The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-01-08
A CHRISTMAS
DESK
II Contained a Secret


Z By ESTHER vANDEvEER. ;
When Mabel Drew was sixteen she
was too old to receive at Christmas
such gifts as toys. dolls and other In
expensive knickknacks. The question
came up between her father and moth
er that year what more substantial ar
ticle should be provided fot her. 1,
was finally decided that an esrritoile
which is the French name. l take It
for n Of those curved legged. claw
footed desks with fame. finish VI
which ladies write their uutes and
keep their accounts-that Ii. when they
keep accounts-wouid he The thing
Mabel was my cousin aud had dur
ing my childhood been thy p!a: :uate
When we were passing into youth,
after being away from her for u seasou
and returning. ] found that another
had stepped into my place. He was
twenty-five years of age. while l was
but eighteen. His entrance into the
field suddenly made me aware OF the
fact that the brotherty -sisterly condi
ton which had existed. Or had sup.
posed existed. between us was sim
ply a mask for a tar different eondi.
ton on my part. Mabel's new friend
being four or five years older than l.
p%aronized me. and. AZ for Mabel. II
seemed to me that she regarded me. az
before. In a sisterly way.
When that Christmas came of which
1 have been speaking my parents, were
abroad. and ] spent the holidays at
mas of it and I have since remember.
ed It as the pl~easantest OF my life. 1t
was certainly the most important. as
will appear from my story.
Mabei's desk was delivered at the
back door after dark and was carried
to my own bedroom. took of the
crate and 1t stood forth as pretty q
piece Of furniture as I aver saw. l
admired 1t 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.
pulled out every sandaiwood drawer
wondering what secrets they would
contain. One Of these drawers was 6t-
ted with a lock and q tiny brass key.
The drawers were inside the desk
and only exposed when the front was
let down. There was q lock for this
also.
After all except myself were in bed
ny uncle and l carried the desk down
stairs and deposited 1t with the other
g1fts to be distributed In the morning
Il was 90 light that I could have car
r1ed 1t alone. but 90 frail that I dare
not attempt to do SO. fearing ! might
strike It against something and break
It. Ny uncle wrote on a card. For
Mabel. From Papa and Mamma" and
lAid Il on the desk where 1t could be
plainly seen. But l picked 1t up. put
It In the drawer with the lock. turned
the key. put up the front part of the
deak 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
Ills 1t miner she asked. /,
"Open It and see." said her father.
She opened 1t. looked in every pigeon
hole. pulled out every drawer till she
came to the one that was locked and.
turning the key. found the card l 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
q few years younger she would have
done SO. But that time had passed.
The next day the desk was carried
70 Mabel's room. and l did not see 1t
again for a long while.
One night a lot Of us young folk
dancing. Mabel wore a dress cut
low about the throat. and her contin-
ued bobbing threw up and down some
thing she wore on a chain suspended
around her neck. The article was 80
small that I could not see what 1t was
at first, but on drawing nearer recog-
u1zed the little key to the drawer with
In her desk.
"Why do you wear that key on your
neck?!' l asked.
..Oh, It's the key to a drawer In my
desk where I keep my secrets" b re-
paied. with a blush.
"Secrets! What business has q girl
TO have secrets that must not only De
locked. but the key to which b must
keep on her. own persona"
"Everybody has secrets. Haven't
ron any Of your own?
"None that are so important that I
must keep them locked What Is your
s6cretf'
swell, I like that. What right have
IN to my secrets2"
Il seemed to me that l had a right to
her secrets. but I didn't did I care to as as.
sert It.
.oh, never mind Ireplied. ''Ill find.
It out In time"
.oh, you WHIP How are you. going
tosdo that?"
cru steal that key and unlock the
aver that contains the secret"