancient
photograph albums"
But what l thought Of keeping was
the two Old"
Now. Harriet. we decided to get
rid Of all our old stuff. Don't let Han
kins leave thing tomorrow when he
comes with his wagons"
When the wagons drove away load
ed with furniture and bric-a-b rac,
mostly Of peculiarly inartistic pc.
riod, Mrs. Hemming laughed away
her regrets. Charles was right" she
said to herself. 1T would have been
silly to keep that ugly trumpery"
About a fortnight after they were
settled in their apartment, Hemming
large box.
Il have little present for you, Har-
riet," he said with boyish pleasure.
You'll be surprised when you see
what it is. / was passing Devlin's an
tique shop this morning when some
things In the windows caught my eye
and took me back about 40 years to
the time when / was counting GER
tain pretty girl In her grandmother
best parlor, which was lighted with
green glass lamps. There, my dear,
what do you think Of these?" He tri-
umphantly drew from the box two
large green glass lamps of old-fash-
Toned shape and decoration. do they
make you think of anything, Har.
riet?"
Eyes, they do-they make me think
Of lot Of things" she answered.
How much did you pay for them?"
"Devlin let me have them cheap.
You see, one of his collectors picked
them up for little or nothing In an old,
out-of-the-way Vermont farmhouse
where antiques aren't appreciated, so
he sold me the pair for 500. Really,
Harriet. I'd have given $50 II he'd
asked It,"
well, I'm glad be didn't ask it, !"
replied Mrs. Hemming, "for l sold
these same lamps to Hankins three
weeks ago for 81 apiece"
Great Scott! Are you sure they're
the same lamps?"
"Of course I'm sure. I'd know them
II you bought them in Egypt. l was
brought up under those lamps"
"a dollar apiece! And / snapped
them up for $40 the pair!" unused
Hemming. trying not to look sheepish.
yes, and I'm glad you did," re-
sponded Mrs. Hemming. For they
were what l hated to part with most.
l wanted to keep them and I'm awfully
glad to have them back"