The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-01-07
A CABINET SECRET.



pursuit Of which enables me to XIII good man,
weary hours aud To hoard up IN the shape OF oil
china, money which would otherwise ne fritteret
away on equilly useless but less valuable objects,
lleadley and werc among the most regular attend
ants at Chrlstie's, sothchy's, and other auction
rooms, and, during the season Of the sales we met
somewhere almost daily, our mutual taste soon led t.
an acquaintance
lteadley was TALL, gcnuemaniy man Of about
thitty-clght and evidently had studied the ceramic
art deeply lie put me right ON several little mat
tors and once or twice saved me from buying
spurious nrodurtions. As tho true collector loves
nothing better Than TO show his pet objects to an
utlcr who understands and appreciates their beau
ies, No WAS Uu YONG hefore Hcadlcy asked mo to pas
''Cou4 .arjv I.a t.. then we shall have
Tine TO 81 through -aeu0iu" lv daylight. After
ward VIII give sou e1n'c dIurcr.N
lIeadlcy's house was iu quet square In good, II
not tho most fashionable, part sd london. I found
my host delighted 10 see me, and painting to show his
treasures. lie was genuine member of that species
known as the enthusiastic collector " whose pas
sion Tor accommodating rarities amounts almost to n
mania; and am bound to say that his collection was
one to 10 proud OF. should tire the reader, igno-
rant Of those delicate distinctive subteties dear To
collector heart, were to eNpatiae upon the beam
Ties OF his old Dresden, Scvrcs, Wcdgwood and
Benty, rose backed Nankin, blue aud white haw-
thorn pattern. etc, etc. admired greatly, and
envied more.
The collections were arranged with great taste, In
suitable cabinets, aud, among the many choice specl
mems, think the one that struck mo the most was
old Chelsea tea.set II occupied the
centre Of OF the cabinets with articles Of lesser
value ranged around II, as though paying homage to
It's superior worth. Leaving out OF the question the
beautiful blue and white decoration the retIculated
gliding, aud the artistic painting, the set was very
valuable from the fact that It was perfect.
headley seemed pleased at the admiration ex-
pressed, and said, with u smiles
7" You, collector, may not be surprised at hearing
that nearly bartered my happiness to make hi set
perfect
! laughed, thinking he was joking, and replied:
81 don't think would go quito as for that; but
ain sure my happiness would DO greater IL owned
1t.
$50 would any mans be. Look at the painting,
The gliding, the shape the color Feel the texture OF
u, " he added, taking the teapot from Its velvet
lined nest and fOndy caresslng 1t with his long white
fingers; you or could tell In the dark 1t was Chelsea
10y the softness OF the paste.n
F" Where did you get 1t from 30
g l had the teapot, sugar basin, two cups and
saucers hrst They belonged to my mother, and, rs
told you, was nearly paying too dearly for the rest
VI 1t. nut VIII tell YOU all about 1t after dinner n
you would care to hear the story
The summer afternoon passed very pleasantly among
The old china, and at O'Clock we were summoned to
The dInner-table.
was presented to Mrs. lIeadley, q charming young
woman OF about twenty eight. She gave me u cordial
welcome, aud the little dinner went merry enough.
We were served ON old oriental plates the spoons and
'at-cellars were Of the coveted Queen Anne PERIOD
aud the glass was rare old Venetian. lieadley GER
any had refined and expensive tastes and II seemed
plenty Of means wherewlth to Crafty them.
When Mrs. lleadey rose she begged us, pleasantly,
not to linger too long over the wine, she all
slonc.
=" Your husband has promised me the history OF the
chelsea set, VI said, "hu under the circumstances
snail ask him To be as brief aS possible
81 he does tell you, Mr. Burke, - she said laugh
Ing, 81 shall never, never forgive him and Ii would
be impossible for me TO look you In the face again..
''My dear, ~ said IIeadey, ''my friend Burke Is
collector himself, ana can sympahize with my weak
hess. should never think OF relating It, unless 1t
were to kindred spirit who win fully enter Into my
feengsn
After closing the door upon my fair hostess | re-
aled my beautifully tinted glass with Lantte. and
waited with curiosity for the promised recital.
lIeadey commenced:
''of course 1t Is all a Joke now, and can well
afford to laugh at IT,, but when the affair am going
TO tell you Of happened 1t was serious enough The
portion OF the Chelsea set owned at first belonged
10 my mother; she Inherited IL from my father, and
here It's history is lost. When first seized with
The passion for collecting II naturally formed the
nucleus of my cabinet Every one admired 1t, aud
envied me the possession Of 1t. one day--it was
ting well known AS a buyer-WhartOn, tho dealer,
called upon ine to show me n few things he had
picked up In the country. dew his attention to
my Chelsea; he examined 1t closely aud said: Very
strange; saw the rest OF that service few days
ago. asked him where, and he told me 1t belonged
Ia lady living at Shepherds Bush Was il for
SOLE 2 Certainly not, or he would not have told me
about 1t until he had secured IL. lie had offered to
give her large sum for 1t, but nothing would in
duce her to part with T.. IL was like mine "A
family relic, aud AS the owner was in no want of
money there ala not seem to be any chance of per-
shading her to surrender It, Her name, he Informed
me, Miss Crofton; her residence, li2 College
Road, shepherd Bush.
Nov, Burke, You VIII, I know, sympathize
with me when say that, having discovered that the
rest OF that exquisite set In existence, felt that
life was almost intolerabe without 1t, aLd that at
any sacrifice 1t must be mine. ON that point my
mind was ut once made up.
''The first thing was to SEQ the china, and satisfy
myself that Wharton had made no mistake: so the
next day called upon Miss Crofton. found her
pleasant, polite lady Of about nifty, aud she presented
the appearance "f a spinster whose circumstances
were very comfortable. 1t has always seemed to me
that anything to do with china makes the whole
world kin, and when explained the object OF my
call Miss Crofton refused to listen 10 any apology,
hut at once led me to the cabinet holding the treasure
40 tFs~ bad nl.l oil,
teapot, two cups ano saucers, and the sugar-basin
while Miss CrOfton was the fortunate owner of the
cream-iuE, four cups and saucers. and the two
dishes. And as with daz2led eyes, | ga2ed on her
portion OF Tho exquisite service. .o't AS though
sacred duty lad is,oiyed upon me to reunite the
long separated ceramic family, and knew should
Of 1t reposed safely In my possession.
''Mlss Croiton and l soon became good friends,
especially when, upon comparing notes and tracing
back the pedigree of the Chelsea decided that AT
some time my mothers and her fathers families
rnust have been closely allied. When we had estab-
sled this fact to our satisfaction ventured to hint
delicatey as could, my wish to possess the china
then. as she took no notice of my hints was COM
PEELED to ask her, pontbank, II she would sell IL to
me. fixing any price In reason she chose to. l found
AZ Wharton predicted, that the good lady was obdu-
rate, aud there sat for an hour with the coveted
ices almost within grasp, yet as far oil as the gates
Jf heaven.
~ did not. of course, despair entirely Il must
thought. Il will have IL In tine, by
lair means or foul. / will make myself very agree
able TO her. l viii show her attentions. Some day
may he able to render her u service and her heart
may open with gratitude and l shall compass my
Iesire. To-day could do no more, babe my
low-found relative as cunnngy called her, an at
ectionate goodbye, asking permission TO call on her
again.
~ Il shall be glad to see you at any time, Mr..
Ifeadley, she said: but We shall never have any
china dealings together, you are fairly warned.
- went home feeling very mournfui, and for the
rest OF that day the four cups and saucer the
ug and the two dishes were dancing before my eyes
sat down for an hour or more with my own portion
before me. How mcagre II looked now took the
pieces Olt and rearranged the cabinet, leaving blank
spaces for those 1 coveted. pictured the lovely APP
pearance the set would present when the whole of 1t
was In my hands.
~ went to rest quite sorrowful. aud the cabinet,
which only the morning before seemed well filled,
was now empty or nearly empty, In my eyes. 1t is
small thing 10 say that believe dreamed of Miss
Croft0n and her china the whole night. My honesty
vanished as my eyes closed 1 stole that china at
least dozen times. seCreted II IN The most extra
ordinary places. I buried IL for safety and to avoid
detection but the four cups seemed endowed with Ife
and as fast as covered them up with earth would
pop up In unexpected places. / committed other
crimes for the sake OF that china. | deliberately
murdered the unfortunate spinster, and packed The
articles which Lad urged me to crime most carefully
In q bag. Then the hue and cry was raised. and
knew that men Wee pursuing me, but dare not ven
ture to run lest break those fragile things for which
had endangered my soul. IL seen,ed 10 me inf
nitey preferable 10 swing on the galows than TO Had
one of those exquisite cups In atoms Even when
the morning came and found that the events of the
night We're only Dreams my state was not very much
happier. could not bear To look at my cabinet.
had created was properly filled felt could find
pleasure In my former pursuits.
'NOu, although collector, may think am tok-
lug but assure you am not. hungered craved
for that china. and felt that, were 1t denied me, my
dreams might some day almost come true.
"After the interval of "A few days ! thought
might venture to call upon Miss Croflon once more.
She received me kindly, told me she was battered by
my paying her another visit so soon, and alo~ ed me
to handle the china again ! must have been duh
company too, for, although replied mechanically to
her chit.chat, my eyes were ever turning To those
Miss Crofton could the bent OF my thoughts, for
she said:
''It's no use, Mr., Headley. | win not sell them,
and love them too much to give them away
80 AS she spoke q thought struck me. would take
her to the teapot, basiD and the other cups
and saucers mourning, AS 1t were. for their longl
brethren So concealed my vexatlon aud making
an effort 10 smile, said
49, am only admirng, Miss CroftOn. But should
be SO pleased II you would honor me by calling and
looking at my little collection. II So Will send the
carriage for you Tomorrow
80 She accepted my Invitation, aud tile next day
came to my house. took care to have choice little
repast prepared, OF such things mddle-aged
splnsters love- aud after had discussed II led her
10 the room which held my treasures. All the cabl-
nets save one were open TO her View but that one
had covered with q dark cloth. After she had seen
and In theatrical manner, with a beating heart,
lifted the veil aud revealed my teapot, Sugarb basin,
cups and sauceTs, looking beautiful, but SOrTOwful,
with the vacant spaces around them. l said moth
rug, thinking thls mute appeal 10 her better feelings
would do more than any words of mine. She saw the
plot at glance, aud laughed long and loud saying,
us her merrment subsidized;
- 80, MIR. Headley, this Is the meaning of your
hospitality you expect me TO pay for my dinner with