Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-04-13

sed like other people; and il you can give
me twenty five or $50. 1 dare say Aunt
Grizzly will let me have the set for that
(she don't know the value of old china,
poor thing y and the journey won't be
more than thirty dollars both ways, if l
60 5y sea, including stateroom.
1T appears to me, said Mr.. Symington,
discouragingly, 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 cost ten dol
lars to start with
''Oh, Stanhope, it didl'' cried the lady,
indignantly. cit was real India ware,
imported. without paying adollar OF duty,
by an old sea captain in the India trade,
expressly for my grand mothcsG pton.
And besides. you are SO dreadfdhy groSeif.
ing and prosaic in your ideas. AS if the
original cost of thing of this nature
signifed ! It's the esthetic value that we
look at. don't you see 2''
"Ah!" said Mr.. oymington. well, if
you must go. you must go, suppose and
OF course 1 shall have to give you check
for what money you are likely to want"
And Mr.. Symington ighed deeply. and
went up stairs to get a piece of court plas-
ter for his cut fiager.
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 castanets
gone mad. She made the greater part of
the voyage by sea, and was consequently
very seasick. for the water was rough and
the gales tempestuous.
II will come back by land" she said to
herself. 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 buff
fetted and seesawed about on waves that
are as high as house. The palace-car
fare will be something of an extra ex-
pense, and I shall lose my return ticket
by steamer but lam sure Mr.. Syming-
ton won't grudge it 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 dolman,
and took the northward bound train, re-
solved to present an imposing appearance
to Aunt Grizzly Grumpton when she
should reach Wild River station.
1t was very coda dull, bitter leaden
cold-witb the ground frozen like rocks,
the streams bonded in ica, the sky gray and
bitter, with an ineffable gloom. Aunt Grizzle
Grumpton had little one-storled house
on the top of an incorporating hill,
where solitary cedar-tree was twisted
around like corK-screw with the force of
the east wind, and the few lean sheep
huddled behind the rocks in 4rivsfing
groups, looked 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 sun and rains of we'll nigh centu-
ry, Mrs. Symington had serio US doubts
whether the one.horse sleigh in which
she was jerked and jolted up the incline
would not be blown sheer away by the
rush of the tempest before they could
reach their destin alton
However, it wasn't. Aud once in Aunt
Gr,zzy's cottage, things were very CON.
Portable. There was no widethroated
chimney. filled with moss-fringed logs,
such as the fancy of city dwellers is apt to
depict in the solitary farmhouse. People
in Maine knew better than that. But
there was an immense cook stove, which
heated the room to an atmosphere of
eighty odd degrees; the cracks in the
windOw-sashes were pasted over with
brown paper, and sand bags were laid on
the top lodges, while double rag carpet
covered the floor, and wood-box, heap
ed to the very top, stood in the angle of
the chimney-piece. Aunt Grlzzy's dress
was of blue home-spun funnel, and she
wore worsted hood puller over her ears,
and little plaid shawl folded across her
breast, and she was addicted to the use of
snuff, and said "Hey ?" whenever any one
addressed casual remark to her.
"My chany?" said Aunt Grizzly. "Well,
Pm free to own that think a deal of that
chany. But l don't know. N iece Arabel-
la, how you came to hear of it,"
1T is an heirloom in our family. Aunt
Grizzel," said Mrs. Symington. exerting
herself to speak loudly.
"4ey9" said Aunt Grizzly, with her
hand placed sounding board fashion be-
hind her ear.
Every one must have heard of it," said
Mrs. Symin gton, at the risk of bursting
blood vessel in her throat.
Aunt Grizzly g wrnkled face fairly beam
ed. swell. l calculate it amt absolutely
ugly,'' said she. but still, if you'v We real
ly set your heart on it, Niece Arabella.-
But it ain It unpacked. I always put it
away this time o. year when there amt
no tea parties given"
''Oh, never mind that ~ said Mrs. Sym
ington. her heart leaping within her at
this easy conquest of the fort. TT will
be all the more convenient for me to carry
it. People always keep such treasures put
away in secret places.''
Hey? said Aunt Grizzly, and Mrs.
Symington repeated her words.
"Oh, there amt no secret about it !"
said Aunt Grizzly. as she turned the Kissing
in the pan. "Only [ hain't had
to overhaul it since you've been here.''
NATURALLY 7" interrupted Mrs. Sym
ington. "But suppose it is all in good
condition 7"
''Sartinly, sartinly," said Aunt Grizzly.
you can.look at it yourself if you like,
Niece Arabella."
''Oh, that is not at all necessary said
Mrs. SvmipptOn, ssBut now as to the