The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-06-21
THE OLD
JAPANESE
CABINET
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(NG bv d. j. WalShl

oS by D. ]. walsnl
q ALLIE stood az the end OF the
long winding drive uncertainty
~ After all. why should she go up
there TO that house on the side
OF the hillf She was not on calling
terms with Mrs. Frazier. Indeed. the
only time she had ever been within
the house was the day that there had
been parent-teachers' meeting there
And as for Mrs FraZier's son. Rod
Frazier-welL Sallie's cheeks burned
even now as she thought of him
Horrible bOori True. he didn't look
like boor. nor yet did be act like
one TO anyone else. But with her
Sallie shrugged and walked on two
or three steps
After reaching the end OF the
grounds, though. she turned back res
olutely. After all. perriness or being
Little" about things was something
that Sallie despiSed. and what differ
ence did il make how polite or 9TH
erwiSe Rod Frazier might bel
Bur as she climbed the steep path
TO the hillside house she could DOT
help remembering the way be had
acted about the party. All the teach
ers mad been asked to attend the
party.
Rod. you can take Sallie Piper"
Marjorie Gray had said when they
had been planning who should GO
with whom -Thatll fix US all up
fnel"
And Sallie had waited for Rod TO
speak TO her about going with him.
had waited one day. two days. three
party came near she wondered wheth-
er or not be had meant Marjorie
Gray's words TO stand as an invita-
ton. That might he the strange Gus
rom our in this little town where she
had come TO teach the kindergarten
II il were the custom. Sallie thought
wryly. il was not TO her liking ar all !
But when the evening of the party
arrived Sallie had heard nothing from
Rod. II was well along after eight
O'Clock that he rang the bell where
she boarded and brought with him
beautiful fve-pound box of candy.
tied with gay red ribbons and sealed
with gold seals. NOnchaIantly be had
SAT- down and they had talked of ev-
erything. II seemed 70 Sallie. under
the sun mOon-except the party. And
10 thai he made no reference
An -h- hal -
rhe party, none of the other teachers
in the school talked of il to her. al
though she saw much less of those
other teachers than they saw of one
another. and this was because her
little youngsters were dismissed al
eleven O'Clock instead of twelve and
al the hour of three instead of four
Time had passed since this party.
hut SaIlie's face yet famed when she
thought about til
81 saw the notice Mrs. Frazier"
she said. when she sat With Rods
the selling of your household furni,
ture. You're not going 70 part with
that japanese cabinet. are you?"
Mrs. Frazier nodded without speak.
Ing for moment Then she replied:
Everything is TO he sold. my dear
The house has already heen sold and
We are moving 70 the city"
"Ohl'' sad Sallie. I'm sorryr'
And |. too." said Mrs. Frazier
with a smile that seemed infinitely
sad to Sallie. The truth is. my dear"
she said with a little rush Of words
''sOme investments have turned out
miserably and Rod can earn a great
deal more in the city, and severe
going there. you see. Were you inter
ested in buying that Japanese cabi
metz" she asked merrily.
"Ah. MOI" said Sallie. There is
nothing should love to have more
than that. My uncle, you know. was
the head of the anthrOpology depart
ment at the university and be went
10 japan every year. Twice he took
me with him when was in nv teens
and ! wondered-it is probably pre-
sumptious of me TO question your
knowledge on things Japanese-if you
realized the great value of that cab
fnet?''
Mrs Frazier shrugged: Il know lit
tie about anything in the house. Sal
lie. The house belonged TO my grand
father and when IL came down to nv
mother and then TO me. everything
was JUST as il Is now. It's a pretty
enough cabinet. but" with a frank
laugh. Il hate busting all that cary
ingI Old Mr.. Jenkins has made an
offer of SIS. but the auctioneer asked
me to leave everything as IL stood un-
Ill the day of the auction and so .
shall do that. If you want the cabi
net. though"
Fifteen dollarsI" echoed Sallie.
''I1l be glad to put in any bid you
wanted TO make If il is auctioned of
in school hours continued Mrs. Fra
zier.
But IL is worth well up into the
thousands" said Sallie. aghast IF
you want me 10 have Uncle Toms
friend come out 10 appraise II he
could come and perhaps could get a