Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-04-13
MRS. SYMINGTON'S BARGAIN.

AASSA H~~|N~
china maniac, as are most people to
some degree in this esthetic nineteenth
century of the world. But Mrs. Syming-
ton exceled in the matter. She would
prowl in secondhand stores. penetrate
into the cavernous recesses of tenement
houses, drive long distances into the coun-
try to old homesteads where she had heard
vague rumors concerning ''f lring blue"
"old green glaze, ""butterfy yellow" and
genuine old India wares" She would
remorselessly turn the choicest pie ces of
modern bric-a-brac from her table to
make way for spoutless teapots, cracked
bowls and noseless jugs. She crowded her
drawihg-room with brackets, shelves and
cabinets for the accommodation of ancient
plates, which she called "plaqaes," and
pitchers, which she rechristened vases"
Mr.. Symington. meek little man with
limp yellow white hair, fiat nose and
colorless eyes like dim glass marbles, began
to find it no slight task to make his way
through his own house without breakage
or misfortune.
II wish there was not such thing as
old china in the world" he lamented up
on one particular occasion, after he had
knocked handleless cup from tripod
draped in olive velvet.
'Stanhope, "reproved his wife, not with
out severity, would you retard the prog
ress of modern civiz ,tlonp This cup,
fragile as it may seem, represents an era in
decorative history"
swell, it won It represent it m UGH long
err" observed Mr.. Symington. as he gath.
cred up the fragments, with something
very like vindictiveness in his faded eyes.
But, Stanhope,' - cried his wife, ''what
are you going to do with those plec ,s?"
"Throw them into the asa-barrel, of
course" said Mr.. Stanhope spiritlessly.
But Mrs. Symington rescued them from
his grasp. with a shrek of apprehen-
sion.
"Are you mad, my dear?" she ejaculat-
ed. 81 can mend them with little ce.
ment and a great deal of time and even
then wouldn't take twenty dollars for
this exquisite cup. And have been think
ing Stanhope-"
"Well, my DEAR" said the luckless icon.
oclast, looking dolefully at his finger
which had been cut with one of the pieces
of broken crockery, what have You been
thlnking?"
THAT should like to go up into
Maine next week, ;" said the lady, insinu-
atiDgly.
Into Maine In midwinter ?" echoed
her amazed spouse, opening the dim eyes
very wide indeed.
ITO see Aunt Grizzel," explain ed Mrs.
Symington-''my aunt Grizzsl Grumpton
you know, at Wild River.'
"Humph!" remarked Mr.. Symington,
bapdaging his finger with his pocket-hand-
kerchief. II didn't know that you cared
so very particularly about your aunt Griz-
zel.''
my DEAR said Mrs. Symington. merg-
| ing her speech into mysterious whisper,
| tive just remembered-all of a sudden, las
it were, that she has set of very old far
| ing blue china. She must have 1t be-
longed to her mother before her; and how
I've forgotten it all these years I'm sure
can't imagine. Even now shouldn't
have recalled it to my memory, suppose,
if hadn't CHANGED to see. at Mrs. Hep
burns afternoon tea yesterday. the dar
lingest little egg-shell cups, with bridges
and pagodas and willow trees all over 'em,
exactly such as aunt Grizzy's mother used
to have. And then it came to nae like
a flash of lightning--Aunt Grizzel's
china -.
Probably it's all broken by this time,''
gloomily suggested her husband.
Nonsense I" said Mrs. Symigton, brisk
ly. 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 all safe and sound in one Of those
odd little three-cornered cupboards of hers.
A treasure. Stanhope, perfect treasure.
Money wouldn't buy such set as that;
hundred years old if it's day. So, if you
don't mind, my dear, Ill just run up to
Maine and see about it,"
"Do as you please, Arabella," said Mr..
Symington, resignedly. He knew that Mrs.
Symington generally did as she pleased,
and he saw no especial advantage in debat
Ing the question.
Thanks, dear; so kind OF you'll" utter
ed Mrs. Symington. And Of course.
can't 90 to the polar regions entirely I'M.
protected, SO I'll order one Of those COM;
Portable seal dolmxns that everybody Is