I set the boxes on the dining table and got the kitchen scissors from the drawer. Sitting down next to Chris, I proceeded to open the first box. Inside lay a small bundle wrapped in purple velvet and tied with a faded ribbon. I carefully unrolled it.
“It’s a ring,” Chris said, as I held it up to the light.
“Yes,” I agreed. “It’s a plain, gold wedding band. It must have been Aunt Kezzie’s but why would she hide it away?”
“Maybe the answer’s in the second box?” Chris asked, nudging it toward me.
A small, oblong box was inside the wrapping. I lifted the lid. Inside lay three sheets of yellowing paper. I unfolded the top sheet. Swirly writing declared it to be a marriage license.
“This is getting murkier,” Chris murmured. “Your Aunt Kezzie was one secretive woman. Why hide away your marriage license? The writing and decorations are so pretty, I would have framed it.”
I shook my head. “This declares that a Miss Kezzie Beamer married a Mr. Benjamin Darnell on January 3, 1939, but Aunt Kezzie’s last name was Beversall, not Darnell.”
“She was your aunt though, wasn’t she?” Chris asked, taking the paper from me and squinting at it.
“I know, but all this time, I thought she was Great-Grandpa Darnell’s sister, so her married name would, of course, be different than his name. Looks to me like she was his sister-in-law and maybe Benjamin was Great-Grandpa’s brother? Hmm.”
Picking up the second paper, I said, “And this is a bill of sale to Benjamin for this pump organ. Wow! It’s nearly a hundred years old. An antique. A real treasure.”
One last paper lay on the bottom of the box. Tears sprang to my eyes as I smoothed out the creases. “Oh, dear. Chris, this is from the War Department. Ben was killed in action in a battle during the Second World War.”
We stared at each other. Chris shook her head. “That little key unlocked a lot more than Aunt Kezzie’s organ.”
“It must be that Aunt Kezzie and her first husband didn’t have any children because my three cousins are Beversalls, just like Aunt Kezzie.” I shook my head. “I guess my cousins aren’t really my cousins.”
“That’s a happy thought,” Chris said. “Why didn’t you know all this? Didn’t your folks talk about family history?”
“I can’t remember that they did and I’m afraid I didn’t ask. People just were close-mouthed in those days.”
We sat for a while, listening to the rain against the windows and trying to absorb what we’d learned.
“It’s funny that your cousins didn’t know about that marriage,” Chris said.
I nodded. “It looks like Aunt Kezzie didn’t tell them and maybe put the organ in the attic or hid it away or something? Wish I knew, but her children didn’t seem to be anxious about it. Maybe she gave it to me so it could go to another Darnell, do you think?”
“Could be,” Chris said. “One thing about it, it has a good home and you’ll treasure it. Who knows what her kids would have done with it?”
I smiled and held up the key lying next to Aunt Kezzie’s ring. “This little mystery key has unlocked a whole era of secrets and there’s only one thing to do with such a wonderful gift as Aunt Kezzie gave me.”
Chris smiled. “Play it?”
“Yes,” I said, pushing back my chair. “It has been a while, but I think it’s time that organ was played again.”
Speak Your Mind