The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-10-01
A coNNoIssEUR's vAGARY.

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"Hellol" / said, as I took down the
receiver Of my desk phone, In answer
to the call.
mr.. yantipe wishes to speak to
you, sir" said the o~fficeboy.
"AH right" and / heard the snap
OF the connection.
lis that you. LESTER" asked Philip
Vantine's voice.
"Yes. So you're back again7'
SCOT In yesterday. Can you come
up to the house and lunch with me to-
day2"
'rTl be glad TO-" I said, and meant
1t, for / liked Philip Vantine.
"TIl look for you, then, about 1880"
And that is how IL happened that, an
hour later, / vas walking over toward
washington Square, just above which,
on the Avenue, the old Vantine man
sion stood. 1t was almost the last sur
vival OF the old regime; for the tide OF
business had long since oyerfiowed
from the neighboring streets into the
avenue and swept its fashionable folk
far uptown. TAN office and loft build
ings had replaced the brownstone
houses; only here and there did some
old family hold on like a sullen and
desperate rear-guard defying the adj
vancing enemy.
Philip Vantine was one or these. He
A1A AGCAA VIII Al NAO AOhS WAIA0 Ao
still lived, and declared that he would
die there. He had no one but himself
to please In the matter, since he was
unmarried and lived alone, and he NIT
tgated the increasing oar and dust OF
the neighborhood by long absences
abroad. It was from one OF these that
he had Just returned.
/ may as well complete this pencil
sketch. Vantine was about so years
OF age, the possessor OF a comfortable
fortune, something OF q connoIsseur in
art matters, q collector Of old furniture,
a little eccentric-tkough now that !
have written the word, I find that I
must qualify 1t, for his only eccen-
tricity was that he persisted, in spite Of
many temptations, In remaining a
bachelor. Marriageable women had
long since ceased to consider him;
mothers with maturing daughters dis
missed him with q significant shake
OF the head. 1t was from them that he
got the reputation OF being an cen
trio. But his reasons for remaining
single In no way concerned his law
versa position which our firm had
held for many years, and the active
work OF which had come gradually into
my hands.
It was not very arduous work, con-
sisting for the most part OF the draw
ing OF leases, the collecting of rents,
the reinvestment of funds, and the adj
justment OF minor differences with
tennants-aIl Of which were left to cur
discretion. But occasionally 1t was
necessary to consult our client on some
matter Of unusual Importance, or to
get his signature to some paper, and,
at such times, / always enjoyed the
talk which followed the completion OF
the business; for Vantine was a good
talker, with a knowledge OF men and
- A. .-AaTI -AN~A 49, 49, k-o nnA1 nnA
by q detached, humorous and penetrat-
habit Of mind.
He came forward to meet me, as /
gave his man my hat and stick, and we
shook hands heartily. / was glad to
see him, and I think he was glad to
see me. He was looking In excellent
health, and brown from the voyage
over.
'Tts plain to see that the trip did
you good" I said.
Eyes" he agreed; Il felt o
1T. But come along; we can talk at
table. There's q little difficulty I want
you to untangle for me"
I followed him upstairs to his study,
where a table laid for two had been
placed near a low window.
II had lunch served up here" Van
tine explained, as we sat down, be-
cause this is the only really pleasant
room left In the house. II / didn't own
that plot OF ground next door, this
place would be impossible. AS 1t Is, I
ian keep only the sky-scrapers far
enough away 70 get q little sunshine
filter, too; and double windows In the
bedrooms to keep out the noise; but !
dare say I IAN manage to hang on"
81 can understand how you'd hate to
move into q new house." ] said.
Vantine made grtmace.
II couldn't endure q new house. I'm
used to this ono-I can ind my way.
i've grown up here, you know; and. as
a man gets older, he values such
Citations more and more. Besides, q new
house would mean new Attings, new
furniture
He paused and glanced about the
room Every piece Of furniture init
was the work OF a master. ~
II suppose you found some new
things while you were away?" I said.
You always do. Your luckss nroverb-
ial."
"Yes-and It's that I wanted to talk
70 you. about. / brought back six or
eight pieces; I'll Q them to you
presently. They r all pretty good,
and one Is a thing Of beauty. It's more
that that-it's an absolutely unique
work of art. Only, unfortunately. II
isn't mine
ut isn't yoursT"
'sNo; and I don't know whose II is.
II / did I'd go buy II. That's what i
want you to do for me. It's a Bodle
cabinet-the most exquisite I ever
saw"
.rWbere ala Il come from" 1 ques-
toned, more and more surprised.
cit came from Paris, and IL was adj
dressed to me. The only explanation
/ can think Of Is that my shippers at
Paris made a mistake. sent me q cab
met belonging to someone else, and
sent mine to the other person"
you had bought one. then2"
Eyes; and 1t hasn't turned up. But
beside this one, it's a mere daub. My
man Parks got It through b customs
yesterday. As there was a Boule cab
met on my manifest, the mistake
wasn't discovered until the whole lot
was brought up here and uncrated this
morning"
Weren't they uncrated In the GUS
tomsT'
mo; rye been bringing things in FOR
q good many years, and the customs
people know I'm not a thief"
That's quite q compliment" I point
ed outs They've beea tearing things