The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-07-28
Centennial Dishes.

From the chicago CouSler.J
.Harriet," said Mr.. Vat to his wife, as
he entered the door Of his residence on
west Monroe street last evening. "Harrfet,
I have brought you present" And he tug
ged energetically at large basket which at
last he managed to place on the table.
Gs Yes, my dear, instead OF buying that old
crockery that you were admiring have
brought you something great deal finer.
It is full set Of Centennial dishes that in
few years will be very valuable; each sep
arate niece will have an interest, as each
piece perpetuates in miniature some event,
object, or parsonage of the present time;
and il any OF them should be preserved o
hundred years they will be treasured care
fully by our descendants, who will look at
them and think OF us when we are sleeping
quietly in our graves"
CHOW, here are the plates, covered with
pictures Of the Centennial buildings. Here
Is the sugar urn, with picture OF indie
pendence Hall on the side; here are port
rats OF Lincoln, Grant, Horace Greeley, and
Henry Ward Beecher. Now, dear, we may
as we'll use them at supper-time, so as to get
used to them," and Mr.. Vat tilted himself
back comfortably in his chair and read the
Courier aloud to his wife until the meal was
prepared. When the meal was ready Mr.
Yat drew his chair TO the table, and smiled
with satisfaction as he saw the Centennial
grounds and buildings, with here and there
president or minister, scattered over his
tea-table.
"Now, Harriet, be kind enough to come
TO carve me steak off of President Grant,"
he chuckled with an attempt at a rare joke,
"and send over Greeley with the cold
chicken"
.sThe chicken is on Lincoln" remarked
his wife.
81 guess not" he said doubtfully; 81 am
quite certain it's Greeley"
"No, Pm sure it's Lincoln" she said, as
she scanned the platter.
"Why, Harriet, l don't see how you can
be so mistaken; that is Greeley"
"No, it isn't" she persisted; ~ know it's
Lincoln"
"Come, now, Harriet, don't be so posi-
tive; say it is Greeley"
alt isn'ti"
CHOW, Harriet"
Don't snow Harriet me-"
eyes, but, my dear; who ought to know
best / have been public man over thirty
wears, and voted for both Lincoln and Gree
ley"
81 don't care if you voted for George
Washington; l say that's Lincoln"
"What's the use OF kicking up row
about little thing like that? You know
it's Greeley"
"And you know it's Lincoln?"
"I don't!"
"You dol"
"Do you mean to say -"
Eyes, dol"
"Well, if you don't, I'll be -"
"What ?"
"Hung!
"Tobias, you know you liel"
"Harriet, you're another;" and Mr.. Vat
hammered on the table savagely with his
fists.
"You old idiot, let them dishes bel"
Mr.. Vat, in rage, picked up Indepen-
floor. Mrs. Vat threw Agricultural Hall at
his head.
"You old Fenian," screamed Mr.. Vat,
and he swung his arm and Art Hall went
skimming past Mrs. Yat's ear.
"You murderous wretch" yelled out
Mrs. Vat; and Beecher hit Mr.. Vat over the
eve Grant came next and hit him full on
the nose. Horace Greeley came sliding
down the table, but made miss and went
crashing through double picture Of Mr..
Vat and his wife; then Lincoln, followed
by crowd of preachers, poets, and other
personages, all showered upon Mr.. Vat at
once, and he was completely overwhelmed
and sank under the table bloody and al
most heartbroken man.
At midnight last night q ghostly figure Of
q man, with towel wound around his
head crept stealthily out Of the back door
Of Mr. Yat's residence and limped across
the garden. The figure carried basket
and q spade; it reached the darkest corner
OF the yard, and after digging trench
emptied the contents of earth back into it,
and as the figure shovelled the dirt back
into the hole, low sobs and means Of pas
sionate anguish welled up from his bosom.
When the last spadeful of earth had been
scooped on to the mound the figure jumped
on top, and in hoarse voice murmured,
ooh, il she were only buried as deep!"