Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-12-06
BUYING 4 VASE-A STORY FOR
YOUNG WIVES
BY HOWE BENNING.


BY HOWE BESNING.
Pretty little Cassie Clcwes sat il
her kitchen, meditatin@. Six months
/ ed to her as Cassie Mills; bNt she is
wearing new dignities now, and il
must be confessed most wOrthily. II
was not common kitchen, either
Their was a respectable air about it,
as if it wore its best clothes every
day, that only belongs to kitchens in
the beginning of housekeeping.-
There were no defacing nail marks
either, or circles like pale, yellow
moons where the good mans hat had
adorned II many n year. 1t was So
/ fresh and clean with the slanting
rays Of the September sun checker
Ting its newly-painted floor, or play
ffng in the fantastic groups the leaf
| sbadOws made over the polished sur
| face.
And meditatiBg, as we before re-
marked, amid the brightness and the
shadows, sat the little mistress
When Harry Clewes first asked her to
share his fortunes, Cassie was aware
that that article was mostly to be
found in the broad hands that then
trembled in impatient waiting for the
answer. But when she looked into
the lovers brown eyes and read there
the promise of peace, she did not hes
itate' What would be the world full
of bank stock to her if Harry had no
shares? And she had never regretted
her answer.
But all the morning, as her voice
kept time to the clatter of milk pan,
or with slower cadence followed the
measure of her broom, her loving
heart devised some pleasant surprise
for its hege lord. Sometimes it was an
apple pudding, again, pair OF slip
pers made by her cunning fingers, and
even soled by the same workwoman.
The same fingers, too, were always
tindingiways'Of identifying until their
little home blossomed much more in
the character of a rose than the rich
Mrs. BrOad's sumptuous parlors.
1t was this last named apartment in
| Cassie's home that was the strain of
her meditatiOns Just at present; and
as if to assist herself to a clearer
view of the case, she rose now and
opened the door leading into that
state room. 1t was bright, like the
other, but lacking the home air, of
course. There was a green and oak
carpet, the six caned-bOttOmed chairs
and green lounge, the round table
with its album and few books upon it,
and the hOrse-hair rocking chair
that every country dame counts
among the essentials. ''But it looks
bare some way" unused Cassie, at the
| door thinking, meanwhile, how easy
and cheerful Mrs Means looked last
evening, when they took tea there, for
getting that Mrs. NJ. had been putting
a home air into hers for several years.
''It needs a picture and curtains and
a mirror, and that mantel wants a few
| fancy things different from those
straw frames and a grass bOquet. Ii
had Mrs. Broad's money, I fancy L
would snow better taste; but there is
no use. 1t isn't likely we shall ever
| have anything except what we earn;
Harry isn't the kind to get rich
Dear, generous fellow, indeed he
wasn't! Aud earning it, Cassie
had got to learn, was what made their
/ little so sweet.
1t must have been the shadow of
/ the unused parlOr that the little wO-
/ man carried back to her seat III the
! low rocking chair. Certainly, the
kitchen did not look as bright as it
/ had half an hour before. What she
might have come 10 if left to herself,
we cannot tell; for at that moment
| the gate latch clicked, and a burden
bearer made his way through it
/ Now, among the few antipathies OF
honest Harry, Cassie knew that
against peddlers to be one OF the
strongest. Her first thought was,
How shall get rid of him q but a
second glance showed the board bal.
anced on his head, and the pretty toys
and vases glistening in the sun, and
she wavered.
HAS the fine lady any old clothes
for me to-day = asked 4 voice be
longing to the dark Jewish face that
now made its appearance III the door
way,
"OId clothes,'' thought Cassie
"does he think 1 look like that :"
And indeed, the sharp, black eyes
We're scanning, rather quiZzically
every corner, as if III pursuit OF the
age Cassie deprecated.
No." she said aloud, and with {
touch of hesitation the quick car o!
the vender of wares detected.
please, lady, look at the pretty
things he urged, suiting the actor
to words by lowering the load; and
as he did so the shining sun rays
caught in pair Of crimson vases, and
. Cassie's heart was lost at once.
II .,
tel, she incautiously exclaimed
Mrs. Broad herself has not anything
more beautiful. Are they real?" sht
continued.
Pure Bohemian, lady. Shust vot
I SAYS" asserted he of the mahogany
visage without twinge in the plac,
his conscience used to occupy year
agone.
.'Oh, what VIII you take for them
How much are they worth IN money!
They wash not for money, lady
old clothes"
''But haven't any"
mo bed quilts, blankets, lady
Cassie mentally reviewed her stores
and dismissed them to their shelve
again.
? ''No, no, nothing Of the kind"
''No coats, shawls, ine-top boots
lady :"
= 4 sudden thought. \ gift fror
; an aunt at her marriage had been
= CAV, plaid WOODEN shawl. This, c
course, had thrown into the shade th
leGod Bay State of solid colOrs tina
had heretofore served all purposes c
= warmth and beauty. Why not par
with this last 1t was not a nccessi
ty, and the ruby vase tempting hel
was fast becoming one. She went fo
the shsYl.
Though, Of course, 1 shall gt
: more than the vase for it." sh
thought.
But the willy tradesman balanced
on his hand, held it up to the ligL
suspiciously, and finally said:-''WeI