The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-09-08

I've long tramp before me, and au
not gong TO any place where thinl
Will be likely to buy anything Of thit
sort; I'll set 'em back by the chimney.
piece. ma'am, where they won't be il
any ones way. And I'm very tired
with carrying en-
felt sorry for the poor, jade wretch
so l made no objection. And when be
was gone the vases did make the room
look wonderfully pretty. l could no,
bat wish that they were mine.
Obadiah perceived them at once
when he came home to tea.
'HelloP SAID be, what does thi.
meanf'
80 l told him. adding:
Il only wish that | could afford TO
buy them-they are so handsome.
Oba1lah walked around and around
I them. with his. hands in bis pockets
Fand his brows KNIT DELIGHTFULLY."-.
L .fes. they're pretty said he; but
they're not perfect
Not perfect i echoed.
Not by any means. Don't you see
that lengthwise crack down one? And
the epd of the little raised rosebud is
| Clipped off on the other. hope you
didnt doit JosieY' with sudden glance
ssof apprehension.
Il, Certainly notr cried. WHY,
haven't % much as touched the thingsl'
/ Then l dare say it's all right. said
Obadiah. rs Ga p rfl
And he sat down to supper.
The next day, however. my friend
the chinavender, csme along, smiling
and obseqaious as ever.
There are your vases said |, Just
where you left them
But all at once be broke out into q
storm OF reproach and obloquy.
They had been cracked aud damaged
in my care. They were perfect. abso,
iutely perfect when &c left them there
the day before. had worked the mis-
chief, and was of course, responsib bIe
for the value of the article.
OF course knew that the rascal was
telling me falsehood; but what could
l do? was alone in the house. and
fairly cowed by the ferocity of the
man. .
You must pay me for them.' be re-
iterated, again and again, 'or will have
you arrested at once
l burst into tears. -
How can pay you?' said |. The
vases were damaged when yon left
them here. And, besides, / have not
five dollars-no, nor one dollar in the
house.
(Which alas, was true)
While l spoke. he had been glancing
furtlvely around.
Il don't want to be hard on you,
ma'am.' said he. OF course, poor
man like me has got TO save himself
loss and If you IL let me have that set
of blue and white India china in the
dresser. in exchange. I'll leave the
vases, and We'll say no more about it
1t went to my heart to part with the
India ware. which was relic OF my
mothers house days; but was cQwed
aud terrified by the mans bullying
manner that | believe l would have
given him the nouse from over my
head if he had asked Tor it; aud he
went away, leaving the beautiful vases
on the floor.
How glad l was to see Mrs Meggs
come cheerfully in hall hour after
ward--a good. motherly old soul, with
silver spectacles and sn elderly dimple
still lingering on her cheek.
why, my dear, said she. what's the
matter.
And told her al.
Bat, my dear, said ,he, how came
you 10 be 80 taken inl There was an
article in the psper last week. warning
every body against this impostur.
Didn't you see ii? II was called the
Vase Ssindler.
colored deeply. and hung down my
head.
We have stopped taking the paper.
said l. Obadiah thought we couldn't
Afford
And your beautiful old china, tool
said Mrs Mesgs. why, there was
half . column In the papers. week be.
fore last, about the vslue Of old china
just now. And by what Is stated your
set Of old India ware must have been
worth twenty dollars ct least
Twenty dollars. And had frittered
them away for pair of wretched /,
crAe he'd tswdrys things of the very
sight OF v hich Lwss hesrtily sick
MY dear said Mrs Meggs, your ideas
OF economy are altogether misplaced.
You should read she papers.
Obadiah went and subscribed for the
Boggsviile Herald that very evening.
And 10 the first number he saw al sd-
vertisemenf FOR hands at new steam
factory in the aeighborhood. which -of-
ferea ssteady work and wages third
higher thss he was now receiving. And
I inserted a modest little 'Drsssmsking
Wanted And ir was answered within
the week, and l am making my own
snug little income now, thank heaven !
And if anybody tells Us now that we
can't afford to take a paper, we tell
them, Obadiah and l, that we can't ef-
ford 80 do without one.