“Violet why are you sitting on the floor? Get up and get into your pajamas and get your teeth brushed. I will be back in a few minutes to get tell you goodnight.”
Violet jumped right up and did as she was told, hurrying to get everything done quickly and quietly. But on the way to the bathroom to brush her teeth, she noticed her mother was on her knees in her sewing room, looking into her cedar chest. She walked very slowly past the door trying to peek in and see what was happening. Only one other time had she seen her mother open the chest.
That time Violet had been allowed to peek inside. It had a wonderful smell, her mom said it was the wood the cedar chest was lined with. Inside there had been many treasures, each wrapped in fabric or in glass jars.
She had come to a full stop and was staring into the room, when her mother pulled a mirror out of the chest. Afraid she would be seen Violet hurried to the bathroom, brushed her teeth very quickly and quietly opened the door to sneak back into her room.
Violet was excited to see the light was still on in the sewing room, as she crept by she noticed her mother was still looking into the chest. Next to her was the mirror, a candle, a jar of something white and some black lace.
Her mother turned and saw her watching and quickly closed the lid to the chest. “Violet are you ready for bed?” as she was asking she was walking toward the door and she reached over flipped the light switch to off and closed the door behind her.
“Mom what were you doing?”
“That is none of your business Missy! Come on lets get you into bed.” Her mom sounded happy, so Violet tried one more time. “Were you looking in your cedar treasure chest?’
“I think you know the answer to that already, now get into bed. I love you, sweet dreams. You can read if you want, but stay in your bed.”
“I love you too.”
“I will come in later and shut off your light.”
Violet put her necklace away, opened her book and stared at the page. She was trying to remember everything she saw in the sewing room and trying to figure out what her mother was going to do with the treasures she had taken out. Then she remembered her mother saying something about a mirror and salt when the electricity went out.
What an interesting secret, and Violet was excited to try to figure it out. ©
