Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-10-09

her was such unspeakable grievances,
II fairly dread to see pa come home.
he's sure to fetch in some ugly thing
Or other to add to our trials. Maud
Sinnamon has just got the lovliest pair
of vases-blue with the Emperor and
Empress on them, and only 10 and a
pair-fancy! l wanted some like them
so dreadfully. that | borrowed one to
show pa, hoping he'd be tempted. But
fancy, he just made Up sort of
face and gave it push and, Take it
away my dear-take it away. It's ex-
traordinary that no one of you has ever
learned to know a good thing from a
worthless one Then when 1 said they
were only 10 and 6, ne shrieked out.
10 and 6! they're not worth a
farthing! Now this'-and he held up
horrid little black bottle with a handle
look at this. 1t is 800 years old, and
one of the rarest shapes known. There's
one like it in the British Museum, and
one at Naples, so far as can make out,
but / don't know of another in the
world; and what do you think it cost?
Three shillings-absolutely, only three
shillings. The greatest find I have had
for months. Ten and sixpense, indeed!
Pray cary that trumpery off at once"
eyes, that's just like pa" observed
Maud. "He showed me the bottle, too
-hideous little thing! only wish l
had the shillings it cost, for 1 need a
pair of new gloves badly enough"
81 wish | had it," put in Ralph, the
youngest boy. ~ haven't had half a
crown to my name this six weeks"
"That's because you spend your
money in sweet stuff as fast as you get
it," retorted Maud.
"Well, that's better than spending it
all in ribbons and folderols, as you do
Miss Pink"
"Children, hush" cried Mrs. Bevel.
'It's pretty hard on us all" abserved
Bryan, the Oldest son. 81 asked the
governor this morning if he couldn't
afford to give me a run on the CONT
nent this vacation-just a short one,
you know, with aecond-class ticket; |
don't want to travel swell-and he said
in sort of distracted way, as if it were
of no consequence in the world, No, |
think not. There's Slater's sale next
month, and I've been watching his
| Henri Deux these last five years. 1 shall
want all my ready money, my boy
Henri Deux, indeed What that? Some
rubblshy old plate, | suppose, which I
should like to mash"
"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 wanting them. There's no sale
for such old rubbish-none whatever.
It's just so much out of your fortunes,
my dear"
"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 SYM
pathy o. an effection-unapprec
but comforting.
There's pa, now," said Maud, as the
door clicked below.
Slowly Mr.. Bevel climbed the stairs,
like one who bears a burden. A literal
burden it turned out to be; for present
ly he entered, carrying in both arms d
huge grotesque wooden sign board. A
flush of pleasure tinged his thin face.
''See, Mary" he exclaimed-"see my,
dears-what windfall | have just dis
covered. This is the identical sign of
La Belle Salvage, which was one of the
most famous coffee-houses a century or
more ago. | dare say you'd find men
ton ofiti the Spectator if you look,
or the Rambler See what quaint
| tb1rc, 20 Tbo ho,J ooI
red once, butt faded brown now. And
do you notice this little extinguisher
below? That was for the link-boys to
put out their torches with. London
was q 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 or
earth are you going to do with it, pa p
Do with it? It's curiosity, my
dear"
"Oh And what did it cost, pap"
"Thats the best part of it ALL" said
TIE happy collector, again rubbing his
hands, 81 got it for a song-only two
pounds fifteen"
1.-TWO pounds fifteen! screamed
Maud. cob, pa, when we all need sc
many things"
1.-TWO pounds fifteen chime0 in Ma
tilda almost crying; "and 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 96; while Mrs. Bevelre
peated, in a still fainter tone. "Good
gracious !" as if her cup of woe were in
deed full.
Detected and disconnected, her hus
band skunk away, his brief-lived glow o.
satisfaction merged in sudden depres
sion and penitence. No one but little
Rose followed. She found him in the
farther drawing-room, propping his pur
chase up on little Chippendale caro-
table, with all the light gone out of his
face. He did not seem to care about
the sign-board any longer.
cts very curious thing, isn't it
papa? she said, slipping her hand into
his arm. 81 never saw anything like
it before"
"No, my dear, suppose not, and you
are not likely to see anything like il
again. Most of these old signs have
been destroyed; they are growing scar
Ger every day." He began to tell hel
the history of the old coffee house, and
as etalked his cheerfulness gradually
returned. Rose was often a comfort tc
her father-the only one he had, poor
man, in the family by whom his ruling
passion was held to be nuisance and
wrong and daily disadvantage.
TIN want Old Mr. PoyoI3s al