Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-07-29

boys felt it; everybody felt it except that
insensible parent in whose hands lay the
power to stay and the power to go. Mrs
.Bevel felt it also, but she deemed it duty
to protest against Maud's remark.
"My dear, you are foolish to talk so
Arthur is quite too sensible to mind where
we live, I am sure.''
"Nothing of the sort, mamma. He
minds great deal. There is nothing hi
hates like an omnibus, the cabs all this
distance are an immense expense. He
ought not to take them half so often as he
does.'' For all her blue, sleepy eyes and
fluff of golden hair, pretty Maud had g
keen eye for the main chance.
"Yes, and the most provoking thing
about it is that if pa would only stop buy
ing those ridiculous old things he is so fond
of, we could 60 where we liked and live
like other people," remarked Matilda, the
next girl in age, casting look of dis.
pleasure round the room. 1t was a hide.
GUS room, Matilda thought, old-timy and
very queer; but to an artist it would have
been treasure-trove, very paradise Of
quaint and picturesque and valuable dis
order.
For old Mr.. Bevel's hobby was bric-a-
brac, and the house was stuffed with his
acquisitions through 40 years of practice.
Like all pioneers In special lines of taste,
he suffered the fate Of being regarded by
contemporaries as little better than ma.
MAC. With him the taste was Unborn. He
had been collector before his marriage,
twice collector since. Beginning in
those early days when there were few
competitors in the art, he had worked the
rich mine thoroughly before others became
aware of it's value. Little by little his
treasures had accumulated.
cts pretty hard on us ALL" observed
Bryan, the older son. 81 asked the gov
ernor this morning if he couldn't afford to
give me run on the Continent this vaca-
tion-just short one. you know, with a
second-class ticket, don't want to travel
swell-and he said, in a sort Of distracted
way, as if it were of no consequence in the
world, NO, 1 think not. There's Skaters
sale next month and I've been watching
his Henri Deux these five years. I shall
want all my ready money my bov.' Henri
Deux, indeed What's that ? Some rub
bishly old plate, suppose, which I should
| like to smash.''
''And the worst u.s." put in Mrs. b.,
''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 rub
bish; none whatever. It's just so much
out of your fortunes, my dears.''
"Only papa enjoys them so much,'' VEN
tured Rose, the youngest girl. Out of the
large family, she was the only one who had
! the least sympathy with her fathers pur-
suits. 1t was the sympathy of Affection
unappreciative, but comforting.
''There's pa now,'' said Maud, as the
door clicked below.
Slowly Mr.. Bevel climbed the old stairs,
like one who bears burden. A literal
burden it turned out to be; for presently
he entered, carrying in both arms huge
pleasure hinged his thin face.
''See, Mary" he exclaimed-''s my
dears-what windfall I have Just discov-
cred. This is the identical sign of La
Belle Savage, which was one of the most
famous coffee houses century or more
ago. I don't know when I've been so well
pleased with anything" and he rubbed his
hands.
"Good gracious!'' sighed Mrs Bevel,
while Maud pertly asked: ''What on earth
are you going to do with it, pa?'
"Do with it?' "It's curiosity, my
dear.''
ooh! And what did it cost, pa?''
"That's the best part of it all, said the
happy collector, again rubbing his hands.
II got it for song-only two pounds if
teen."
1.-TWO pounds fifteenth screamed Maud
ooh, papa, when we all need so many
things!"
1.-TWO pounds fifteenth chimed in NATL
da, almost crying; land 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 six pounds;;'' while Mrs
Bevel repeated, in still fainter tone,
"Good gracious!'' as if her cup of woe were
indeed full.
Detected and disconnected, her husband
skunk away, his brief-lived glow of salts
faction merged in sudden depression and
penitence. No one but little Rose fol-
lowed. She followed him iu the farther
drawing groom, propping his purchase up
on little Chippendale card table, with
all the light gone out of his face. He did
not seem to care about the sign-board any
longer.
''Jt's a very curious thing, isn't it,
papa?" she said, slipping her hand into
his arm. II never saw anything like it
before"
''No, my dear, I suppose not; and you
are not likely to see anything like it again.
Most of these old signs have been destroy
ed; they are all growing scarce every day.
He began to tell her the history of the old
coffee-house, and as he talked his cheer
fulness generally returned. Rose was Of
ten comfort to her father only one
he had, poor old man, in the family, by
whom his ruling passion was held to be
nuisance and wrong and daily disadvan-
tage.
Time went on. Old Mr.. Bevel's collec-
tion became gradually celebrated among
the now rapidly increasing army of bric-a-