The Green Cabinet
by
M. Eileen O’Dea ©2005 all rights reserved
Haley and Tim had lived in their two hundred year old farm house for seven years. Haley had finally talked Tim into getting rid of that old metal cabinet in the pantry. It was the only thing in the house that just didn’t fit in. It was white and the previous owners had allowed their children to color all over it. The inside was rusty and Haley hated to keep anything of real value inside. She talked Tim into taking it out to his workshop where it could be put to some good use. Haley had plans to purchase a nice antique cabinet to replace it. Some thing a little woodier that would fit in with the rustic décor of the old house.
It took Tim an hour to move the large thing. Haley stayed far out of his way. As long as he got it out of the house she didn’t care how he did it. Once it was outside she brought her broom and dust pan right into the pantry to sweep up where the cabinet had sat for who knows how many years. She went right to her sweeping not even looking at the wall that had been covered up by the white monstrosity. Once the floor was cleaned up Haley stood back to take a look at the space she would have to fill. That was when she saw it right there on the wall was a green door no bigger than a medicine chest. Its hinges were very old and quite ornate for a farm house. The latch was brass all tarnished from years of neglect and it was locked with a very small padlock.
Haley softly laid her hand on the green door. They had lived there for seven years and never knew it was there. The couple they bought the house from never mentioned it when they showed them the house and they had been very thorough. They must not have known it was their Haley gathered. She lifted the small lock and looked at it. It obviously hadn’t been opened in quite a long time. She wondered what ever happened to the key. She had never come across it in the years they had lived there.
Her mind raced with the possibilities of what could be inside. Maybe some antique apothecaries or maybe even some hidden away jewelry long forgotten. What ever was inside the owner felt the need to lock it away so to them it held some sort of value. By the look of the style of the door and the hardware it looked original to the house. Haley wondered if it could have been hidden away there since the original owners locked it up. But how could it stay so preserved all of those years she wondered. The metal cabinet surly wasn’t that old. It was a true mystery unearthed in the wall of her pantry. Haley was intoxicated by its possibilities. When Tim walked into the pantry she jumped.
“Whoa where were you?” he asked looking at his startled wife. “Hundreds of years ago” she answered as she pointed to the green door. “Look at this.” Tim looked at the door in amazement. “No way, I wonder how long that’s been there.” “A long time I’d say. Look at the hardware and the lock.” He examined the cabinet much the same way Haley had. “Cool” he said “I wonder where the key is.” He played with the lock. “Long
gone I’m sure. Be careful don’t break it.” “Well then how are we going to open it?” Haley thought for a minute. “I suppose we could pick it.” “Come on Haley this thing is ancient. It’s probably all rusted inside. It won’t open the conventional way.” “Well we’re going to try any way.”
Haley went to the kitchen and got a small skewer. She brought it back to the pantry. She carefully inserted it into the lock and tried to move it around but nothing happened. Tim looked at his watch “Well Houdini you’re on your own. I have to go to work.” He gave Haley a kiss “I’ll see you tonight.” “Ok” Haley said still focused on the lock on the door. She wanted that lock open and without breaking it. Before Time was even out of the driveway Haley was in the bedroom gathering up some tools to crack that lock. She grabbed her nail polish remover, a safety pin, a hat pin out of her grandmother’s pin stand and a bunch of tissues. She picked up a small glass bowel from the kitchen as she walked through and brought it all into the pantry.
Haley put some of the nail polish remover in the glass bowel then carefully held it up to the lock and set it into the liquid. It smelled horrible and she laughed when she thought what Tim would think if he could see her now. She didn’t know why but she just knew she was on the right track. She didn’t let the lock soak for too long she didn’t want it to fall apart into the bowel. She patted it dry with some of the tissues and tried to open it with the safety pin. Some of the rust from inside fell out but it didn’t open. So she put down the safety pin and tried the hat pin. It was just a little bit thinner and slid inside just a little farther. She guided it around being careful not to be rough and the lock sprang open. “Wow” she said aloud “It really worked!” She put her high-tech tools aside and got ready to look inside the green cabinet.
Haley took the lock off of the latch and held it in her hand. She slowly opened the latch and pulled the green door open. A musty smell came from inside but when the light from the room reviled what was there the odor was the last thing Haley noticed. There were three shelves inside of the cabinet. On the first there was an old tarnished child’s silver spoon, a hand carved cow all worn from being held and a lock of hair pressed between a folded piece of paper. On the bottom shelf was a photograph of a couple on their wedding day. The woman was quite beautiful and the man very handsome. Next to it laid a beautiful hair comb the same one worn by the woman in the photo and there was a gold locket. Inside were two pictures of the couple taken some years later it looked like.
Haley put the locket back and placed the lock beside it. On the middle shelf was a stack of letters tied together with a faded ribbon. They looked very old and Haley knew enough about antique papers not to touch them with her bare hands. The oils in her skin would decay the paper as it is very fragile due to its age. Haley went to find a pair of cotton gloves she had so she could take a look at them. Her anticipation surprised her. She tried to tell herself that they were probably just some old recipes carried down from generation to generation. But she had a feeling they were something much more. She put on her gloves carefully removed the letters from the cabinet and brought them to the dining room table.
Haley untied the ribbon and counted the letters there were over a dozen of them. Some of them were just too yellow and fallen apart to read. But there were some that were still in pretty good shape. They weren’t in envelopes just neatly folded as they were when they were received. Haley carefully opened the first one in good condition and read it;
March 2, 1865
My dearest Lizbeth,
I have precious little time to write as the fighting is merciless. However I do not want you to worry with such things my love. Oh how I wish I were there at Graystone with you and our precious little William. My Captain assures me the war will be over soon and I will be able to return to you and our beautiful farm. Just the thought of you strolling through the meadow picking wildflowers has gotten me through many a lonely night here in the south. When I sleep I am with you again your raven hair flowing in the mountain breeze. You are wearing that yellow dress you made just after William was born. You look so lovely in that dress. Please wear it for me when I return. What a wonderful sight that would be to witness you in your yellow dress carrying William down the long path to meet me. I shall carry that thought with me until we are together again my love.
Ever faithful,
Edmond
Haley sighed thinking about how it must have been for a young man to be away from his family with only letters to keep them in contact. A chill went down her spine as she remembered the wedding photo. They looked so in love Edmond and Lizbeth. She folded the letter and opened the next one;
March 4, 1865
My beloved Edmond,
I have just put William down to sleep. He looks more and more like you each passing day. Oh how I wish you were here with us to see him grow. Your brother has been very helpful but he is no substitute for you my husband. I long to sleep by your side to feel your strong arms around me. I know a lady shouldn’t speak of such things but I miss you so. I wore that yellow dress you favor the other day. It reminded me of you. It was a bit fancy for just going to town but I did not care. I felt like you were by my side when I wore it.
I pray this awful war will be over soon and you will come home to me and William. The army should not expect a husband and father of a babe to be in such danger. Is pure torture it is. Don’t they know you are needed at home? But I don’t want you to worry about that my love. I want you to take care of your self so you may come home to us safe and sound.
With all of my never ending love,
Lizbeth
Haley put her hand to her heart. She could just imagine how Lizbeth felt. Being a farmers wife in 1865 had to be rough enough then put him being in the middle of the Civil War on top of it. Lizbeth must have been one very strong woman. Haley wasn’t sure if she could be that strong if she had to be. She smiled when she thought about the two of them both mentioning the yellow dress though. She opened the next letter;
March 10, 1865
My Lovely Lizbeth,
So much loss so much despair. Your beautiful memory and spirit is the only thing carrying me through this wretched war. My images of you are the only ray of sunshine in this entire mess. If I didn’t know you were at home waiting for me I simply could not go on any longer. You are my rock my dear I hope you know that. And I do not want you to allow me to forget it when I get back to you. A proud man has no place in this world Lizbeth. I have seen that out here. A man has to know his strengths and you are mine my love.
Forever yours,
Edmond
March 12, 1865
My beloved Edmond,
It has rained for three full days Edmond. Some of the neighbors’ fields are flooded over. We are lucky though being up on the hills as our fields are fine and will be ready for planting right on time. So you bring your self home to see the corm and wheat waving in the breeze my love. They say the war looks to be coming to an end.
I’ve bought some new yard goods to make a new dress for your return. I’ll not ware it until you come walking up that long path to us Edmond. It will be a dress just for you. A bit frivolous yes but you are worth it. And your return will be a grand celebration worth frivolity at the very least. Oh my Edmond when you come home I will celebrate you every day for the rest of your life.
Your dearest Lizbeth
March 16, 1865
My treasured Lizbeth,
I got your letter today the one about you wearing that yellow dress. Just the thought of you wearing it for shopping makes me smile. I shall read your letter over and over as smiles are hard to come by these days. Jonesy has joined our ranks today. While it is nice to see someone from home it saddens me that such a young boy of fourteen must come here to fight this miserable war. He tells me he saw you and William before he left. He says my boy is growing by leaps and bounds and I should be proud. That I am Lizbeth yet I wish I were there to see him grow. It feels years since I’ve seen the two of you. Just eight months and I am starting to forget what he looks like. But not you my love you come to me every night in my dreams. Where I am clean again and you are just as beautiful as the wretched day I had to leave you. Keep the faith Lizbeth I’ll be coming home to you soon.
Ever yours,
Edmond
March 17, 1865
Dearest Edmond,
I visited Mrs. Jones today my love. She is beside her self having sent her young Jonesy off to fight. He tried to look proud the day he left but I could see he was frightened. They should never taken one so young especially since he is all that his mother has left now. If he should cross your path my love please watch over him for his mother’s sake a mother worries so.
We are told that General Lee is faltering and is ready to surrender. Oh I pray this news is true this horrid war has gone on far too long and far too many lives have been lost. The cause is true but at what cost my love? They are starting to refer to this war as a civil war. There is nothing civil about it, it is barbaric is what it is. We will all be better off when it is all over. So many blacks are migrating up north Edmond. I can not imagine there are many left to fight for in the south any more.
Well take care my love you are in my every thought and dream. I tell William of you every eve before he goes to sleep. We are both eagerly awaiting your return.
Eternally yours,
Lizbeth
March 20, 1865
My precious Lizbeth,
The southern troops seem to fight as though they are already defeated. It is hardly a war anymore as we don’t have the heart to fight men who can not or will not fight back. I feel the end is very near. Every day we see more and more blacks walking their way up north. They have nothing to keep them going except the freedom given to them by their owners who have already given up the fight themselves. It dose the heart good though to know they are free people now. by the look of determination in their eyes I believe they will make it Lizbeth. This gives me reason why I have been fighting this wretched war.
Jonesy has been lifting my spirits with stories from home. He tells me our farm looks well as do you and William. This gladdens me though I can not be there with you. I feel that soon I will be. Once I am my love I do not plan on ever leaving you again. This I solemnly vow to you. You will never have to be alone again my love.
Faithfully yours,
Edmond
There were only three more letters two of which were readable. Haley’s mind was back in 1865. She saw the house as it was as Lizbeth sat to write to Edmond as little William slept by her side. She opened the first of the last two letters;
April 5, 1865
My Darling Edmond,
Your brother is readying the fields to plant as I write. He has been a God send in your absence but no substitute I’m afraid. There are some things a brother in law simply can not stand in for. Not for a lonely wife who misses her beloved husband. It is a beautiful spring day here at Graystone. I shall put on my yellow dress and go for a stroll in the meadow and think of you my precious Edmond. When you return you will join me on such a stroll on a sunny day. We will find the time for that you and I Edmond. Life is far too precious a thing to let the little things pass you by. I have learned that in your long absence.
News from the Capital sounds very good this week. Perhaps you will be home before the first seedlings sprout in my vegetable garden. Oh how wonderful that would be. I look forward to that day with my every breath my love. We will be together very soon.
Your devoted wife,
Lizbeth
April 9, 1865
My Beloved Lizbeth,
We have just received word that General Lee had surrendered. This wretched war is finally over and I can return home to you and our son. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how this news has lifted my spirits. My thoughts are now consumed with finding my way home. Mt captain tells me if all goes well I should be walking up that long path of Graystone in just three weeks. Oh Lizbeth my heart can not wait to see you there in that new dress you made for the occasion with William in your arms. I will try to continue to write but I do not know where I will be. Rest assured though I will be on my way home to you my love just as fast as the good Lord can take me there.
Your very loving husband,
Edmond
Haley was crying as she read the end of the letter. She imagined that Lizbeth had probably gotten it about a week before Edmond returned home. Haley herself felt an excitement as if Edmond was returning to her. She had gotten lost in the letters. For just a while she was Lizbeth longing for her Edmond to come home from war. When she finally came back to present day she wiped her tears and tied the letters back up with the ribbon. She carefully put them back in the green cabinet and put the lock back on the latch. She closed the lock and laid her hand on the green door. Everything inside belonged there she realized that. It was its home where it was meant to be. That was why it was still there after all of those years. Others must have read the letters just like Haley had and just like her they too knew they forever belonged in the green cabinet.
The End
0 comments:
Post a Comment