The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-11-07

engaged in peering into the cabinets, and
handling them cautiously. But with them
was a gentlemanly and fluent parsonage, who
was giving his opinion and admiring the col
lection.
He read the whole situation at glance.
The color flew 10 his cheeks, and, with vehe-
mence that was wholly artificial and unnat-
ural, he addressed the party.
II know well what all this MEANS" he
said; "Pll not have it'll not allow it. 1t is
robbery. I'll not part with these things but
gentlemanly man, ''this is my property.
They are not to be valued or Sold"
To do him justice the gentlemanly man
was much put out at this incident, and de-
clared truly that he had merely come. as he
supposed, at Mr.. Crinkleton's request. And
he took his departure at once. Then my ia
the turned on them.
"Let a finger be laid on my treasures" be
cried, s.and I will do something desperate.
I'll send them Tomorrow to some museum
give them away-sooner than have them
Scattered. Mind, take warning, for they are
part of my lifev'
8 The two ladies were much taken aback at
this sudden explosion, and even tried to
sooth him. But for the rest of the day he
was terribly excited, and the following morn
ing was lying ill in bed, with wild eyes and
all the symptoms of fever. A doctor was sent
for to attend him-an eminent practitioner
who looked grave. Indeed, the two ladies
caught the reflection from his face, and
were disturbed.
was the only one whom he seemed to
recognize, though indistinctly. Again there
was fresh whispering, and inspection of pa
pers and property. And again his eyes
peered out witsfully towards the door, as if
he could see the spectral images OF his col
lection floating away in the direction OF DIM
bley's.
He grew worse and worse. To my mex
pressible grief, it one morning passed round
the house in a mysterious way that we were
to loose him. Some one came running for
me, and took me by the hand to lead me to
I i'm. There was piteous intelligence in his
saw me. He was moving his arms, and
pointing, and trying to speak.
The lady who was his wife kept turning up
her eyes and shaking her head, as who should
say his wits were gone. But he kept his
imploring glance fixed on me, making as
though he would clutch something in his
hand. was sure, could have sworn it was
one ofhis pet treasures, and stole away to
rack my little brain with desperate attempts.
At first thought it must be two precious
figures Of Old Bow, representing Kitty Give
duu w OOudIu NldItlu, do UuC luO lduy duu
gentleman, and returned with these in my
hands. A fresh eagerness came into his eyes,
and he seemed to smile and nod his head,
as though it was something near what he
desired.
Some curious stupidity came over me-or
was it my trouble? For l surely ought to
have guessed, and gone out to choose some
other article, which should be the right one.
While I was taking a hurried bird's-eye
glanced over the collection, they came run
ming to me again, and was dragged in to
see the last friend had on Garth in his
agony:
So he passed away; and after a scarcely
decent interval the two women were going
about with avaricious eyes, counting up the
treasures. This time there was no one to
interfere with ''Dimbley's man." and the
eminent firm had pronounced that the
whole, when submitted TO competition at
their well-known mart, would bring vast
sum. By the will of the deceased collector,
made shortly after his second marriage, the
whole of his property was to go to her, and
small pittance was kept for us, that is, for
me and my sister, who was at cheap board
ing school.
A great fuss began to be made about the
Crinkleton collection, and it was discovered
that another portion was at some museum in
the country, where it had been exhibited,
and which was quite as valuable as that in
our house. The whole, it was expected,
would bring 100000 or $4,000. They were
gloating over their prospect. We-that, is
my sister and I-would be beggars, but that
they did not think about.
By-and-by the inventory was taken, the
catalogue made out, and the prospect dis
covered to be even more inviting. The men
in green baize arrived to pack and carry
away. Spring vans stood at the door. We
saw the whole stripped gradually-theIe was
not to be a relic kept $50 was told) to re-
mind us of the dear old collector who had
brought them together. Very timorously
I begged that they would let me choose
something which might keep as as souvenir;
but an excuse was made that list had been
taken, and that it would be impossible to
make any alteration now.
Utterly shocked, and almost desperate
with rage at such heartlessness, came to
the resolution that 1 would have what I
wanted, and determined to secure what was
associated with one of the last acts of my
fathers life at which I had assisted, namely
the old teapot. That should be mine, and
shonld not be subjected to the PROCLAMATION of
sale. did not care for the penalties,
which knew would be awful; they might
put me to torture, they should never know
WueIc udu COucedleu tulS ItiICs
My plans were we'll laid. chose mo-
ment when they had gone out, and, taking
no one into my confidence, prepared to exc
cute the daring scheme. Ii was nervous
task. The teapot was placed, with few
other articles not yet removed, on a high
bracket of antique pattern over the chimney
piece. Even standing on a chair, could
not reach it; still I was not to be dauuted. 1
constructed sort of ladder formed of chairs,
which, with much trepidation, assembled.
secured the grotesque teapot; but, without
ever having heard the Latin quotation, FG.
ellis descensus, found myself cordially in
carious balance, carefully holding the treas
are, and not knowing what to do next. To
get down and leave the teapot, it might be
thought would be the simplest course; but,
with my nervousness, and its own insecurity,
the structure now began to totter. The next
instant heard her on the stairs.
How it occurred know not, but there fol-
lowed crash, being left standing upon the
insecure construction, whilst the old cher
ished teapot had slipped from my fingers,
and was dashed into hundred fragments on
the hearthstone! They rushed in-I was
dragged down, and in storm of seedlings
was hurried off for punishment. 1t was in
flicted with terrible severity, and I bore it
without finching. One thought was even
then in my mind, to recover the shattered
fragments, keep them in that condition, and
perhaps one day, when I was richer, get
them restored.
When they were tired of scolding and beat
ing, they had gone down stairs: then, after
waiting patiently, watched my opportunity
and stole down. They had not thought il
worth while to remove the fragments, which
lay there in heap-the curved handle, the
leering face, the spout, the lid. gathered
them up tenderly, and, as 1 did so, saw that
a small piece of paper, folded up, was lying,
as it were, partially thrust into the spout. I
took it up with the pieces, on the ground
that it was relic of his that ought to be pre-
served, and reverently brought the whole
mass away to my room.
1t seemed hopeless. I tried myself to put
the pieces together in many different ways,
but it was not to be done save by mirable-
miracle, however, which skillful hands ac-
compished later. In sort of despair I laid
it aside, and then carelessly opened the
paper.
1t was signed with his name, which was
sufficient to give it an interest for me. And
yet this only made me feel more accurately
the cruel loss of the piece of earthenware,
which felt that nothing could ever restore
to us.