Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-09-08

l 'Only So pair, ma am" SalQ no. O'Ae
cheap. It's giving them away at That
price"
II have no Sc to spare" said iudiffer'
emily.
Its great bargain, ma 'am'' he insist
| ed.
81 do not want them, said I.
"l:m sorry, ma'am,'' said he. "They
would be great decoration for house
like this. But If you really won't buy, il
would be doing me great favor to allow
them to stand here until tomorrow.
have long tramp before me, and I'm moi
| going to any place where I think I'll be
likely to sell anything Of this sort. III
set 'em back by the chimney piece, ma'am
where they won't be in any ones way
And Pm very tired with carrying 'em."
I felt sorry for the poor, jaded wretch
so made no objection. And when he
| was gone. the vases did make the room
! look much prettier. could not but wish
! they were mine.
Obadiah perceived them at once when
he came home to tea.
"Hello!'' said he, ''what does this
mean?"
So l told him, adding:
II only wish that 1 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 thougatfully.
Eyes, they're pretty" said he, "but
they're not perfect
mot perfect" l echoed.
"Not by any means. Don It you see that
lengthwise crack down one? And the end
of the little rosebud is Clipped off the
other. 1 hope you didn't do it, JosieP
with sudden glance of apprehension.
Il? Certainly not!" I cried. why ]
| never SO much as touched the things"
"Then dare say its all right" said
Obdiah.
And he sat down to supper.
The next day, however, my friend, the
china vender, came along, smiling and OBJ.
sequious as ever.
"There are your vases" said I, "just
where you left them!"
But all at once he broke out into storm
of reproach and obloquy.
They had been cracked and damaged in
my care. They were perfect-absolutely
perfect he left them there the day
before. had worked the mischief. and ]
was, of course, responsible for the value
of the articles
or course knew that the rascal was
telling me falsehood; but what could ]
do? was alone in the house, and fairly
coWed by the ferocity of the man.
You must pay me for them,'' he relt
Grated again and again, ''or I will have
you arrested at once!''
burst into tears.
"How can cay you," said I. "The va.
ses were damaged when you left them here
and. besides, have not $5-no, nor 81 in
the house."
(Which, alas! was true enough.)
While spoke, he had been glancing fur
itively around.
II don't want to be hard on you
ma 'am," said he. "Of course, a pool
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, I'll leave the vases, and we'll
say ne more about it,
1t went to my heart to part with nv In.
dia ware, 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, leav-
ing the beautiful vases on the floor.
How glad 1 was to see Mrs. Meggs come
cheerfully in half an hour Afterwards
good, motherly soul, with silver specta-
cles, and an elderly dimple still lingering
on her cheek.
And told her all.
"Why, my dear,' said she, chow came
you to be- so taken in! There was an article
IN the paper last week, warning everybody
against this very imposter. Didn't you
see it ? 1t was called the Vase Swind-
ler'''
I colored deeply, and hung down my
head.
eve have stopped taking the paper"
said I. Obadiah thought we couldn' It
Afford
Sand 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 now. And, as stated
by it, your old set of India ware must have
been worth 500, at least.
Twenty dollars! And had fritted them
away for pair of wretched, cracked .taw-
dry things, of the very sight of which was
already sick.
my dear" said Mrs. Meggs, ''your ideas
of economy are altogether misplaced. You
should read the papers,
Obadiah went and subscribed for the
Boggsville Herald that very evening. And
in the first number he saw an ADVERTISE
ment for hands at new factory in the
neighborhood, which offered steady work
and wages third higher than he was now
receiving. And 1 inserted a modest little
'Dressmaking Wanted" and it was an
swered within week, and am making my
own snug income now, thank heavens!
And if anybody tells US now that we can't
afford to take paper, we tell them. Oba-
diah and I, that we can It afford to do with
out one.
COURTESY IS powerful refiner. Treat a
base man with respect and he will make
at least one desperate effort to be respecta-
BILE.
IT many times falls out that, we deem
ourselves much deceived in others, because