The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1880-07-31

Tor Minute scarcely seeing where |
was, when middle-aged gentleman got
up and offered me his seat. He was so
perlite was quite surprised at the way
he kept a starin' at me; and then he
says somethin' to his daughter, a young
woman in sage green, sittin' next to ME
-somethin' that sounded like real pal
acy,' and l supposed they was a-talkin'
French.
1.-The daughter was good -lookin
young woman if she hadn't had her hair
like Skye-terrier, and large sunhower
in her bonnet, and she talked to me
very friend y like. And at last made
bold to say:
"' Wotever is your pah starin' at.
Do I look like madwoman?
He's a-lookin' at that plate says
she. Would you like to sell itp'
"' Lor, might as WE'LL seq /, sigh
in; and my heart was so full up and
tells them strangers somethin' of my
troubles.
81 have fancy FOR that plate sez
the gentleman, with real feelin' man
ner, and perhaps you've got other
things like it at home. We may find
way to help you; who kno ws?'
"Lor! thinks l, here's another man
who likes rubbidge as we'll as Rube
did. So, OF course, invites 'em cordial.
1t would be nice to have little money
eff l did have to turn out on the cold
world. And, bless us, before we stopped
at Langley, eff he hadn't given me his
card and a hundred dollars for the
plate with all them reptiles a-coilin' and
squirmin' over it. l couldn't believe
my eyes, and took the up train and got
home in a perfectly dazed manner. Miss
Vanburen had gone home in huff. and
sot down and counted out that money,
and looked at t as if it was fairy gold.
| most 'spected it would be nothin' but
leaves in the mornin'; but there it was,
just the same, and then / remembered
the visit they had promised, and l
hunted about for the truck that had al
ways been in my way, and so trouble
some to keep clean. 1t was all about
and lots in the garnet. / sot it all out
on the kitchen table, and couldn't help
laughin' when l looked at it.. There
was the queerest-looking monsters,
dragons and such, rearin' up ON their
tails with gapin' mouths, enough to
brighten child into q fit. There was a
pair of square little pots, lookin' like
they was shakin' their fat sides laughin'.
They was dull gray, and had Adam and
Eve on 'em shakin' an apple-tree. 1
never had 'em about, cos thought 'em
improper. Then there was one plate of
greenish-yellow glaze, with sober
black and brown figures on it. Wal,
nothin' very takin' about it, you would
say; b1t that ere gentleman-Mr. Brun-
hold the card called him-took it up in
his hands with a worshipin' look.
"'I It's Horny Door seq he, most in
a whisper, with look on his face like
fellow who's been to the anxious seat
and got re!ig ion-sort of a rapt look as
if the world mis- ht wag on; he was
happy whatever came.
"' Never knowed fits called horny
do or a horny DON'T SEE /. 'Rube
brought it home once, and seems as if it
might be more useful than the kind with
critters sprawlin' over it,
Well, if lie didn't up and offer me
three hundred dollars for that plate
SEE he, l won't take advantage of you,
for you don't know the valley of the
things, an you've told me yer in a fix.
But what you've got on that tables
worth mere than your house and lot, and
Pm ready to pay the money down!
81 looked at the young gal to see how
she took her pas speech, but she seemed
as pleased as Punch, and was a-ex-
claimin' over this and screamin' fairly
over that, till I began to think l was
| dreamin' and I'd soon see them go up in
smoke as smelt of birthstone, like fairy
story I'd heard on. 1t wasn't for me to
refuse this offer under the circum-
stances, you see. But my heart misgave
me, as it wasn't dom right. Would
| you believe it, he'd paid me fifteen hun
| dred dollars for the stuff would have
sold to the ragman only for the sake of
Rube end my old lover! Why. was
sot up. I only owed Life Jones five
hundred. and there was a cool thousand
to put in the bank!
The young lady was SO friendly
when [ was hustlin ..ound gettin' an
empty box and straw for the packin'
that made bold to ask her question.
Her pa was a-fxin' the thin IS in the
box as careful as if they'd bin live
babies.
"'He isn't just all right here, is hep
seq 1, touching my forehead. see
you indulge him, as / s'pose he has got
plenty of money to pay for it, but it's a
sort o. craze, isn't it?'
"Well, if she didn't laugh in q very
onfeelin' manner. Yes, it is a sort of a
craze she seq; it's called the Keeramic
craze"
In the breach of promise suit of