Smyrna times., 1875-02-03
mise eILUW e Gus
The Crinkleton Mystery.

Our grotesque teapot WAS an article decidedly
ugly, wearing a permanent and disagreeabe
grin. and with kind snake arrangement for
hanIlo and spout. The gentle associations
the day labor done, til. drawing in round the
TIRE, the family circle, with the cheering and
hot lnebrlatlng rsSultS-seem wholly incom.
pat,ble with the use of such an article, and the
spectacle of the amlable huld poured from
such a vessel by gentle hands almost a painful
one. But | would not part from it for any
money; it is held in affection like a cherished
hvirlOom. Yet it is damaged-indced from
the network of lines aud cracks which covers
1t even an unproies>ional could see that it had
been smashed into hundred pieces at least
81 i has. DE day it gIt a faIl-waS dropped
ami az Oh the floor sh!Vered into a heap oi
fragments. The restoration, deemed impoSsi
bic at first, was undertaken for large sum OF
money. which was paid with delight, for that
fsll brought about what you are noW going to
hear.
Iwell rscolect the day that my dear father
secured il, and whsn he said it was "a unique
We could see no beauty ~ it, although we
tiled hard TO do so ; and as to its uniqueness
We rather thought that was an advantage for
the " MD, and for th4 spread of taste He
was en>ltrred a gentle enthusiast, this Mr.
Crn@let0n an as 1 onci overheard brother
amateur whisper to his friend, like a par
cular saucer-Ill cracked and mended.' and
though | should nor say it, still thu conviction
began to force itseif on Rs of late years, that
from Over-devOtion to this pursuit he had
grown "a little old. NOt~that be was one Of
the reckless, w4stefuI amlturs. with whom col
Letting Is passion as,im possible to be resisted
a. Licking. AMI who deyJur AMI swallow every
thing with reckless craving. He had the
most Surprising taste aud Judgment, and il
wis admitted tn the choicest aud most valu
able p1rliOn Of his election al been gathered
very cheapy when he WAS poor man. But
can sse | have been assuming good many
things as knoHn, which there has net beer
tine to.telL So. =. j \ -
|, who have now the grotesque teapot in my
hand, ami am relating this story, was his sor
Il son that wOrShiped him, and sympathZec
with what friends called his hobby though
frankly own L never could un lerstaud how thi
plate was precious, or that jug was rare, or thi
bit of Pallssy worth more than the numbe
OF soVereiEus that would cover the surface
confess indeed, | had feeling, but it was on
of rspulsibn, tor those brown lizards whicl
kept crawling over the green plates i'.t
However, he understood these things, and
did not, though he often offered to teach, 0
rather inspire me. Gradually the house bega
to bill wHh thsse treasures. Corner shevs
and eupboards appeared, and were crowded
Cabinets became chokefull, and the fame o
the 'CrinkletOn Collection began to spread
As is usual in such cases. public opinion wa
dsVlded, one portion OF the community laugh
ing at and plying that poor old man who wa
wasting his own and the family substance in
lot OF crOckery and galipOts the other lOOkin
knowing, and saying that little old Crinklt
ton knew we'll what he was about, and woul
by aad By sch the coll setiOa for ten times th
amOunt it coat hfrn.-~' u did indeed seem likel
for what he had bought for few shilliu,
he was now offered pounds.
L vas all this time what is called "a lit
thing pet dividing the affection of n
father with his other treasures That const
tuted our united family perpstuaily i
creasng family-L finding new relations eve
day, infbe shape of China dogs. Chelsea she
herds Dresden beauties, and Toby jugs. o
the Batteries enamel snuf-boxcs and wi
labels the tea urns Of rare Bedlin but
Inast-lsaves sthis subject, or shall. aeyer get Q
OnsS day, however, there came surprii
not to say a shock, tor nae. That queer lit
Crinkleton, as the ncighbOrs and friends wOu
call PIm, had brought some new treasures a
curiositiss Alas a stepmother and
daughter y S5CE12 ~ 5,r'I
They were very designing people, aad,
lievs, frightened him intoit He was shrlT
fng and 'timorous, he would never have h
courage to carry such a scheme into execute
Thenceforth began new aud, for me, tel
bic life. They brought no moneyrwlth the
though hewss pursuaded that he was dol
what is called "a good thing. " :. -a.x. y1
Thsy very soon conginced him of the c.
trary. Two more rapacious spoilers could
be conceived Every moment IN the
they we're making an Inventory Of 'the pr
psrty'a abeat them with questioning o
An order was sternly sat, forth. that
buying wasstoi be given ups and that "gC
money" was no longer to be .squandsred on n
blah. Yet it could be seen that, with an ext