Attic Artifacts

 By Kate

“Rain, rain, rain, all it ever does is rain,” Andi whined, knowing it was altogether untrue. Winter was really the only time it ever rained in Fresno, California, excepting of course the small showers accompanying summer thunder storms. Likely the damp, bleak atmosphere of the dull January day was affecting the girl’s usually high spirits.

Taking pity on his woebegone sister, Mitch suggested, “Why don’t you play in the attic?”

“But I was in the attic yester day evening,” shot the short retort.

Having tired of his sister’s pathetic attitude some time ago, Chad remarked, “Then go again, otherwise I can give you a sheet of arithmetic exercises, since it’s Saturday and you have none for school. I recommend you take advantage of the day off, before it is over.”

Although Chad’s “lack of sympathy” ruffled Andi’s feathers, she went meekly up the stair to avoid the threatened arithmetic exercise. Upon crossing the threshold into the top most room of the house, Andi flopped down into a broken rocking chair, and had a good mope. Presently, however, her spirits revived, having caught sight of something blue. She rushed over, but was disappointed to find that it was merely an unraveling knit shawl, and nothing of interest. However, the let down only fueled her enthusiasm to find a real treasure- perhaps even a mystery!

Digging about, she came to a cabinet card*. Why was this here? Mother liked all the cabinet cards of the family to be down stairs in the parlor so that all might see them; this must be a myster- It was an empty one. 

Another burrow produced an old quilt, which she had not looked at before. Having examined it to her fullest content, she unceremoniously flung it to the side and continued to nose about. There was a trunk, she hadn’t opened yet! Rummaging until only her legs were sticking out of the trunk, she studied the books it contained wondering if any might be worth reading. 

“This one seems very old,” she observed, having extracted a volume which was stamped, 1854. “The Lamplighter,” she read the title aloud. “I’ll have to ask mother if it’s any good.”

Suddenly she was bored of the books. Up she flew, then bang! The swift contact between her head and the lid of the trunk made her see stars. She must be more careful, she told herself just as she tripped over a small, heavy box. She landed hard. Frustrated, she stamped her foot, while still sitting on the dusty floor.

“Andrea?” Mother’s voice called, “Are you hurt?”

“No,” Andi shouted back, “Only bruised a bit.”

“Be careful, dearest.”

“Yes ma-am!”

Then Andi spotted it. It was half hidden under a ratty old quilt. Resting where it had probably been set ages ago, sat a sage green cradle, decorated with hand painted forget-me-nots and daisies. In a border of the same flowers, on the side of the cradle was the name ‘Leticia’. Andi was confused; nobody in the family had that name. This was a mystery!

“I must find out who this cradle belongs to. What if it is from a grief stricken aunt, whose child died? If it is then I will be very annoyed that nobody told me about it, and thought me too much of a baby to hear about it.” Andi muttered aloud.

Down the stair she went to confront someone about the matter. First she came across Chad, but before she could even open her mouth, he waved her off with an impatient, “Not now sis, I need to go over these figures again, the finances won’t come out properly.”

Next she met Mitch, but he was busy with Diego, one of the ranch hands. That left Mother and Melinda. A quick peep into the kitchen showed that Mother was unavailable. Melinda was Andi’s only hope. As usual Melinda was found in the midst of some silly “lady-like” occupation.

“Can I talk to you?” Andi asked barging into the room.

“You may talk with me, and please start knocking.” Melinda replied.

“Do you know anything about the sage green cradle in the attic?” That had not gone as planned. Andi had meant to hint, and coax the story out before anyone could keep the story a secret.

“Sage green cradle in the attic?” Melinda repeated.

“Yes.”

 Melinda would not get the better of her this time. “It has forget-me-nots and daisies all over it, and there is the name Leticia, on the side.”

“OOOH! Yes I know just what you are speaking of.” Then to herself, but still audible, “I haven’t thought of that in years.” She went on to explain, “That is my old doll cradle. I had Justin put it up there when I left for San Francisco, to attend Ms. Whitaker’s school. The name Leticia was that of one of my favorite dolls. I had her until you were two, then Chad and Justin got a mischievous turn and played catch with her by the pond. She fell in and sank to the bottom, because she had a porcelain head. Of course I was exceedingly vexed, but I got over it, because by then you were the perfect thing to play with, although you were heaps more ornery than Leticia.”

Both disappointed and glad to have roused Melinda’s memory by her discovery, Andi solemnly walked away. Melinda was waxing sentimental, and Andi was not in the mood for it. Since it was still raining, she resolved to go back upstairs and continue her search for attic artifacts; and perhaps she would find another story.

Author’s Note: *A cabinet card is a flat metal box containing a tintype photograph on either side of its opening lids and can be folded to stand open like a book to display the portraits inside it.