OUR MOTHER'S ROOM. 35 



father kept the key, and whenever he approached to 

 open it the children were all banished from the room. 

 They had a burning curiosity regarding it which he 

 aggravated by affecting yet more mystery on the 

 subject. 



Of course they learned when older that the old chest 

 held nothing more remarkable than business-papers, 

 family relics, and portions of dress; also certain 

 surgical instruments which the damp climate necessi- 

 tated being kept in a dry warm place. But I think 

 some of the young folks regretted being disillusioned 

 regarding the mystery of the sealskin box. Besides 

 serving the purposes of Bluebeard's cupboard and 

 window-seat, that box was where a culprit did penance. 



To sit there for a stipulated period, idle, and in 

 disgrace, was considered severe punishment, and I have 

 no doubt those times of enforced " being still," when 

 restless brains and fingers were burning for active 

 service, saw many a nail surreptitiously abstracted, 

 many a bunch of hair pulled out, many a hole in the 

 hide widened, — all pertaining to the sealskin box. 



First of the furniture, first because largest and most 

 important, was the great tent-bed. It was like a 

 chamber itself, and one could imagine pillows, babies, 

 and the like getting lost in it. When the children's 

 belongings went amissing they were first sought for 

 " in mamma's bed," and if not discovered there it was 

 generally believed that they had been removed to our 

 father's " den " — a bourne from whence no traveller 

 returned, unless by little short of miracla 



