Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-03-28
MRS. SYMTNGTON'S BARGAIN.

All women We are told have their
weaknesses, and Mrs Stanhope Sym
ington was q china maniac, as are most
people to some degree in this aesthetic
nineteenth century of the world. But
Mrs. Symington excelled in the matter.
She would prowl In SECOND hand stores,
penetrate into the cavernous reeeases OF
tenement houses, drive long distances
into the country to old homesteads
where she had heard vague rumora con-
cerning "flaring blue" ''old green
glaze, ""butterf1y yellow" aud genuine
old India wares" She would remorse-
lessly turn the choicest pieces of modern
brio g. brac from her tables to make way
for spoutless tea p0ts, cracked bowls
and noseless jugs. She crowded her
drawing-room with brackets. shelves
and cabinets for the accommodation OF
of ancient plates, which she called
"plaques," and pitchers, which che re-
christened vases"
Mr.. Symington, q meek little man
with limp yellow-white hair, a fiat nose
and colorless eyes like dim glass mar
bles, began to find 1t no slight task to
make his way through his own house
without breakage or misfortune.
II wish there was not such q thing as
old china in the world" he lamented
upon one particular occasion, after he
had knocked handieless cup from a
tripod draped in olive velvet.
''Stanhope," reproved his wife, not
without severity, would you retard the
progress of modern civilization? This
cup, fragile as 1t may seem, represents
an era in decorative history"
"Well, 1t won't reprasent 1t much
longer" observed Mr.. Symington, as hf
gathered up the fragments with some
thing very like vindictiveness In his
faded eyes
"But. Stanhope," cried his wife,
"what are you going to do with those
pieces ?" -5.... =:
"Throw 'em into the ash barrel, o1
COURSE" said Mr.. Stanhope, spiritiessly
But Mrs. Symington rescued them
from his grasp with q shrek of appre-
hension.
HAre you mad, my dear ?" she ejacu,
lated. II can mend them with 1ittle
cement and great deal OF timei and
even then wouldn't take twenty dol
lars for this exquisite cup. And I have
been thinking, Stanhope-'r
"Well, my dear" said the luckless
iconoclast. looking dolefully at his fin-
ger which had been cut with one of the
pieces of broken crockery, "what have
you been thinking? ?"
Maine next week." said the lady, In
sinuatingly.
"Into Maine? In midwinter ?" echo
ed her amazed spouse, opening the dim
eyes very wide indeed. .lo
To lat 81 M
Symington-''my Aunt Grizzel Grump-
ton, you know, at Wild River"
"Humph!" remarked Mr.. symingtop
bandaging his finger with his pocket
handkerchief. II didn't know that you
cared asi %.,vssiy 60 very particularly about your
"My DEAR" said Mrs. 5ymington.
merging her speech into mysterious
whisper, 1--WE just remembered, all OF
Q sudden as it we're, that she has q set Of
very old fsring blue china. She must
have. It belonging to her mother be-
tSssa S,s her. ss;,s nSy sgrt Fs I
Even now I shouldn't have recalled it
to my memory, I suppose, II I hadn't
chanoed to see, at Mrs: Hepburn's after
noon tea yesterday, the darlinGist little
egg-shell cups, with bridges and pago-
das and willow trees all over 'em, exact
~ such a. Aunt Grizzel's mother used
to have. Then it came to me like flash
of lightning-Aunt Grizzel's china!"
probably it's all broken by this
time," gloomily suggested her husband.
"Nonsense!" said Mrs. Symington,
briskly. AUNT Grizzy never broke
anything in her life shs is caFefHinesa
they don't have clumsy waitresses I'd
fling things about. No, no; you may
depend that she has it all safe and sound
in one of those odd little three cornered
cupboards of hers. A treasure, STAN
hope, perfect treasure. Money would
not buy such . Get a. that; hundred
years old, If it's day. So, If you won't
mind, my dear, I'lljust run up to Maine,
and see about it."
DO as you please. Arabella." said
Mr, Symington, resignedly. He knew
that Mrs. symtDgton generally did as
she pleased, and be saw no especial ad
vantage in debating tire question.
"Thank, dear; SO kind you 2" ut.
tered Mrs. Symington .And of course
I can't go to the polar regions entirely
unprotected, 80 I'll order one of those
comfortable seal dolmans that every.
body in wearing now, and new plush
hat with cluster of ostrich tips. One
must 60 dressed like other people; and
If you can give me twenty five or thirty
dollars dare say Aunt Grizzy will lei
me have the set for that (she don't know
the value of old china poOr thing " and