The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-09-17

fragments OF r1Cl SbuUH, on altar linen,
ancient missals and breviaries, quaint
tones in early English, worries creamed
! by time to a delicious yellow, bits of
bronze, of silver, old tapestries thread
bare and tarnished but still splendid
lace, pictures, parchments, spoils of cot
tage and cathedral and quaint Tudor
mansion-th they were, crowding
every crevice and corner, every cupboard
and closet, till Mrs. Bevel declared that
she couldn't turn round in peace, and
should inevitably go crazy If one single
thing more were added to the stock.
"Oh, dear!" Matilda sighed, as her eye
ran over the accustomed objects which to
her were such unspeakable grievances.
=" / fairly dread to see pa come home, he
is so sure to fetch some ugly thing or
other to add to our trials. Maud Sim
namon has just got the loveliest pair of
vases-blue, with the emperor and en-
I press on them, and only ten and six
pair-fancyl l wanted some like them
so dreadfully that / borrowed one to
show pa, hoping he'd be tempted. But,
fancy, he just made up a sort of a face,
and gave it push, and said: Take it
away, my dear-take 1t away. It's ex-
traordinary that no one of you has ever
learned to know good thing from
worthless one Then when / said they
were only ten and six, he shrieked out
Ten and six! they're not worth farth-
ingrn
It's pretty hard on us ALL" observed
Bryan, the older son. 81 asked the gov
eTnor this morning if he couldn't afford
to give me a run on the Continent this
vacation-just short one, you know,
with a second-class ticket; don't want
to travel swell and he said, in a sort Of
abstracted way, as If 1t were of no con-
| in tho world No fhfply
not. There's Slater's sale next month,
and I've been watching his Henri Deux
these five years. shall want my ready
money, my boy.' Henri DeuX, indeed
What's thatP Some rubbishy old plate.
| suppose, " hich should like to smash"
And the'.worst is" put in Mrs. Bevel,
" that these things your father buys are
like so much money thrown into the sea.
Nobody but he will ever think of want
ing them. There's no sale for such old
rubbish-none whatever. It's just so
much out Of your fortunes, my dears."
"Only papa enjoys them so much,"
ventured Rose, the youngest girl. Out
Of the large family, she was the only one
who had the least sympathy with her
fathers pursuits. 1t was the sympathy
of atfection-unappreci but COM
forting.
There's pa now," said Maud, as the
door clicked below
Slowly Mr.. Bevel climbed the stairs,
ike one who bears burden. A literal
burden it turned out to be; for presently
he entered, carrying in both arms a
huge grotesque wooden sign. board. A
flush of pleasure tinged his thin face.
See, Mary, he eXclaimed-"s see, my
dears-what windfall have just dis
covered. This is the identical sign If
La Belle Savage, which was one of the
most famous coffee-houses a century or
more ago. Idare say you'd find men,
tion of it in the Spectator if you'll
look. or the Rambler Sc what
quaint thing it is. The head was black
and red once, but it's faded brown now.
And do you notice this little eXtin-
guisher belowP That was for the link
boys to put out their torches with.
London was queer old place in those
days. don't know when I've been so
pleased with anything" and he rubbed
his hands.
Good gracious" !" sighed Mrs. Bevel;
while Maud pertly asked: What on
earth are you going to do with it, pap"
DO with itf It's curiosity, my
dear :"
"Oh! And what did it cost, pap"
That's the best part Of it all, said
the happy collector, again. rubbing his
hands, =" got it for song-onlY two
pounds fifteen"
Two pounds fifteen!" screamed
Maud. "Oh, pa, when we all need so
many things!"
f" Two pounds lifteen!' chimed in
| Matilda, almost crying; land those
lovely blue vases only ten and six; and
you wouldn't even look at them, pa"
BY George! it's quite too bad," NUT
tered Bryan. my round ticket would
only have been six pounds" while Mrs.
Bevel repeated, in still fainter tone,
Good gracious!" as if her cup of woe
were indeed full.
Detected and discomfited, her husband
skunk away, his brief-lived glow of sat
isfaction merged in sudden depression
and penitence. No one but little Rose
followed. She found him in the farther
drawing-room, propping his purchase
up on a little Chippendale card table,
with all the light gone out of his face.
He did not seem to care about the sign
board any longer.
Its very curious thing. isn't it,
papaP" she said, slipping her hand into
his arm. Il never saw anything like
it before"
"No, my dear, suppose not; and
you are not likely to see anything like it
again. Most of these old signs have
been destroyed; they are growing scarcer
every day." He began to tell her the
history of the old coffee house, and as
he talked his cheerfulness gradually re-
turned. Rose was often a comfort to
her father-the only one he had, poor
man, in the family, by whom his ruling
passion was held to be a nuisance and
wrong and daily disadvantage.
Time went on. Old Mr.. Bevels col
lection became gradually celebrated
among the now rapidly increasing army
of bTic-a-b -brac fanciers. Now and again
some stranger would call at the house
and ask leave to inspect this or that cur
ious object; but these visits remained
perpetual puzzle TO Mrs. Bevel and her
brood. What on earth could any one
find to rave about in those old thingsp