THE MYSTERIOUS CHEST

         In 1854, a grand tea party took place at the home of a lovely young maiden. All the young ladies, from Fort Williamsburg, arrived at this special party in their finest church dresses and bonnets. You see, today, Miss Marie was to open the gift she had received from her Uncle, Erasmus vanAlstorp. From the minute her friends entered the drawing room, none of them could take their eyes off the chest that sat in the corner. Made of a warm, dark wood and bound by metal straps, it had arrived on the packet Rosemond two days prior.

         Uncle Erasmus was the brother of Willem vanAlstorp, Marie’s father. The family was direct descendants of the patroons that had settled in old New York almost two hundred years before. Willem and Erasmus were partners in a business that imported spices. Willem rarely left New York, while Erasmus traveled the world purchasing and arranging shipments of goods. Marie’s older brother, Frederick Augustus, was now working for the vanAlstorp firm. Marie wished that she could help at the company warehouse near the waterfront. She loved to visit the building on Baywater Street. The smell of spices transported her to imaginary places, where she saw in daydreams palm trees, beaches and her uncle, striding over the sands.

         Rosalind, Mrs. Zimmer’s helper, placed a tray on the table. On it was the teapot, cups, a sugar bowl and a plate of small cakes. The young ladies ogled the sweet treats. As hostess, Marie began to pour the tea, while Millicent Radwick, seated to her left, took a cake off the plate and passed it on to Ernestina, whose last name was Parke. The Boldwood sisters, Alceste and Eurythante, filled out the table. They were twins and difficult to tell apart. Both spoke with flighty, high-pitched voices. One of them took up the conversation now.

         “Oh, Marie, I hope we won’t have to wait too long to find out what is in your uncle’s great chest.”

         “Don’t fret, Tante, as soon as tea is over, we will open it.”

         “Where did it come from?” This question was asked by Millie Radwick. None of Marie’s friends were members of the old families of New York, but this mattered little to her. The number of patroons was declining rapidly; wealthy newcomers of English descent had taken their place.

         “I don’t know; Uncle Erasmus wrote Father, but all that Papa would tell me was that there was a message inside the chest from him. I can't wait either. I wish Father had not gone to his office today, but I think he knows what is inside.”

         Perhaps it was the excitement, or the tastiness of the cakes, but the ladies seemed to eat much faster than usual. All passed on having a second cup of tea. All wanted to see the chest opened. Rosalind returned, added a small log to the fireplace, and began to clear the table. As soon as the door to the kitchen closed, Marie stood and approached the chest.

         “Aren’t you going to call your mother to witness this?”

         “No, Millie. Mama can come in later. She is not very fond of Uncle Erasmus. He smokes the foulest cigars when he visits and gives Papa bottles of liquor that Mama thinks are bad for his liver.” By now she was kneeling in front of the chest, which in her position nearly reached her shoulder. There were no locks, only two hasps. Marie loosened each hasp, before standing and lifting the great lid.

         Inside were rows of small lacquered boxes, all dark in color and framed in red. Each had on its top a painted head of a young man with dark hair and olive skin. Each box measured a perfect six inches high, wide and deep. Each was held closed by a small silver hasp.

         Marie picked up a box and carefully opened it. The smell of spice filled her nose. Inside were seeds. She did not know that they were cardamon seeds. She smiled, inhaled deeply and passed the box on to Millicent, while picking up a second one. This one contained a small silver bracelet. Millicent, who was handing her box on to Alceste, gasped on spotting the silver. Marie handed her the second box to pass around and picked up a third. It did not take her long to have most of the boxes open. Some contained spices. She recognized turmeric and the leaves of Dalmation sage, but others she did not know. There were boxes with jewelry too, some with rare stones set in the metal. Marie was stunned by the treasures, but also curious, for under the boxes she could see what appeared to be a piece of richly colored material.

         When the last box was opened, she pulled out what seemed to be a small carpet. It was dark blue, with a red outlined border and a red oval outline in the center. Inside the oval was the young man whose face adorned the top of the boxes. Here he was in full view, upright on his knees, in harem pants and with bare chest. His feet could not been seen, but it was evident that he was perched upon another small carpet. His arm seemed to be beckoning her to step into his oval.

         Marie spread the carpet on the floor. All gathered around it, kneeling, feeling it, admiring it. It was small in size, not as long as Marie was tall, but the workmanship was extraordinary. Ernestina, or Tina as she was called, giggled as she said, “I think the young man is calling you, Marie. Shall we step on to it and take a ride on his magic carpet?”

         Before Marie could reply, Alceste almost shrieked, “There’s a letter in the bottom of the chest, Marie.” She reached and pulled it out, handing it to its addressee. Marie could faintly smell the odor of tobacco on the paper. She carefully opened it and read:

“My Dearest Niece:
I am pleased to introduce Hani, a young man who will fill your life with adventure. Does he not have a pleasing face? When next I come to New York, I shall query you to see if you are satisfied with this humble servant I have sent.
Your devoted Uncle,
Erasmus vanAlstorp”

         Dabbing her eye with a handkerchief, Marie addressed the young man seated on his carpet, “So you are Hani. My uncle says you will take me on an adventure. Come, Tina, let’s step onto Hani’s carpet and meet him.” Taking her friend’s hand, Marie daintily lifted one foot and then the other and planted them on the edge of Hani’s carpet. Tina followed.

         To the other three, nothing extraordinary happened next. Their two friends seemed to be fixated for a moment standing on the carpet, as if they were hearing a siren call from afar, but soon all five were giggling again and calling Rosalind to bring back the cake tray.

         Later Marie asked Ernestina to remain as the others left. She pulled her aside into the parlor. Both looked around the room with trepidation. “Did it really happen, Tina?”

         “I don’t know what to think. I wondered if your cook had put something into the tea. The others would have never believed it. Do you want to try it again?”

         “Oh, let’s. There was so much I missed.” They went back into the drawing room where the carpet remained on the floor. Each lightly stepped on to it. They stood facing each other.

         “I don’t feel anything, Marie.”

         “Neither do I. The last time there was a rush of wind, a loud noise in my ears and then we weren’t here anymore.” Marie looked down at the young man seated on the carpet. “Do it again, Hani!”

         Ten, fifteen seconds passed but neither felt the stirrings of magic.

         “Oh, foo, Tina, it’s not working. Maybe the others have to be here for it to work. Remember, they were gone when the noise stopped, and the blaze in the fireplace was not there, but the room was warm. I can't forget our peek into the kitchen. I have no idea where that big white box came from, the one with the handle on it? I never did learn what happened to Mrs. Zimmer or Rosalind? Who did the cooking on that thing Mama called a ‘range?’

         “Your Mama looked at us like we we'd come from another world. ‘You’ve been in that old clothes trunk again, Marie. Look at you two! They fit you perfectly.’ I should think so, Mama ordered the material special from London, and then Mrs. Bird fitted me for it. I did not want to say this, Marie, but I thought your Mama was a little rude. She didn’t talk to us for how long while she looked at the picture in that wooden box.”

         “Did you see that, Tina? The lady in that picture moved, but the painting had no color. It was gray and white, and did you see she was pointing to one of those big boxes like we saw in the kitchen. She opened it and there was food inside the one in the painting.”

         “I thought it was your Mama talking when we opened the parlor door, but it was the lady in that painting. I was scared, but even more scared when I looked out the window and saw yellow shapes moving without horses. Some were other colors too, and they made so much noise. Then your Father came in and said that someone was waiting to take us to that show.”

         “Mama thought we should change our dress, but Father said we would be late and he put us into that carriage without a horse. I was so surprised he did not sit with the driver, but rather got in with us. I asked Mama why Papa was home and Mama told me he worked in something called ‘advertising’ and he took the day off. I wondered what had happened to the spice business.”

         “I was amazed at how lightly they were dressed. And did you see his newspaper? The date on it was October the Nineteenth, 1954! I was scared, and more frightened when we began to move. Where do you think all the horses went, Marie?”

         “I don’t know, but I knew we were going to be safe. There was a piece of paper near the driver with his name and photograph on it. His name was Hani Kazanjian, and he looked like the boy on this carpet, but a bit more grown up. He winked at me as we walked into that building where all the pictures were.”

         “You were so excited when you saw the picture of your Papa’s building with his name on it.”

         “You mean, ‘vanAlstorp Brothers?’ Yes, I wonder if you would be here now if we hadn’t been holding hands when I touched it. Did you hear that man in the uniform shouting not to touch the Daguerreotype?”

         “I saw him reaching for you, and the next thing I knew I saw Alceste, smiling that silly smile she always has on her face. They acted like nothing happened to us, so I was not going to tell them.”

         “Neither was I, Tina. Maybe someday we will go back there.”

         The door to the hallway opened. An older woman with her hair up in a bun entered the room. “Marie, go and greet your Father. He is in the parlor. Will Miss Ernestina be staying for dinner? If so, I will tell Mrs. Zimmer and then I shall lie down until then. I feel very weary.” Mrs. VanAlstorp exited to the kitchen.

         “Let’s roll up the carpet and show it to Papa.” They bent down and began the task. They were both very excited. As the roll neared the head of the man seated on the carpet, Marie could have sworn he winked at her.