The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-10-23


was apparently very much at home.
"There is no accounting for tastes,
my dear madam" said St John. for
this was the name inscribed on the
pasteboard he had given Aunt Penny
feather. Indeed, l have brother
who is only in his natural element
when engaged in out-of-door sports.
"Shall we have chicken for support"
asked Barbara, irrelevanhy.
$40 be sure" returned Aunt Pen,
sand as the weather is so very warm
we will hayythe table set in the arbor. "
"You have some elegant old silver,
said st. John, presently, inspecting
with q critical air an old tankard
that stood on the sideboard. This
| tankard was Aunt PENS particular
favorite. 1t was an heirloom, and
had been brought to America fully
| two hundred years before by Aunt Pens
ancestors. And there was still linger-
ing tradition that the old tankard had
| been given to brave soldier OF her
house by no less parsonage than
the great Charlemagne himself Any
way she priced it above all her other
earthly possessions.
She lifted it up reverently and showed
its battered sides. "Being made OF
pure silver it is very heavy and very
valuable on that account. However, to
me it is worth more than twice its
weight in gold, as genuine antique
and family heirloom"
st. John looked at the tankard with
| glistening eyes.
Il had no idea, madam, when stop
ped in my desultory walk this after
noon to beg of you few of those ex-
quiste roses hanging over the piazza
there, that / should be so fortunate
as to see so priceless and rare a
specimen as this" said he, with
unfeigned enthusiasm. Have you any
thing else in your collection that will
at all compare with it?"
Miss Pennyfeather had other valu-
able articles of vertu. Here was man
who had a cultivated taste, who not
only admired bric-a-brac but who APP
preciated il as much as she did her.
self.
She fastened to throw open her
treasure house.
Il call this my cabinet of curiosities,
she said, going to deep recess In the
wall, before which hung heavily en-
broidered portiere. The curtain swung
back on the gilded pole, disclosing q
bronze door in lattice work, behind
which was ranged such display of rare
old china, and glass and silver, that
st. John could not repress an .exclama-
tion of delighted surprise.
This is dress that came over in the
Mayfower, and belonged to Mary AL
den," she said, showing a garment OF
creamy cloth, yellow with age, that
hung in narrow glass showcase.
This" picking up a golden circlet
of peculiar shape, lis n ring brought
from Germany more than two centuries
ago. Notice the peculiar text inscribed
upon it's face. Among all the collec-
tions l have seen in America. L have
found none like it. Those cups and
saucers there on that shelf are from
! Japan. Think of drinking tea with the
Japs in such frail little things as
they are. One can almost imagine
them dissolving i'll ones hand. Here
below are some specimens of Wedge
wood ware. This little morsel of a cup,
| that looks as If covered with fish-scales,
is one Of set from which Washington
drank chocolate after he became Presi-
dent The stone lying there at your
left hand is from his tomb at Mount
Vernon. Here is q tete-a-tete set OF
Irish china sent me forty years ago
from Kilmarnock Castle. Odd, is it
not? And the bronze clock"
At this moment Barbara put her head
IN at the sitting-room door.
"Tea is ready, Aunt Pennyfather,
said she, so come out at once. The
chicken is done to a turn, and must not
be kept waiting, and besides-Jack' S
come"
Mr.. St. John stared admiringly at
the pretty Barbara. who calmly looked
him over, without any visible sign OF
embarrassment.
Rather pretty girl" muttered st.
John, just loud enough for her to hear.
But without particle of taste for
art" said she, saucily. Il AIN persuaded
l could shoot off n gun or cook din
ner-or lock up burglar for that mat.
ter; and do it all in good shape, too.
But aesthetic longings, and stacy atti.
tudes, and bric-a-brac are beyond my
understanding and desires"
"Then you really don't care for old
things?" laughed st. John.
"Your are too sweeping" said Bah
carelessly, unless you conhne youl
meaning to inanimate things. In that
case my answer is easy enough. But il
you mean to include Aunt Pen here in
your category of aged articles, why
then 1 can assure you that there few
antiquated specimens that 1 am fond
of, and with that Bah bounced up from
her chair-they were at tea now-and
marching around the table suddenly
dropped a respectful kiss on the bale
spot on the top of Aunt PENS head.
did l ever" circulated the scandal
lied spinster.
81 really don't think you ever did,
retorted the unconscionable Bah, sit
ting down again; land what's more,
don't believe you ever will.
Really, Mr.. ST. John, niece Barbari
isn't always like this" began Miss Pen
ryfeather, apologetically.
mo, indeed" serenely added Bar
bara, "Mr. ST. John, L am commonl,
much worse than / am to day. Yo,
can believe me"
Il hope Miss Pennyfeather will Civ,