Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-05-02
CKAPTEE 7
Tha Wouder-Boz

AS long as she. could remember
she had been permitted to play with
the contents of the late Herr Conrad
Winners wonder-hoX. The pro-
&ram on such occasions varied
little: the child was permitted TO
rummaGe among the treasures in the
box until she had satisfied her peren-
NAL curiosity; conversation with her
bsent-minded father ensued. which
ultimately included a personal mar
rative. dragged out piccemeal from
the reticent. dreamy invalid. Then
always few pages of the diary
Kept by the late Herr Wilmer were
I'D bed and dreamland followed.
That was the irvariable routine. now
o~ce more il full swing.
Her father lay on his tnval!d's
chair, reading; his rubber-shod
clutches rested against the wall.
within easy reach, By him. beside
The kerosene lamp. her mother sat.
mendirg her ckild's stockings and
underwear.
Outside The circle Of lampli%ht the
incandescent eyes of the stove glow
and the child, always fascinated
ny anything that aroused her mag
ration. lifted her gaze furtively
from time TO time to convince her.
self that It really was the big, IA
It her. and not dragon into which
her creative fancy had so often
transformed it.
Reassured, he continued to explore
he contents of the wonder boX-a
10Y she preferred to her doll, but not
70 her beloved set of water-colors
and crayon pencils.
Some centuries ago Panoora's box
, ct loose world of troubles; Hery
Nyilner's box apparently contained
yaIo Go EUh
pleasures were mostly of her own
. Invention.
Tt was a curious old box, made of
olive wood and bound with bands.
Of some lacquered silvery metal to
s make it strong-rupee silver per-
haps-strangeiy wrought y 18th Ara
bic characters engraved md in shall
low relief. 1t had handles on eth
or side. like q sea-chest; a silver
lacquered lock and hasp which re,
taiIed traces of violent Usage: and
six heavy strap hinges Sc the same
lacnuered metal.
Within it the little child knew
that most fascinating collection Of
articles was to be discovered, taken
ont one by one with gre1test care,
played with discTcetly, l'!c, at her
mothers command, returned to their
several places in Herr Wilners box.
There WERE in this box, two rath
e. looking kurdish. dag
sye1s in sheaths of frettei silver
rever to be unsheathed. Il was SOL
elmnly understood, except by The
lChi!d's father.
There was a pair of German army
revolvers of the pattern Of 1900. the
u2eXploded cartridges of which had
orr since been extracted and ca"-
iiously thrown into the mil! pond by
th~ chiid's wother, much T. the sur
nrise. no doubt. of the n,clierel and,
suriSh.
There were writing materials of
Saadalwood, q few sea shells, dozen
books in German with Many steel
,I@:e cngTavings; also red Turkish
ts7 with dark blue tassel: TWO
rai-s OF gold-rimmed spectacles;
several tobacco pipes OF Dresden
porcelain. a case full of instrument;s
for mechanical drawing. thick
1lrrk hook hound in calf and CON
tanning the dfary of the late Herr
Wilmer down to- within a few min
utessbefoTe his death.
Also there was figure in bronze,
cnciusted with furnished gold and
faded traces OF polychrohle decora-
lena
!5rlii,. the Yellow Devils, as Herr
Wi!rer called i, seemed too heavy