Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-12-24

1
expensive knickknacks The question
came up between her father and moth
or that year what more substantial ar
ticIe should be provided for her. 1t
was finally decided that an escritoire.
| which is the French name. / take it,
for one of those curved legged. claw
footed desks with fancy finish on
which ladies write their notes and
keep their accounts-tba is, when they
keep accounts-wouId be the thing.
Mabel was my cousin and had dur
ing my childhood been my playmate.
When we were passing into youth.
after being away from her Tor Il season
! and returning / found that another
had stepped into my place He was
/ twenty-five years of age. while | was
! but eighteen. His entrance into the
! field suddenly made me aware of the
! fact that the brotherly-sisterly condi
/ ton which had existed, or | had sup
! posed existed. between us was sim
ply a mask for a far different condi-
/ ton on my part. Mabel's new friend
being four or five years older than !,
patronized me. and, as for Mabel, it
seemed to me that she regarded me. as
DeIOFe. III Il SlSIeTIy way
When that Christmas came of which
have been speaking my parents were
abroad. and l spent the holidays at
my aunt's. We made a merry Christ
mas of it, and have since remember
ed it as the pleasantest of my life. 1t
was certainly the most important, as
will appear from my story.
MabeTs desk was delivered at the
49, .Ip,-y n fafI
to my own bedroom. | took off the
crate and it stood forth as pretty a
piece of furniture as / ever saw. 1
admired it immensely and was delight
ed at the pleasure it would give Ma
bel when she saw it, and for that mat
ter probably for many years after. l
pulled out every sandalwood drawer
wondering what secrets they would
contain One of these drawers was fit
ted with a lock and a tiny brass key.
The drawers were inside the desk
and only exposed when the front was
let down. There was lock for this
also
After all except myself were in bed
my uncle and l carried the desk down
stairs and deposited it with the other
gifts to be distributed in the morning.
1t was so light that I could have car
ried it alone, but so frail that l dare
not attempt to do so, fearing 1 might
strike it against something and break
it. My uncle wrote on a card. For
Mabel. From Papa and Mamma" and !
laid it on the desk where it could be |
plainly seen. But | picked it up, put |
it in the drawer with the lock, turned |
the key. put up the front part of the |
desk and locked it too.
In the morning when we were as
sembled for the distribution of gifts
Mabel caught sight of the desk at once.
and her eyes danced with excitement.
rs it miner she asked.
"Open it and see." said her father.
She opened it, looked in every pigeon
hole. pulled out every drawer till she
came to the one that was locked and,
the Sey, found the card | had
placed there. She Immediately flung
her arms around her fathers neck. then
her mothers. and l wished she would
do the same with me- Had she been
4 few years younger she would have
lone so. But that time had passed.
The next day the desk was carried
TO Mabers room. and l did not see it
lgain for long while.
One night lot of US young folk
we're dancing. Mabel wore dress cut
ow about the throat. and her contin-
led bobbing threw up and down some
hing she wore on Il chain suspended
lround her neck. The article was so
;mall that I could not see what it was
It first. but on drawing nearer recog-
lized the little key to the drawer with
n her desk.
why do you wear that key on your
leck 2" l asked
"Oh. its the key TO a drawer in my
lesk where l keep my secrets" she re-
lied. with IL blush.
Secrets, What business has girl
o have secrets that must not only be
Ocked. but the key to which she must
eep on her own person."
Everybody has secrets Haven't
on any of your own
None that are so important that l ,
must keep them locked What s-your
ecret:" !
We'll. | like that What right have
on to my secrets?'
1t seemed to me that had right TO I
err secrets. but ! didn't care to as {
ert ii. {
ION, never mind. l replied. Ill ma {
out in time" i
"Oh. you will? How are you going S
} do that t
I'm steal that key and unlock the
rawer that contains the secret. {
She involnntarily put her hand on
ne key to protect it. a
You wouldn't do any such thing. Y
on know very well that such an act o
ould be diShonorab le" e
Il dare you to give me permission"
There is always something fascinat- [
- in taking n risk. Mabel thought y
,r awhile. then said: r.
Suppose give you the permission Il
hat Will you give me If you fail?' @
Your choice between half dozen Ii
HRS OF gloves and ten pounds OF
INDY"