Bisbee daily review., 1914-03-08

Whnl you tO to TOT me. US BOule cabinet-the most exquisite ever saw. 1t came from Paris. and it was ad. dressed to me. The only explanation l can think of is that my shippers at Paris made mistake, sent me a cabi. net belonging to some one else and sent mine to the other person."
 You had bought one. thenY
 "Yes. and 1t hasn't turned up. But beside this one it's mere daub My man Parks got 1t through the customs yesterday. As there was a Boule cabinet on my manifest, the mistake wasn't discovered until the whole lot was brought up here and uncrated this morning."
 Weren't they unerated in the cus- tomsY
 No. I've been bringing things in for good many years. and the cus- toms people know I'm not thief. Come in." he added. answering a tap at the door.
 The door opened and vantine's man came in.
 
 said and handed Vantine card.
 Vantine looked at it little blankly. "l don't know him." he said. What does he want?"
 He wants to see you. sir-very bad. l should say. think he's French man, sir. Anyway, he don't know much English. Shall show him out. sir?"
 "No,' said vantine. after an instant's hesitation. "Tell him to wait"
 "l tell you, Lester" he went on as Parks withdrew. when l went down stairs this morning and saw that cab inet could hardly believe my eyes. I thought l knew furniture. but hadn't any idea such n cabinet existed. The most beautiful l had ever seen is at the Louvre. It stands in the Salle Louis XIV, to the left as you enter. It belonged to Louis himself. Of course 1 can't be certain without a careful examination. but l believe that cabinet beautiful as 1t Is. is merely the counterpart of this one"
 He paused and looked at me. his eyes bright with the enthusiasm of the connolsseur -~ "BOule furniture" he continued. "is usually of ebony inlafi with tortoise shell and incrusted with arahesques in metals of various kinds The incrus- tation had to be very exact. and to get it so the artist clamped together two plates of equal size and thickness. one of metal, the other of tortoise shell. traced his design on the top one and then cut them both out together The result was two combinations. the orig lnal. with tortoise shell ground and metal applications. and the counter part. applique metal With tortoise shell arabesques. The original was really the one which the artist designed and whose effects he studied The coun- terpnrt was merely resultant acci- dent. with which he was not especially concerned. UnderstandT
 "Yes, 1 think so." said.
 "Well. it's the original which has the real artistic value. Of course the coun- terpart is often beautiful. too. but in a much lower degree"
 q can understand that" I said.
 And now. Lester" vantine went on. i his eyes shining more and more. If my suppositlon Is correct if the Grand Louis was content with the counter part of this cabinet for the long gal lery at Versailles who do you suppose owned the originalT"
 saw what he was driving at
 "T believe it belonged to Mime. de Montcspnn." he said.
 "Renlly. Vnntine," I exclaimed. "l didn't know you were so romantic. You quite take my breath away|
 He ndshed n little at the words. and ! snw how deeply fin earnest he was.
 "The craze of the collector takes him long wny sometimes" he said. "whnt want you to do is to cable my shippers. Armand X Son. Rue du TcJn' pie 6nd out who owns this cabinet and buy it for me-"
 "perhaps inc owner won't sell"
 "Oh, yes. ho will Anything can be bought for c price"
 "you moan you're going to have this cabinet whatever the costf" 'hi
 "l mean just that"
 Al lensi you'll tell me where to be- pin," [ asld "i don't know anything sf inc yamo of such things."
 "Wsll," said yHntine, suppose you