The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-12-02

about without breaking much and on the
hearth-rug was the hamper lust arrived from
Celadon with the present for the doll's house. and
some of the Lilliputan ware had been arranged
upon the carpet for a dolrs dinner party.
"Dear me! what are these"' exclaimed Barab-
bas. How eXquisitely beautiful But how dan
gerous to put such frail and costly things upon the
hoorr'
air. "They have just been sent us present
from Celadon; but they are quite thrown away
upon me.n
'But, my dear sir, anything that CeladOn has
selected must be the right thing" urged Barabbas
gravely. "He is not a man to he taken in by any
dealer in ChristendOm. The very fact of his hav
ing chosen a set of china is guarantee of its gem
uneneSs."
"You seem to think rather highly of this partic-
ular set" said /, producing my friends letter.
"He says here: 4 dare say you will not appreciate
the btcU du Roi, but there is no Sevres like it, in
my opinion"
" Good heavens ~ cried Barabbas ''If it is true
bIeU dU ROi, it must be priceless | never saw it
in such small pieces. Yes, by jingo, they have all
the fC,r-de-ljs at the back of them. And do you
mean to say that he has given you these as a
present ?"
''Well he says so in his letter." said I, laugh
ing. at is hardly likely that he would expect me
10 pay for them, since he knows / would not give
five shillngs for them"
give shillings ~ cried Barabbas, in whom,
could see, the lust of lawless gain-the desire of
making a good bargain out of an ignOramus-was
beginning to work. "Why, the sci is worth 2OOL
if il is worth ten shillings.n
al should like to see the man who would give
me 200l. for it, said 1, careessly.
| felt that he would have given me three but I
did not want to impose upon him-beyOnd a GER
tain point / only wanted my own money back
with the proper interest.
"Well, you see none of il is cracked and mend
ed returned BaTabbas in a deprecatng tone. "If
that had been the case, its value would have been
greatly increased. There is always doubt about
whole china. | should think 1907. would be fair
price"
"Well, you see it's present." said I. 'That is
what makes il valuable in my eyes. 1t may De
worth intrinsically nothing, but one puts fancy
/ price on il from sentimental motives"
"What do you call fancy price ~ he asked,
with pretended Indifference
"Well, I dare say you will laugh at me for being
so blind to my own interests, but for this set OF
dOlps-hOuse chiua-fOr that's what it looks 10
| me-I would take 1901. down on the nall
| said the last words little significantly. did
not wish to remind him Of his dishonorabe con-
/ duct under what was temporarily my own roof
/ the duties Of hospitality forbade it-but II was
/ necessary that there should be no mistake this
| time to the hard cash.
"Tl write YOU out check for 12Oi.,n he said,
''if you will let me take the set away with me-"
The Scoundrel was afraid that | should take
| counsels opinion lin china upon the matter in
the meantime if he left the thing with me- and
that l should then, perhaps, withdraw from my
bargain.
'Just as you please" answered l. as Indifferent
/ " as before.
And took him then and there to an elaborate
shell inkstand that he told me was from the Buen
Retro factory to which | said Every likely l
and with a china penholder, which | would not
have handled for five pounds he wrote me out his
/ check to bearer.
When had seen him off with his hamper in a
cab, took another and drove to his bank and got
his check changed, for fear of accidents; after
| which felt that glow of satisfaction which good
/ man feels when he has got the better of q rogue
Then | sat down and wrote a note to Celadon
| describing the whole transaction, lest it should
/ chance TO be Observation-Disclosures however, il
| never was Mr.. Bambbas Earl was too Shrewd 3
man to explain how he was persuaded TO settle
that old debt OF honor. My friend wrote back il
a transport Of delight at hearing how the creature
had overreachcd himself: ''You rightly say" n,
added, "that Polly's dolls must not lose their din
ncr service. An exactly similar set with the
fcur-dc-iiS mark on every piccel can be procure,
for fve-and-twenty shillng-.' Bcigrdri0.