Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-03-28

"Eh ?" said Mr.. Symington, standing
by with a. hammer and screw. driver
brandlshed In either hand. Are these
antiques 2" 'fri sg. cf5sE' i,
"Good gracious mel" gasped Mrs.
ISymingt0n. "What can this possibly
mean?"
For the china which she unwrapped
from Its coverings of coarse brown paper
was q cheap and common style, such as
is associated In the mind with tea
chromos, gaudy Autographs and sales
men of the Hebraic persuasiOn-white,
with band of imitation gold around
each piece, and coarse flower spraw-
ling below, a. If 1t had been laid on with
miniature whitewash brush
'This is never my Grandmother
Grumpton's old china" said Mrs. Sym
ington, bursting into tears, and pushing
the hideous atrocities away with . force
which cracked two plates. '.I'll write
to Aunt 6rizzy at once, and this misun
derstanding shall be cleared up" -
In the course of time an answer came
from Wild River, stif11y written in pale
ink. and conveying in its tout ensem ole
the general i'm preston that Aunt ariszy
had wrestled with 1t as II it had been q
| f1t of the Asiatic cholera.
"Dear Niece" 1t said with Love
and doty take up my Pen to inform
You that the China is all right Bot from
Smelly & Pipkin, in Boston, last Novem-
Der, at Eight ($8) the Set, to be trans
ported at my own Dammage. As for
my Mothers old Set, wirch Captain
Baboook bro't from Calcutta in the Year
1896. I Gave it to his Neice Helen Hos
mer two Yeres ago for Pare of Gold
Gv,ooto aLr 1ac md Esrr LIT,
Cracked and Old fashioned that it
wasn't worth no iInTe. But | am told
that she pnts il nu EbbOny Shelves in
her Best Parlor But Helen never was
more than Half Witted, and your Set
witch you took home with you IL worth
Deal the most Money. So you have
the Best Bargain. With love, remain.
Your Aunt to Command, -
''GRIzzEL GRuMPToN."
.'Ah !" said Mr. Symingtop, who had
been listening intently to tho contents
of this much blotted and besmeared
piece Of manuscript, Sealed with Aunt
Grizzy's thimhle top, and still retaining
subtle odor of fried sausages and grid
die cakes. Z" A seal dolman at three
hundred dollars, thirteen dollar hat,
a pair Of fifteen dollar fur gloves, fifty
dollar journey and twenty five dollar
investment, all for set of china which
you can buy anywhere on the Bowery
Grand street for ten dollars How does
that look, my dear, as viewed in the
light of political economy ?"
And Mrs. Symington answered only
by her tears.
"There, there. Bella, don't fret" said
her husband, kindly. Let the thing
60 for what it is worth. Forget it,.
but can't help f-f-fretting,n sobbed
Mrs Symington. zone thing is quite
certain, however, never will be such
fool again. Twill not spend another
cent for ceramics until have economic.
ed enough to pay for this outrageous
swindle."
"Gently, my dear, gently" said her
husband. Nov you are going too far.
Aunt Grigzel was honest enough. You
said you wanted her china, and she sold
you her china at your own terms,"
"But didn't mean this china" said
Mrs Symington.
"How was she to know what you
meant?" said MI. Symington. "China
is china, and to me one piece is as good
as another"
And Mrs. Symington was too broken
down and spiritless even to argue the
point with him.-B0sdr.