Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-09

1t was double the size of the library,
a parlor hung in striped yellow silk
vaguely and tenderly faded, with a
tall plate mirror set over a marble
topped consulate at either side. In
one corner stood q grand piano of
Clrcassian walnut with keys of tinted
mother-of-pearl and a slender music
rack inlaid with morning glories in
the same material From the centre
or the ceiling, above an oval table,
depended a great chandelier hung
with glass prisms. He drew his hand
kerchief across the table; beneath the
disfiguring dust it showed a highly
polished surface inlaid with different
colored woods, in an intricate, italian
like landscape. The legs of the con-
soles were bowed, delicately carved.
and of gold-leaf. The chairs and
sofas were covered with dusty Slip
covers of muslin. He lifted one of
these. The furnished gold furniture
was Louis XIV, the upholstery of yell
low brocade with a pattern of pink
roses. Two Japanese hawthorn
vases sat on lakewood stands and a
corner held glass cabinet contain
Ing collection of small worries and
faience.
His appreciative eye kindled. what
room" he muttered. Not a 5ar-
ring note anywherel That's an old
Grove and Christopher piano. I'll
get plenty of music out of that! You
don't see such chandeliers outside of
palaces any more except in the old
French chateaus. 1t holds a hundred
candles IL 1t holds one! / never knew
before all there was in that phrase
the candle-lit f1fties.' | can imagine
what 1t looked like, with the men In
white stocks and Powered waistcoats
and the women in their crinolines and
red-heeled slippers, bowling to the
minuet under that candle-light. I'll
bet the girls bred in this neighbor-
hood won't take much to the turkey
trot and the bunny-hugi"
He went thoughtfully back to the
great hall, where sat the big chest
on which lay the volume of Lucille"
He pushed down the antique wrought
iron hasp and threw up the lid 1t
was filled to the brim with textures;
heavy portieres of rose damask,
table-covers of faded soft-toned tap
estry, window hangings of dull green
all with tobacco leaves laid between
the folds and sifted thickly over with
the sparkling white powder. At the
bottom, rolled in tarry- smelling paper,
he found a half-dozen thin, Persian
prayer-rugs.
"Phewi' he whistled. "I certainly
ought to be grateful to that law firm
that inspected the place. Think Of
the things lying here all these years,
and that powder everywhere It's
done the work, too, for there's not a
sign of moth. If I'm not careful I'll
stumble over the family plate-it
seems to be about the only thing
wanting"
The mantelpiece, beneath the
shrouded elk's head, was of gray
marble in which a crest was deeply
carved. He went close and examined
it. "A sable greyhound, rampant, on
a field argent" he said That's my
own crest. suppose" There touched
him again the same eery sensation of
acquaintance that had possessed him
with his first sight of the house-front.
Somehow it's familiar" he muttered;
where have seen it before?"
He thought a moment, then went
quickly into the library and began
to ransack the trunk. At length he
found a small box containing keep
sakes of various kinds. He poured
the medley on to the table-an uncut
moonstone, an amethyst-topped PEN
Gil that one of his tutors had given
him as a boy, tigers claw, a COM
pass and What-not. Among them was
a mans seal-ring with crest cut in
cornelian. He looked at it closely.
1t was the same device.
The ring had been his fathers. Just
when or how it had come into his
possession he could never remember.
1t had lain among these keepsakes
so many years that he had almost
| forgotten it's existence. He had never
worn a ring. but now, as he went
back to the hall, he slipped it On his
| finger. The motto below the crest
was worn away. but it showed clear
in the marble of the hall mantel:
clinge.
| His eyes turned from the carven
words and strayed to the pleasant
sunny foliage outside. An arrogant
boast, perhaps, yet in the event well
| justified. Valiants had held that self
same slope when the encircling for
ests had rung with war-whoop and
|