CHAPTER XII
THE OLD ATTIC
Jingling her keys happily, Jannet went up the attic stairs, which ledfrom the second floor back hall by a door not far from Paulina's room.More than once she had heard Jan and Chick clattering down the twoflights, first the attic stairs, banging the door shut, then the backstairs from the second floor to the first. If _they_ were not afraid tobe up there, why should _she_ be afraid of the attic?
She did wish for Nell, though on second thought she came to theconclusion that it was just as well for her to investigate alone first.There might be things that some one outside the family could notappreciate. Family was a big thing to Jannet just now. Had she not justacquired one?
Inserting her key in the lock of the door opposite Jan's den, she foundthat it did not turn anything in the right direction to unlock it. Sheimmediately tried the door and found that it was already unlocked."H'lo, P'lina," she said, for there was Paulina, bending over a smalltrunk, her own, without doubt. "Do you keep some things up here, too?Aren't you afraid of the ghost?" Jannet was laughing as she spoke, butPaulina straightened up and favored Jannet with a stony stare. Thenwithout a word she bent again and locked her trunk.
Jannet stood quietly, looking around at boxes and trunks neatly placedin this part of the attic, and at dim shapes further along, whereboards had been laid over the rafters and lath.
"You ought not to be up here," hoarsely said Paulina at last. "I'mgoing now; come. I want to lock the attic door."
"I asked Uncle Pieter for permission," Jannet returned, "and CousinDiana gave me these keys. I did not expect to find any one at all here."
Jannet dangled her keys before Paulina's eyes. "_Why_ don't you think Iought to be here, Paulina? If there is anything wrong with the place,Uncle Pieter ought to be told."
"Your uncle knows all that he wants to know," replied Paulina. Shefrowned and was obviously displeased at Jannet's being there. Jannetwondered what she would have thought if Nell had come, too. But Paulinacould just get over thinking that she could run everything.
At Miss Hilliard's school, Jannet was in the habit of obedience to herelders. Here, too, she respected the authority of her uncle and hercousins, but beyond them, Jannet's Dutch independence asserted itself.
"I'm sorry, Paulina," Jannet said courteously, "that you don't want meto be in the attic, but I have every right to be here and I shall stay.You need not be worried about anything of yours. I shall not touch yourtrunk, and if you will tell me what else is yours, I will certainlykeep away from it."
But Paulina made no reply. She stalked out with her usual stiffness,leaving the door open.
"Of all the impolite people, you are the worst I ever saw," thoughtJannet, but she did not say it aloud. Perhaps, after all, Paulina'ssilence was better than harsh words.
The field was Jannet's. What should she do first? She did not quitelike to explore the dim recesses, beyond the wider, well floored part,when she was by herself. Perhaps she would reserve that till Nell couldbe with her. There was a window in this part, shut and fastened with anail, loosely pushed in. Jannet pulled out the nail, raising the old,small-paned window and finding that it would not stay up. But she saw apiece of wood that must have been used for the purpose and with thisshe propped the window, letting the fresh air in and also increasingthe amount of light, for there was a calico curtain over the windowpanes, tacked to the frame.
It was quite neat here, not newly mopped or fresh as the other parts ofthe house were, but the floor had been swept back as far as the rows oftrunks and chests extended. Jannet's eye was caught by an old singlebed, whose length extended along one wall, away from the window. Onthis were bundles, of odd sizes, she guessed, from the different bulgesin the old cover over the whole, a piece of yellowed, gay-figuredpercale, or muslin of a sort.
A rickety rocking-chair, of modern make, and a tall, gray-paintedcupboard were the only pieces of furniture that Jannet could see. Itwas quite evident that her uncle had had all the valuable furniture ofan older day put into use, keeping no useless articles to fill theattic. Even the old, old cradle stood in the old kitchen, not far fromthe old, old settle, with its rockers, too.
Jannet's eye, which had become practiced by this time among theso-called antiques, recognized something good in the narrow bed againstthe wall. That was an old-timer, too; but there was, perhaps, no placefor it, or it was not quite ancient enough. Jannet lifted the gay coverto peer beneath. One bundle, newly tied in newspapers not quitecovering the contents, showed comforters, put away now for the warmerseason. Bundles of longer standing showed dingy in muslin covers.
These, surely, were not interesting. A long, painted chest whose lockwas broken, disclosed piles of extra sheets, pillow cases and otherstores of the same kind, when Jannet lifted its worn lid. But thetrunks were more attractive in possibilities, and Jannet tried to readthe names or letters on their sides. Here was one that must have beenher grandmother's and this big one had her mother's initials upon it.She would open that pretty soon. And oh, what odd little things thosewere in the corner, two square, black trunks, if you could call themthat. They were more like boxes in size, but they had all the straps ofa trunk. And if there wasn't a little old hair trunk under the two ofthem! It was a wonder that Uncle Pieter had not taken it down into thekitchen!
Jannet decided to open her mother's trunk and looked through her keys,trying several before she found one which would fit the lock. Hermother might have put away the contents just before her marriage,thinking that she would soon be home again to look them over. Jannetpulled the trunk out from the rest, opened the top and drew up therickety rocking-chair, which she tried carefully before trustingherself to it.
Comfortably seated, with a few rays of the afternoon sunlight comingover her shoulder to the trunk, Jannet commenced her survey. There wereall sorts of "cubbies" in this trunk. One in the very top of the trunkopened down, when one loosened a leather strap from a button. But inthis there were only a handful of flowers ripped from some hat, somepink roses, still very pretty, and a wreath of yellow buttercups andgreen leaves. Jannet decided to get a big sun hat and wear that wreaththis summer.
In the top tray, two hats, perfectly good, but of a style impossible towear now, occupied the compartment for hats, with several veils andmore French flowers. Some letters were loosely packed in along thesides, with some foreign postcards, much scribbled.
In the compartment next, there were a pile of old music, some notebooks, photographs, more letters, and over all a sheer white organdydress, washed but not ironed, and pressed in irregularly to fill thecompartment.
Jannet lifted out this tray to find another beneath it. Ah, _here_ werepretty things! Neatly folded, a light blue silk lay on top, coveredwith a linen towel. A lace and net dress was beneath this. Jannet didnot disturb the folds. These could be examined when she had more of theday before her.
In the lower part of the trunk, Jannet found more pretty clothes and abox containing her mother's wedding veil. This, indeed, she drew out,handling it with a certain reverence. Yes, it was the veil in thepicture, delicate, with rose point lace and the pretty crown still asit had been worn except for the orange blossoms. These Jannet foundlying in another box among the dresses. Dry and ready to fall to piecesat a touch, they were easily recognized, nevertheless.
Touched and silent, Jannet sat still for a few moments, the veil halfout of the box in her hands, the little box with the orange blossomsopen beside her. It was sad, but it was worth everything to have thesethings that made her mother so real, her pretty mother!
For a little while Jannet sat and read a few of the letters. It coulddo no harm. They were from girl friends, some of them to accompanywedding presents or to announce their impending arrival. "May you havea long and happy life together," said one. "Douglas is a dear. I had aneye on him myself, but it was of no use, with you singing the heart outof him!"
Girls then were much as they were now, Jannet thou
ght. From her shortspan of years it did seem so long ago.
Pulling out her mother's trunk had disclosed a small box behind it, apretty box of dark wood, stained and rubbed like the nice furniture ofthe house. The lock was of gilt, a little discolored, but the wholelooked like something valuable, or at least interesting. Jannet triedall her keys without success and then, without thinking more of thebox, she went back to the trunk, becoming deeply engaged in thecontents of a little pasteboard box which was full of funny notes andthe treasures of her mother's younger days. There was even a tiny doll,dressed in a wee silken dress with a train. And in the bottom of thebox there was a brass key,--the very one which might fit the littledark box. Replacing the pasteboard box, Jannet with some curiositytried the key and found that it opened the other box.
A piece of old muslin covered the contents. This Jannet raised to findan old doll with a cloth body, some doll clothes, stained and faded andunder these some doll dishes, carefully packed.
These could not have been her mother's. They were too old, too odd.Suddenly it seemed lonesome. Jannet began to feel nervous anddepressed. She blamed herself for being a little goose, not in theleast realizing that a sensitive girl of her sympathies could not helphaving her feelings worn upon a little by all this.
Jumping up from locking the little box again, Jannet closed the trunkwhich was proving to be such a treasure chest. She had scarcelydisturbed part of it, and there were other delightful possibilities inprospect before her. She must have Nell over soon, for while she couldgo on by herself, and in a way she preferred to find her mother'sthings by herself, still,--Nell was sensible, smart and good company.She would take an interest, too, in discovering any source of ghostlyrevels. If Nell were afraid, this part of the attic, at least, offeredno signs of anything but ordinary storage.
Now, if she could only conciliate Paulina in some way and hear all that"old P'lina" thought about it. That was a good plan! She would try it!