St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-04-06

luC SCdsOu VI l1C SdltS VIC illCl
somewhere almost daily, our mutual
taste soon led to an acquaintance.
Headley was a tall, gentlemanly man
of about thirty-eight, and evidently
had studied the ceramic art deeply
He put me right on several little mat
ters, and once or twice saved me from
buying spurious productions. As the
true collector loves nothing better than
to show his pet objects to another who
understands and appreciates theiI
beauties, it was not long before Head
ley asked me to pay him visit for that
purpose.
"Come early" he said "then we
shall have time to go through the cabi-
nets by daylight. Afterward l will
give you some dinner"
Headley's house was in quiet
square in good, if not the most fash
host delighted to see me, and painting
to show his treasures. He was a genu-
inc member of that species known as
"the enthusiastic collector" whose
passion for accumulating rarities
amounts almost to a mania and | am
bound to say that his collection was
one to be proud Of | should tire the
reader, ignorant of those delicate dis
tinctive subtleties dear to collectors
heart, were | to expatiate upon the
beauties of his Dresden, Sevres
WedgewOOd, and Bentley, rose backed
Nankin, blue-and- white hawthorn pat
tern, etc. l admired greatly and en-
WED more.
The collections were arranged with
great taste in suitable cabinets, and
among the many choice specimens
think the one that struck me most was
magnificent old Chelsea tea set. II
occupied the centre of one of the cabi-
nets, with articles of lesser value rang
ed around it, as though paying homage
to its superior worth. Leaving out OF
the question the beautiful blue and
white decoration, the reticulated gild-
ing and the artistic painting, the sci
was very valuable from the fact that il
was perfect.
Headley seemed pleased at the ad,
miration | expressed, and said, with {
smile:
''You, a collector, may not be sur
prised at hearing that nearly bartereC
my happiness to make that set per,
feet"
l laughed, thinking he was joking
and replied:
81 don't think that l would go quit,
as far as that but | am sure my hap
piness would be greater if | owned it.
$50 would any mans be. Look a
the painting, the gliding, the shape
the color. Feel the texture of it," h,
aHHah tal-Infr fl,a tna 70 a1
vet-lined nest and fondly caressing i
with his long white fingers you or
could tell in the dark it was Chelsea by
the softness of the paste"
"Where did you get it from ?"
81 had the teapot, sugar-basin, TIVE
cups and saucers first. They belonged
to my mother, and, as | told you, wa
nearly paying too dearly for the rest o
it. But | will tell you all about it afte
dinner if you would like to hear tn,
story"
The summer afternoon passed yer,
pleasantly among the old china, and a
seven o'clock we were summoned to tn,
dinner table.
| was presented to Mrs. Headley,
charming woman of about twenty
eight. She gave me a cordial welcome
and the little dinner went merrill,
enough. We were served on old Ori
entail plates the spoons and salt-cel
lars were of the coveted Queen Ann'
period, and the glass was rare old We
netian. Headley certainly had refine,
and expensive tastes, and, it seemed
plenty of means wherewith to gratif,
them.
When Mrs. Headley rose she begged
us, pleasantly, not to linger too lon!
over the wine, as she was all alone.
"Your husband has promised me tn,
history of the Chelsea set" said, "bu
under the circumstances, l shall asl
him to be as brief as possible"
"If he does tell you, Mr.. Burke" sh
said, laughing, 81 shall never, neve
forgive him, and it would be impOssi
BILE for me to look you in the fac
again"
"My DEAR" said Headley, "Our frien,
Burke is a collector himself, and ca
sympathize with my weakness | shoul,
never think of relating it, unless
were to kindred spirit who will ente
fully into my feelings"
After closing the door upon my fai
hostess, refilled my beautifully tinte
glass with Lafitte, and waited, wit
some curiosity, for the promised recit
al.
Headley commenced.
OF course, it is all a joke now, and
can well afford to laugh at it, but whe
the affair | am going to tell you of hap
pened it was serious enough. The POI
ton of the Chelsea set | owned at firs
belonged to my mother she inherite
it from her father, and there its histor
: is lost. When | was first seized wit
the passion for collecting, it naturall
formed the nucleus of my cabinet. Ey
cry one admired it, and envied me til
possession of it. One day-it was aftt
| had formed a decent collection an
: was getting well known as a buyer
Wharton, the dealer, called upon N
to show me few things he had picke
up in the country. l drew his after
ton to my Chelsea he examined
closely, and said: every strange
| saw the rest of that service few day
ago" l asked him where, and he to
me it belonged to a lady living
Shepherds Bush. Was it for sale
Certainly not, or he would not hay
9 told me about it until he secured
' He had offered to give her a large su
for it, but nothing would induce her
part with it. 1t was, like mine, a fan
lily relic, and as the owner was in !
t want of money, there did not seem
}. be any chance of persuading her
" surrender it. Her name, he inform,
' me, was Miss Crofton her residenc
No. 142 College road, Shepherds Bus
e Now, Burke, you will, l know, syr
IT pathize with me when | say that, ha
Il ing discovered that the rest of that e
quisite set was in existence, felt til
. life was almost intolerable without
l. and that at any sacrifice it must
e mine. On that point my mind was