The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1922-05-11
The Old Tin
Box
Observation-Disclosures
by JUSTIN WE NTwooD

copyrshL ls.L western Ns~spapss Un.oa
I'm do n biz of clearing NJ tonight.
mother" said Marian. III we're going
t. sell the plac. O. Mr. Faulkner. the
attic ought % be- put straight. guess
nobody's touched Il since grandfather
died"
We've got 10 sell. spose." an.
swsred her mother. sull.niy. Its
queer. seeing that your grca, grand.
father was always accounted owner
Of the Faulkner property. It'd fetch
atty thousand. Mr. Bates was telling
me-"
"IIow did we lose III" asked Marian.
why. u pears your grcat-grand.
father. who settled there. never took
out a claim. or whatever IL was. and
the Faulkners. WELL I guess they took
u away from my mother. I dunno"
said Mrs. Marlowe. "Iiut It's No use
hanging on 10 this place. II you and
Jim get married. and two thousands
n falrish price for it-morc'n we'd get
anyv heres else. only the Faulkners
want to round out their property"
Marian went upstairs after supper.
She sighed a little as Abe stood In
the attic. II was hard 90 leave the
old house. with which she had been
associated since her earliest mem
cries.
IL was hard. too. thinking that had
her grcnt-grandfather not neglected
To take out his claim. the Faulkner
place would be- theirs. Marian had al
ways enyled the faulkners-the girls.
who had come home from college aud
greeted her with the coolest of mods
when they passed on the village street.
or In their car.
All, we'll. IL was No use signing
for the unattainable Marian had
never been 20 college. and she clerked
for Higgs. the grocer; but she was as
well educated as the Faulkner girls.
And she had Jim Hariowel
And at the thought 81 him a wlsi.
full little smile played about her lips
She had refused him 81 often. and
ne had always been 80 patient. Jim
would never amount 20 anything very
much. lie was just a small farmer.
with his heart In the land. simple
honest. true. lie had loved her for
years. since she had been u little thing
In plnafores.
That was what won her az last.
Jlm's answering loyalty 60 her. He
was not educated. Marian had weighed
his love for her agalns, all the dis
advantages. and love had won.
She began her cleaning. The place
was full ~ rubbish. To add 10 IL all.
there had been fall Of brick from
inside the chimney: the floor was COW
cred with debris
Il suppose Wen have 20 have that
fixed" she thought.
Something cleaning IN n corner 81
the chimney attracted her attention.
II was the edge Of a small tin box.
Curious. Marian drew II out amid
cloud ~ dust
II was fastened with a rusty nail.
but not locked. Inside was a yellowed
parchment. Marian took II 90 the
light and read II. II was some time
before she could understand the gist
OF IL. and II was strange that IL was
dated 1874.
And al last she understood II was
the title 20 the Faulkner property. Her
long cherished dream had come true
She stood holding II. trying 20 re-
press the ~ Of trembling that had
seized her. The Faulkner lands Com
f.r, ,.s.uIfH h.pt.fp.s.f tn. f-.uIE
ner girls-the car-thelr pride hum
bledi
A rousing tattoo on the front door
startled her. Then she smiled. II was
Jim-dear old Jim. who always looked
In, prompt 10 the minute. She must
~ down.
But-a thought struck heri This
tltle-how would IL affect her and
Jlmf
And. with prophetic vision she
seemed 90 see herself mistress ~ the
Faulkner lands. ~ the big white house
with the colonial porch. the many
rooms. servants. and-Jlmi
He did not NJ into the picture. She
could not see Jim. uneasy In a stin
collar. seated beside her In the car
nor In evening dress. helping her en.
terrain the elite of the neighhorhood |
Jim was only possible as he had
been made; his path % life was a
single rut stretching on and on. II
was .he Faulkner lands or JIM
Slowly she went down the stairs. |
and az the bottom she was EMBODIED |
Ia Jim's arms.
Darling" he whispered. I'm ~
happy 20 think the times 40 short |
now. II come over me all ~ once |
this afternoon. when I was blowing |
~ the old patch by the plgstyes."
lie looked az her IN sudden fear. III
its all right, Amt II. honeyf" he
asked anXiously.
"why. ~ course" she answered.
"Of course. dear old Jim :"
whats that you're burning. Mar.
lhnT' asked her mother minute Inter.
"Only some old rubbish that found |
In the attic" Marian answered. I
Dn,. A l.-s.G.s