The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-03-22
five dollars would be reasonable
compensation for it ?'A

five dollars would be a reasonat
compensation for it ?'A
swell, yes," said Aunt Grizz
"ltnever cost me that, because-n
No, of course not" hurriedly i
terposed Mrs. Symington, and 81
produced the twenty-five dollars a
) gold half-eagles, with the exultal
feeling of one who has picked
precious diamond out of the dus
But | should wish You to feel tn,
| had dealt fairly with youin ANA
! ter like this"
"Well, / hain't no reason to con
plain,' said Aunt Grizzy. "SoiA
folks fancies chceny. / don't.
plates a plate to me, and cups
cup, and you're kindly welcome /
my set ifyou've took a notion to it.
Mrs. Symington went home th
next day, through a whirlwind c
snow, having been fed upon porl
and sausages, sausages and pork, Q
every meal since her arrival, and re
tanning vivid recollection of th
Maine winds and tempests.
Il don't think I'd 90 back ther
again even for set of old china.
said Mrs. Symington, as she seate,
herself or the velvet cushion of tn
palace car, and shrank shivering in
side OF her seal dolman and fleecy
lined fur gloves. "Aunt Grizzel vii
never die a natural death she'll bt
blown away, like Mother Hubbard.
But all these pretty tribulations
were forgotten as thing out ofminc
on the brilliant January morning or
which, in front of the sea-coal fir,
IN her own cozy drawing grooom, she
unpacked the coarse wooden box
wherein were concealed the priceless
treasures OF Aunt Grizzy Grumpton's
china.
Dent touch them, Stanhope,n y
said she, with a small shrek of dis
may. Men are so dreadfully care
less. Oh, here they are on top
all wrapped in separate pieces of pa
per-"
"Eh ?" said Mr.. Symington, stand
ing by, with hammer and screw
driver drandished in either hand.
"Are these-antiques ?"
Good gracious me ?" grasped
Mrs. Symington. What can this
mean?'
For the china which she unwrap-
ped from its coverings ofcoarse brown
paper was !. cheap and common
style, such rs is associated in the
mind with te.. chromos, gaudy lith-
o graphs, and salesmen of the He
braic persuasion-white, with a
band of imitation gold around each
piece, and coarse flower sprawling
below, and if it had been laid on
with miniature whitewash-brush.
This is never my grandmother
Grumpton's old china" said Mrs.
Symington, bursting into tears, and
pushing the hidous atrocities away
with a force which cracked two
plates. "I'll write TO Aunt Grizzy
at once, and this misunderstanding
shall be cleared up"
In the course of time an answer
came from Wild River, stifiiy writ
ten in pale ink, and conveying in
its tout ensemble the general impress
sion that Aunt Grizzy had wrestled
with it as if had been a fit of the Ash
attic cholera.
"DEAR NIECE" (it said)-"With
Love and duty | take up my Pen to
inform You that the China is all
right, Bot from Snefley & Pipkin,
in Boston, last November, at Eight
(sSl Dollars the Set, to be transport
ed a. my own Dammage. AS for
my Mothers old Set, witch Captain
Babcock bro't from Calcutta in the
Year 1886, / gave it to his Niece
Helen Hosmer two Years ago for
Pare of Gold Spectacles and a Fur
Muff, being so Cracked and Old
fashioned that it wasn't worth no
more. Bus am told that she puts
it on Ebbonny Shelves in her Best
Parlor. But Helen never was more
than Half-Witted, and your Set you
took home with you is worth Deal
the most Monney. So you have the
Best Bargain. With love, l remain,
Your Aunt to Command.
'.GRIzzEL GRUMPToS.
"Ah T. said Mrs. Symington, who
had been listening intently to the
contents of this much blotted and
besmeared piece of manuscript, seal
ed with Aunt Grizzy's thimble top,
and still retaining a subtle odor Of
fried sausages and griddle-cakes.
"a seal dolman at three hundred
dollar, thirteen-dollar hat, a pair
of tifteen-dollar fur gloves, a fifty
dollar journey, and twenty-five
dollar investment, all for set ofchi-
Ma which you can buy anywhere on
the Bowery or Grand street for ten
dollars. How does that look, my
dear, as viewed in the light Of politi-
cal economy ?"
And Mrs. Syminston answered
only by tears.
There, there, Bella. don't fret"
said her husband kindly. Let the
thing go for what it Is worth For
get it."
But can't help ff-fretting," sob
bed Mrs Symington. Zone thing
is quite certain, however, never
will be such fool again. | viii not
spend another cent for ceramics un-
til | have economized enough to
pay for this outrageous swindle.
aGently, my dear, gently said
her husband. "Now you are going
too far. Aunt Grizzel was honest
enough. You said you wanted her
and she sold you her china at
your own terms"
"But l didn't mean this china"
said Mrs. Symlngton.
.'How was she to know what you
meant ?" said Mr.. Symington.
aChina is china, and to me one
piece is as good as another"
And Mrs. Symington was too
broken down and spiritless even to
argue with him.