The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-10-19

8lV1nR tnem away at that price," .t ~
al have no six dollars to spare, +" said
I, indifferently. --.1,...,. -.-.-'
"It's great bargain, ma'am, - he in
sisted.
"I do not want them, - said L.
he was silent for few seconds.
Sim sorry, ma'am," said he.
.'They'd be great decoration for 8
house like this. But if you really won't
buy, it would be doing me great favor
to allow them to stand here until to-
morrow. I've a long tramp before me,
and and I'm nm not going 70 any place where !
of this sort. III set 'em back by the
chimney-piece, ma'am, where they won't
be IN any ones way. And I'm very tired
with carrying 'em." ..f.....s-.
/ felt sorry for the poor, jaded wretch
80 made no objection. And when he
was gone, the vases did make the room
look wonderfully pretty. could not
but wish that they were mine. Obadiah
perceived them at once, when he came
home to tea. ,..--...-.
Hellol" said he, "what does this
meanp" ..
So told him, adding;
al only wish that could afford to
buy them-they are so handsome"
Obadiah walked around and around
them, with his hands in his pockets, and
his brows knit thoughtfully.
Yes, they're pretty" said he. "But
they're not perfect"
Not perfecti" I echoed.
"Not by any means. Don't you see
that lengthwise crack down one? And
the end Of the little raised rosebud Is
Clipped off on the other. hope you
didn't do it, JosieP'' with a sudden
glance of apprehension.
"IP Certainly noti" cried. "Why,
I haven't SO much as touched the
thingsi"
"fhen dare say it's all right" said
Obadiah. And he sat down to supper.
The next day, however, my friend, the
china-vender, came along, smiling and
obsequious as ever. =.
"There are your vases" said l, ''just
where you left themi"
But all at once he broke out into a
storm of reproach and obloquy. They
had been cracked and damaged In my
care. They were perfect-absolutely
perfect-when he left them there the
day before. had worked the mischief,
and was of course responsible for the
value of the articlesi OF course / knew
that the rascal was telling falsehood !;
but what could doP / was alone In the
house, ahd fairly cowed by the ferocity
of the man.
"You must pay me for them," he re-
iterated, again and again, s'or will
have you arrested at oncei"
burst into tears.
SHOW can I pay youp' said 1. tsThe
vases were damaged when you left them
here. And, besides, have not five dol
lars-no, nor one dollar-in the house. p"
(Which, also, was true enough.)
While spoke, he had been glancing
furtively around.
SCI don't want to be hard with you,
ma'am," said he. s'Of course, q poor
man like me has got to save himself
from loss, and If you'll let me have that
set of blue and white India china In the
dresser, in exchange, III leave the vases
and we'n say no more about it."
1t went to my heart to part with the
India china, which had been a relic of
my mothers housekeeping days, but !
was so cowed and terrified by the mans
bullying manner that believe / would
have given him the house from over my
head If he had asked for it; and he went
away, leaving the beautiful vases on the
floor. How glad I was to see Mrs.
Meggs come cheerfully In, half an hour
afterwardi-a good, motherly old soul,
with silver spectacles and an elderly
dimple still lingering on her cheek.
"Why, my DEAR" said she, "what's
And I told her all.
But, my dear" said she, show came
You to be so taken IMP There was an ar
ticle in the paper last week, warning
everybody against this very impostor.
Didn't you see itP 1t was called 'The
Vase Swindler.'"
colored deeply, and hung down my
head. 49,
"We have stopped taking the paper 81
said 1. "Obadian thought we couldn'i
afford"
"And your beautiful old china, too!''
said Mrs. Meggs. why, there was
half a column In the paper, week before
last, about the value of old china just
now. And by what is stated, your SET
of old India-ware must have been worth
twenty dollars at least"
Twenty dollarsl And I had frittered
them away for a pair of wretohed,
cracked, tawdry things, of the very sight
of which was already sick.
"My dear" said Mrs. Meggs, your
ideas of economy are altogether mis-
I-placed. You should read the papers"
Obadiah went and subscribed for the
BoggsviIe Herald that very evening.
And in the first number he saw an ad-
vertisement for hands at . new steam
factory in the neighborhood, which of.
fered steady work and wages third
higher than he was now receiving. And
Tinsertad a rnodeat little &c DressTna kino
Wanted" and 1t was answered within
the week, and 1 am making my own
snug little income now, thank heaven
And if anybody tells us now that we
can't afford to take q paper, we tel
them, Obadiah and I, that we can't at.
ford to do without one.-S0uth Jersey