The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-09-24
suppose, n hich should like to smash.

And the worst is," put in Mrs. Beve]
that these things your father buys al
like 80 much money thrown into the sea
Nobody but he viii ever think of want
ing them. There's no sale for such oil
rubbish-none whatever. It's just 81
much out of your fortunes, my dears.'"
"Only papa enjoys them so much,
ventured Rose, the youngest girl. Ou
of the large family, she was the only on
who had the least sympathy with he
fathers pursuits. 1t was the sympathy
of affection-unappreciative, but com
orting.
"There's pa now," said Maud, as th'
door clicked below.
Slowly Mr.. Bevel climbed the stairs
like one who bears burden. A litera
burden it turned out to be; for presently
he entered. carrying in both arms {
huge grotesque wooden sign-board. A
flush of pleasure tinged his thin face
"See, Mary" he exclaimed" see, my
dears-what windfall I have just dis
covered. This is the identical sign q
La Belle Savage, which was one of the
most famous coffee-houses a century OF
more ago. Idare say you'd find men.
ton of it in the Spectator if you'll
look, or the Rambler Sc what a
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 below? That was for the link
boys to put out their torches with.
London was queer old place in those
days. Idon't know when I've been SC
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 withit, pap"
"Do with itp It's 4 curiosity, my
dear"
"Oh! And what did it cost, pa?"
That's the best part of it ALL" said
the happy collector, again rubbing his
hands, L got it for song-only two
pounds fifteen"
1.-TWO pounds tifteenn' screamed
Maud Maud; t,;n "ohs o pa' when we all need 50
Two pounds tifteen!" 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 q still fainter tone,
Good gracious!" as if her cup of woe
were indeed full.
Detected and discounted, her husband
skunk away, his brief-lived glow of sat
isfaction merged in sudden depression
and penitence. No one but little Rose
followed. Shefound him in the farther
drawing room, propping his purchase
up on = 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,
papa?" she said, slipping her hand into
his arm. II never saw anything like
it before"
"No, my dear, I 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.. Bevel's col
lection became gradually celebrated
among the now rapidly increasing army
Of blic-a- 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 a
perpetual puzzle to Mrs. Bevel and her
brood. What on earth could any one
lind to rave about in those Old things?
Too completely aside from the world of
fashion to have the least recognition. of
it's ebbs and flows, they never imagined
that the curiosities Which remained to
them standing grievance had become
of interest in the eyes OF those "higIer
circles "of which they read and dreamed:
Mau6's marriage was still deferred till
augmented income should warrant it.
Bryan and Ralph had plans which only
money could further. Matilda. and
even little Rose, experienced the lack of
certain private qualifications; and the
spare cash (Which would have made us
ali so comfortable" thought Mrs. Bevel,
was provokingly locked up in the quaint
and multifarions wares which filled the
house to the exclusion of more desirable
things. Il declare, I would almost as
soon he did something wickeder which
wasn't quite so inconvenient," thought
the poor wife, and then child herself for
the thought.
She child herself again and more sadly
when, a little later, it became evident
that her husband was declining in health.
Never strong man. it attracted little
attention at first that he came In spent
and exhausted from his daily walks; !;
but when the walk gradually shortened,
and ut last one eventful morning there
was no walk at all, and Mr.. Bevel, for
the first time within the memory of man,
remained indoors all day, Mrs. Bevers
anxieties, slumbering till then, awoke to
full life. and communicated themselves
to her children. The result was much
well-meant but wearisome restriction.
Papa was to eat this, not eat that; must
not walk, or tire himself, or talk too
long; above all, must not follow his own
inclinations in anything. Very patiently
did Mr.. Bevel endure these cures, but
he did not improve under them. His
occupation w:ls gone with his failing
strength. The experienced fingers which
had handled so many choice things lay
idle now, with nothing worth handling
within reach. Life had lost its SAVIOR
for him; he made haste,I as it were, to
be gone from it. And almost before his
family realized that there was cause for
alarm, all was over.
The last morning of his life he was
lifted, at his own request, into an ancient
ebony chair, spoil Of some Siennese pal
nee, which was one of his special treas.
ures. High, hard, straightforward. il
was not the most commodious resting
place for sick man, but Mr.. Beve
seemed to like it, as he lay, propped with
pillows, gently following with his fee.
BILE fingers the rich and intricate wander.
ing of the ivory pattern with which il
was inlaid. His wife and daughters
were with him: they rarely left him
now.
my little Rose lie said, after u lona
silence, Il should. like you to keep this
chair. You are the only one who cares
for such things. Keep it for your own
my dear. The rest wouldn't value it.
made my will while ago." he con
tinued, after short silence. Il "-'
tried to do fairly by you all, and to ...
Justly. Some of you have thought hare
of me at times. l am afraid. for buyin!
so many things, but you'll get over tina
later. All the arrangements are mad
for the sale of everything-advertisinl
and all. You are not to have any trou
BILE in the matter r"-turning to his wife
"All is left in the hands of Leonar'
Ashe. He knows the full value of every
thing, and will see all properly done