The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-10-30

contrary. Two more rapaclOuS spoilers |
could not be conceived. Every moment |
N the day they were making an inven-
tory of 1.-The property" about them
with a questioning eye. An order was
sternly set forth that all buying was to
be given up, and that S'good money"
was no longer to be squandered on rub
bish. Yet it could be seen that with an
inconsistency they
watched jealously over every article of
the property, counting them, and tax
ing good care to ascertain their value.
All our life in that house was of sud
den changed Our poor dear father
seemed to shrink and cover away under
this despotism. AS for me, felt that
all happiness was gone, and that was
living in a prison under the charge of
jailers. Many were the little furtive
walks he took with me-I being no
older than s or 10 years-when we would
make our way guiltily to the narrow
lane or street, to gaze at curiosities
which he dared not purchase. 1t was
miserable for me, whose hand was IN
his, to note his wistful looks, and even
more miserable to see that this was but
part of his sufferings under his slavery,
which grew more and more calling every
day.
It was on one of these occasions that
we spie1 the grotesque teapot. The
sight brought the color to his cheeks,
for he had nothing of that pattern in the
collection. 1t was exposed in n poor,
mean little den-not curiosity shop at
ala kind OF huckster's place. Here
the teapot was offered with view of
finding some purchaser who would use
it for the purpose of making tea. He
was enraptured with it. He could at
least ask the price. Four -and-slxpence
worth, he said, five guineas, and
would be worth double by-and-by. AS
we went out it was offered for three
and-six. It was very tempting, but he
resisted it then.
The next day he took me out with
him for walk, but this was for sec
ond inspection He delayed long be-
fore he could make up his mind, but at
| last the purchase was made. Then 1t
| was to be brought home, and then came
| the difficulty. Where was it to be
placed ?-for their Argur eyes would de
| tect the slightest change. But they had
! an instinct that something was wrong.
! The daughter was in the parlor win
dow, looking up and down the street,
while she-I always thought of her as
| though she were unique, like the tea
pot-opened the door and gave a police
man-like look at his figure. The gro
tesque was hidden away under his coat,
but great protuberance revealed its
place of concealment. We were both
arrested, the trembling victim assailed
by both women, and the grotesque con-
fiscated on the spot, as, indeed, all his
treasures had been already. I saw
them later inspecting it curiously and
with eager eyes, for they had suspicion
of its value, and after all trusted to his
judgment.
Indeed, latterly I noticed that this
pair was inspecting the cabinets; and
more than once I had surprised them
with their heads bent down over come
little cup or figure.
One day, too, I heard them talking
earnestly about some one they called
s. Dimbley's man. and what he had
said. This did not make much impress
sion, but in day or two I again heard
a remark about Dimbley's man, and to
the effect that he was coming to-mor-
row.. In our next little walk, grown
curious aboat the matter, I asked my
father:
Who is Dimbley's man, father ?''
He started.
Why" lie said "what about him !?
what do you know about him vino
wants him %
These questions were put quickly and
with agitation. [ told him what L had
heard, when he almost gave cry, and
turned sharply round to go home.
g see what they are at. I suspected
it. They want TO sell the things
We returned hurriedly-he was in a
perfect fever, and, when ne entered,
flew to inspect his treasures, which he
found all safe, though he discovered the
two women busily engaged in peering
into the cabinets, and handling them
cautiously. But with them was gen
tlemanly and fluent parsonage, who was
giving his opinion and admiring the
collection.
He read the whole situation Eat q
glance. The color flew to his cheeks,
and, with vehemence that was wholly
artificial and unnatural, he addressed
the party.
81 know well what all this means, -
he said '' I'll not have it'll not allow
it. It is robbery. I'll not part with
these things but with my life. Go away,
sir, . he said to the gentlemanly man,
g 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 declared truly that he had merely
come, as he supposed, at Mr.. Crinkle-
tons request. And he took his depart
dAC s1E OASC' AACh 44J 1hbIaO1 GuIAOO On
them.
"Let finger be laid on. my treas
ures," he cried, GO and / will do some
thing desperate. I'll send them to-
morrow to some museum-give them
away-sooner than have them scattered
Mind, take warning, for they are part
of my life !''
The two ladies were much taken
aback at this sudden explosion, and
even tried to soothe him. But for the
rest of the day he was terribly excited,
| and the following morning was lying i'll
in bed, with wild eyes and all the symp-
tonas 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 looked grave and disturbed.
| I was the only one whom he seemed
| to recognize, though indistinctly. Again
there was fresh whispering, and inspec-
tion of papers and property. And again
| his eyes peered out wistfully towards
| the door, as if he could see the spectral
| images of his collection floating away
in the direction of Dimbley's.
| He grew worse and worse. To my
inexpressible grief, it one morning pass
| ed round the house in a mysterious way
| that we were to lose him. Some one
| came running for me, and took me by
the hand to lead me to him. There was
a piteous intelligence in his eye, and a
! CLEAN of light came into it as he saw