Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-28
MRS. SYMINGTON'S BARGAIN.

BY LUCY RANDALL COMFORT.
From Hsrper's Bazaar.
All women, We are told, have their weak
nesses, and Mrs. StanhOpe Symington was q
china maniac, as are NEST people to some de-
gree in this esthetic nineteenth century Of the
world. But Mrs. Symington exceled in the
matter. She would prowl in second-h
stores, penetrate into the cavernous recesses of
tenement houses, drive long distances into the
country to old homesteads where she had heard
vague rumors concerning '.faring blue" ''old
green glaze" butterfly yellow" and "genuine
old India wares" She would remorselessiy turn
the choicest pieces of modern bric-a-brac from
her tables TO make way for spoutIess teapOts
cracked bowls and noseless jugs. She crowded
her drawing room with brackets shelves and
cabinets for the accommodation of ancient
plates which she called plaques" and pitch
ers. which she rechristened vases"
Mr.. Symington, meek little man with limp
yelow-white hair, fiat nose and colorless eyes
like dim glass marbles, began to find 1t no
slight task to make his way through his own
house without bre2kage or misfortune.
al wish there was not such thing a. old
china in the world, - he lamented upon one par
ticuiar occasion, after he had knocked q ham
dleless cup from tripod draped in olive velvet.
"Stanhope," reproved his wife, not without
severity. would you retard the progress of
modern civilization? This cup, fragile as it may
seem. represents an era in decorative history
"Well, it won't represent it much longer"
observed Mr.. SymingtOn, as he gathered up the
Fragments, with something very like vindictive
ness in his faded eyes.
but, Stanhope." cried his wife, what are
you going to do with those pieces?"
"Throw em into the ash-barrel, of course"
said Mr.. StanhOpe. spirtlessly.
But Mrs. SymingtOn rescued them from his
grasp. with shrek of apprehension.
Arn paH HooP sbo M ,1ofo
can mend them with little cement and great
deal of time; and even then I wouldn't take
twenty dollars for this exquisite cup. And
have been thinking StanhOpe-"
Well my dear" said the luckless iconoclast,
looking dolefully at his finger. which had been
cut with one of the pieces Of broken crockery,
''what have you been thinking?"
That should like to go up into Maine next
week. said the lady. insnuatingly.
Into Maine? In midwinter?" echoed her
amazed spouse. opening the dim eyes very wide
indeed.
ITO see Aunt Grizzel. explained Mrs Syming-
TOMMY aunt Grizzel Grumpton, you know, at
Wild River"
Humphl" remarked Mr.. symngton. band
aging his finger with his northumberland
I" didn't know that you cared SO very particu-
larry about your aunt GriZZel."
My dear, said Mrs. SymingtOn. merging her
speech into mysterious whisper. 1--WE just
remembered-all Of a sudd en- as it were-that
must have. 1t belonged to her mother before
her; and how I've forgotten it all these years
m sure can't imagine. Even now shouldn't
have recalled 1t to my memory. l suppose. il
hadn't Glanced to see. at Mrs: Hepburn's after
noon tea yesterday. the darlingest little egg
shell cups. with bridges and pagodas and will
low trees all over 'em. exactly such as Aunt
GrizZy's mother used to have. And then it
came to me like flash of lightning-Aunt Grz-
Zefs china."
probably it's all broken BY this time"
gloomily suggested her husband
Nonsense said Mrs. SymingtOn. briskfy.
Aunt Grizzly never broke anything in her life.
She is carefulness itself; and up there in Maine,
you know, they don't have clumsy Mattresses to
fling things about. No, no. you may depend
that she has it ali safe and sound in one of those
odd little three-cornered cupboards of hers.
treasure, Stanhope, perfect treasure. Money
wouldn't buy such a set as that; hundred
years old, if it's day. So. if you don't mind
my dear, I'll just run up to Maine, and see
about it,
do as you please, Arabella." said Mr.. Svm-
ngton, resignedly. He knew that Mrs. Sym
ington generally did as she pleased. and he saw
no especial advantage in debating the question
Thanks, dear; so kind of you!' uttered
Mrs SymingtOn. And Of course can't go to
the polar regions entirely unprotected so I'll
order one of those comfortable seal dolmans
that everybody is 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 Grizzly will let me have the set for
that (sile don't know the value of old china
poor thingD. and the journey won't he more
than thirty dollars both ways, i'll 90 by sea-
including staterOOm."
at appears to me-" said Mr.. Symlngton. dis
couragingly, that this is good deal Of wild
goose chase, going dancing up to the northern
boundaries of Maine at this time Of year for an
old set of trumpery china which probably didn't
ton I'm tart u-ifh
''Oh, StanhOpe, it did"' cried the lady. indig-
ma ntly. 1T was reatIndia ware imported with
out paying dollar of duty. by an old sea-cap-
tain in the India trade. expressly for my grand
mother Grumpton And. besides, you are SO
dreadfully grOyelling and prosaic in your ideas
AS II the original cost of thing of this nature
signified! It's the esthetic value that We look
at. don't you see?"
'Ah." said Mr.. SymingtOn. ''Well. if You
must go, you must go. suppose; and of course
shall have to give you a check for what money
you are likely to want"
And Mr.. Syinington sighed deeply. and went
up stairs to get piece of court-plaster for his
cut finger.
Mrs. symington went to Wild River, in the
northern boundaries of Maine, where the pine
forests were matched with snow. and the iccles
tinkled in the woods Of moonlight night like
SO many castenets gone mad. She made the
greater part Of the voyage by sea, and was con-
sequently very seasick. for the water was rough
Il will come back BY land" she said to her.
self, as she sat in the little hotel at Portland and
viewed her green and yellow complexion with
shudder. Money wouldn't induce me to risk
my life again in that horrid steamer, where one
is bu;feted and seesawed about ON waves that
are as high as house. The palace-car fare will
be something Of an extra expense, and shall
lose my return ticket by steamer, but I'm sure
Mr.. Symington won't grudge 1t to me when he
hears how I've been pitched and tumbled about
on the ocean in peril OF my life"
And she put on her black brocaded silk. her
new plumed hat, and the seal dollnan, and took
the nOrthward bound train, resolved to present
an imposing appearance to Aunt Grizzly Grump-
ton when she should reach Wild River station.
1t was very coda dull bitter ieaden cold
vita the ground frozen like rock, the streams
bound in ice, the sky gray and bitter, with an
inefable gloom. Aunt Grizzle Grumpton lived
in little One-stored house on the top of an un-
compromising hill, where solitary cedar-tree
was twisted around like corkscrew with the
force OF the east wind and the few lean sheep
huddled behind the rocks in shiverng groups.
picturesque, but far from comfortable. And
even after they had come In sight of the old
building whose one coat Of red paint had long
ago been worn away by the suns and rains of
we'll nigh century, Mrs. Symington had
serious doubts whether the One-horse sleigh in