, 1874-09-27

Bat for the rest OF tue day he Was terribly az
c;t;d and the following morning was lying III IN
eeq, Ti'h ylld eyes aud sI the @ symptoms Of
fever Il doctor vas sent for to attend hlm~-aa
eminent pEsctisioner-Eho looked gravo. In
deed, the two ladiea caught the reflection from
h,s face. aud looked gzzsa aud disturbed.
l WAS the onlF one whom ha seemed to recos-
nze. though indistinctly. Agaia there was fresh
Whispering, and inspection Of papezs aud prop
erty. And A5aln his eyes peered out wis:fully
towards the door, rs if be could res the spectral
images Of his collection floating away in tito ci-
rectlou Of Dimbley's.
He grew worac and Horse TO mY inexpressi-
bic grief. it one morning passed ronnd The house
in mysterious way that We rero to lose him.
Some one canlo ruuninS t0r me. md took mo by
the hand to lead ms to him. There was pite-
ous intelligence in his eve, and CLEAN OF light
came into It IS ho saw me. lie Was moving his
arr,s, and pointing, and trying to speak. ~''
The lady who MAS his wife kept turning up
her eyes aal shaking her head, IS who
should say hls wits wese gone. But he
mskinS as though he would clutch some
thing in lila hand. I was sure, / could have
sworn it naa one Of his pet treasures, and stole
ansy to rack my little b:sin with depetats A.
tempts- at first thought it must be tho
Give and !? oodwa1d Martin, as the ane 1ady aud
gentleman, aud returned with these in rnI
hands, A fresh cagerness came into his eyes,
and he seemed to. smile and nod his head, as
though it was somothlng naar what he desi1ed
Some curious stupidity came over me-or Ma
it my trouble? for surely ought to 'hsyt
guessed, and gune out to choose eome other
a.ticle which should be the right one. While
waa taking . hurried hlzd's7eya glan:a over tho
collection, they came running to me again, and
was dragged in to see the last f1iend had oa
earth in bis agony.
So he PASSED away and after = scarcely DO
cent interval the two women were going about
with ayar'cious eyes counting up the treasures.
This time there was no ono to Interfere With
"Dimbloy's man," and tho eminent firm had
pronounced that the whole. when submitted tc
competition at their weli-known mart, would
bring vast snm- By the will OF tho deceased
collector, made shortly after his second mAc
raSe. the whole Of bis property Was to 50 to hes,
aud a small pittancs wzs kept for us, that is, fof
me and uy SISTER, who was at cheap boarding
school.
great fuss ,bagnu. to be made ahout tht
Czinkleton collection, and twas discovered that
another portion w4h at some museum in the
country. where i had been exhibited, aud which
was quito as valuable a. that in oar house. Toe
whole. II WAS expected, would bring 10000 o1
G12, 900: They He1e gloatlng over thax pEos-
pect.-, Ne--that il, my sister and 17-nould ha
bcggAra, but that they did not think about,
by-and-by the inventory was taken. the cats-
be even more inviting. The Inen II green baize
arrived to paeG and carry away Spring Tana
stood at tho door. We SAW the whole stripped
gradua'!y-tnero was not 70 pc te4lc keps ts?4
was told) to remind III Of tho dear old collector
VINO haQ brousnt tnetu toeetae1' fEIy tlanoc-
ousl5 l begged that they would let me- choose
something which might keep ~ sonTenlr; ons
an excuse WAS made that ii7t had haeu .t4Sen,
and that it would be Impossible to mako any Il.
telaGon now. " j. --...
Utterly shocked, aud almost desperate With
rage as snch heartlesanoss, cane to the resolt-
ton that would hAve what wanted md deter.
mined to secure what Was associated With one OF
the last acts OF my fsthc1's hfA at which I hAi
asaisted, nameIy, the old teapot That should
be mine, and should not be subjected TO- the pro
fsnation Of q sale. did not ca,e for the penal
ties which knew would be awful; thny might
mt me to the torture. they should naver knou
Where had concealed this relic. " 90
lily plans wero well laid I chose a moment
when they had goue out, aad, taking no one
into my confidence. prepared to e1ecute the
daring scheme. Il was nervoua task- Tha
tespot VAS placed, with few other articles not
get removed, on a high bracket Of antique pat
tern over the chimuey-pieca. Even 1znoing on
chair, could not reach it !; still nas not to
be- daunted. / constructed sort of iadder
formed al chaira, which. with much trepidatloo,
I a2cepdea- secured the gtotesqua te1pofs
but, without ever hagins heard the Latin qnota-
ton, Fdcilis desceusus. found myself cordially
carious balance. carefully holding tbs treasure,
and not knowing what to do next To get
down md leave tho teapot, it might be thought,
yonla be the simplest coursa but, Mish my
nervousness. and its own insecurity, tho struct-
nre now posap to tottcr. Tho next infant I
heard her On the ata,ra- -.
How it occurred know not, but there followed
crash, I being left standing upon the insecure
coustruction. whilst the old cherished te&pot
lad. slipped from. my finge7a. aud uas dashed
into hundred fragments on the hearthstonn{
They rushcd iu-I was dragged down, and in
etorm Of seedlings Hss hurried or tor punish
mcnt It was inflicted with tezable ssvertty,
and I bore It without finciling- One thought
Nas e1cn then in ny nind, to reco7er tha shat
,nred frarmeots. keep then, in that condition.,
and perhsps ona day, Whea I uaa richer, get
them restored.
When they we're tired OF scolding and beating
they hal gopa dovn-ataisB; then, after Whiting
patiently, watched my opportunity and stola
down. They had not thoughtit worth nhile to re-
mora the fragments, WHICH lay there In heap
tho curved handle, tho leariug face. tho spout,
The lid, / gathered thom up tenderly, and, -
did 90, saw that em.ll piece Of pape1, folded
up, was lying, as it we're, paztlaliy thrust INTO
tho spout. I took it up WITH tho PIECES, on she
ground that it Was relic OF ms that on2at &C
be preserved, and reEereut!y brought the "nois
mass away to my room.
1t seemed hopeless. ffiea mEss1 10 puL I9s -
pleCEa IOBEkuEE ~ IAan3 01AE1G0s -" "~J :"
WAS not " aa doqa save " y~s1:sL n!l -
4o"o'sa' 4 ~ sn Sasns;r ~ Il ss;i3e and t,eu