Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-07-10

And then he was minced for an early tea!
Mrs. Grimalkin, with many purr,
rra!sed her offspring and tapped down their fur;
While poor Mrs. Speckle, filled with dismay,
Addressed herself thus to Grimalkin Gray:
rake all the pleasure you can, old cat,
A little longer hareI must stay,
But lhen-eeWafe OF a jud;nielr day!"
Golden Rule.
AN OLD PLATE.
"There, that'sa likely looking house"
cried Mrs. Hunter. II would almost be
willing to bet that we shall find and
irons there. Please stop the horses, Mr..
Freke. Unjust go in.'' -
Mr.. Freke obediently drew rein, and
the glossy bays arrested their trot before
the whi!ewashed gate, which hung, he
noticed, By s. siugle hinge. The house,
shabby and defaced as it looked, was
evidently no common fa1mstead. Il
had been somebody's residence" once,
and still wore that look of better DAYS
gone by which, to the experienced brio
a-brac hunter, suggests cobwebbed cup
boards and iow-raftered yarrets full OF
cherished odds and ends Mrs. Hunter
tapped smartly once or twice, then turned
with laugh to Mr.. Freke, who, having
tied his horses, had followed up the walk.
{" It is no use," she said; "these coun.
try people never use the front rooms of
their houses. I shall 60 round to the
kitchen door. always try to make an
excuse for getting into the kitchen, and
this time we have a legitimate one. as
nobody answ, re- us here
SO round the house she went, over
weeds and grass tussocks, and low-grow-
ing briers which caught at her silken
skirts as she passed, and knocked at the
kitchen door, which was fastened only
by heavy iron latch. Once, twice ;
then boldly lifting the latch, she went
directly into the kitchen-a large square
room, with windows on both sides. and
a floor Of worn, uneven boards, which
sloped in unexpected rises and descents,
and made walking uncertain pastime to
unsccustoned feet. A fireless stove oc.
cupied the deep chimney, on one side of
which stood a wooden settle covered
with faded calico. Rows of milkpans
tilted on their sides stood on the window.
slllss; there was sink painted red, a
table, two or three cane chairs, ..and on
the wall a fy-specked certificate of
membership in the Bible society, bearing
date many years back. Over these arti.
Giles Mrs. Hunters experienced eye
darted in a seconds space; then only
pausing to say, in a whisper, "That;s
rather nice old settle, isn't itW she
walked rapidly across the room to cup.
board, whose half-open door showed q
CLEAN of crockery inside, and presently
exclaimed: "There, didn't I tell YOU
so, Mr.. Freke? Here is find! Do YOU
see that large plate on the upper shelf?
Old burnt china, as Pm alive, of the
finest kind, and a real beauty! Who
would ever have expected such a thinr
in house like this? All dusty. too:
don't suppose they use it, or care for it
In the least. People of this sort never
do: Well, I call this luck"
She had the plate in her hands by this
time, and was turning it over to examine
the marks on the bottom. 1t was rather
dish than a plate, being large enough
almost to merit the high sounding
plague of the modern jargon. Its
pattern of blue, pale crimson, black and
gold had grounding Of blue so light As
to be almost white. A tiny heraldic
shield, inserted into the design on one
side, bore a twisted monogram in faint
lines of black, blue and gold, and alto.
gether, despite a crack and more than
one nick on its rim, the old plate was
uncommon enough to excuse Mrs.
hunters excitement. She was still ex-
amlnlng 1t, regardless Of dust or gloyed !
fingers, when a clear young voice from !
doorway uttered these words: s'I beg
your pardon, but did you want any.
thing?"
Mrs. Hunter jumped. Mr.. Freke
jumped also. His "feeling" for china
Was feeble; certainly it would never have
!ed him to enter a strangers house un-
bldded and rifle its cupboards, and
sudden sense of guilt sent the blood furi-
ously into his face. In the doorway
behind them stood girl in gingham
dress, with a white apron tied about a
very slender waist, and thick rolls oil
bright hazel hair twisted round pretty +
1ead' out of which looked pair of grave
md astonished brown eyes. A remark
'bly pretty girl, and a lady too; voice
md accent testified that, as well as the
GENTLE self-possession with which she
low confronted these unlimited guests.
Mrs. Hunter recovered first. Women
do on such occasions.
u beg your pardson," she said, with !
Ter pleasantest manner. eve Knocked t
everal times without being able to make 1
ny one hear, and at last We ventured tn t
Ealk in. Then I saw this curious old q
,iate on the shelf, and l couldn't resist, +
20 you use it, may ask, or is it of any a
value to you? II not, I might '
e glad to buy it, if your mother we're Q
Inclined to sell. lisa queer old thing, '
ut ! have some which almost match It. Q
nd should like ttlis.'
1T belongs to my aunt-Mrs. Marsh" '
eplied the young lady, briefly. II don't :,
a1nk she would wish TO part with it,"
here was no invitation to linger in Il
dice or manner. Evidently size expect a
/ them to goat once" +
lis your aunt at homeW asked the Il
ndaunted Mrs. Hunter. II should like i
} see her if she ISL il
mo, she is not at home" The tone II
az perfectly gentle and polite, but still a
it'll the underlying reserve and surprise o
hich made MI. Freke feel so uncom. IL
'rtable. Mrs. Hunter apparently did
1t share bis sensations. t.
Il must come again some day when b
le is at home," she went on. "It is b
ally a delightful old plate. What are
ese letters on it; do you know? I tt
mt make them out" I
"Ihe letters are B. H. H. They stand
r Barbara Holdsworthy Hagen,". said "
e girl, coming step nearer. st
Twas she relation of your aunt's?" 0,
her great-grandmother. Allow me; L
seems to he dusty"-taking the plate al
ON Mrs. Hunters unwilling fingers,
And was your aunt very fond of e.
II" inquired that lady, insinuatingly. be
90 She never saw her, 1 believe" And
tting the plate back on the shelf, she kr
'sed the door with gentle decision. be