The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-28
THE DEMON PLAQUE.
STORY IN TWO parsley FRANK r. STOCKTON.
PART I.


said II suppose you are willing to give hin
what 10 fairly due himr
"Sartainly,r said she; "Pve offered to pay hin
wages for every day he worked, but he won
take 'em. What he wants is half of last years
crap. It's no use my talkin' to him. which Pv'
done over an over, An the young lady, sh'
went an talked to him, bat he thinks womer
don't know nothin,' an he stuck it out jest tht
same. that he ought to have half the crap
There never was lady like that young lady. II
she'd been my own darter and had been away
from me fur long time, an jest come bsck, she
couldn't been kinder, nor moro wilin' to do ful
me-" And then the old woman went of into Q
eulogy of this lady, to which did not pay
strict attention. for my mind was beginning TO
be interested in my surroundings
When came from the bright light outside into
this somewhat darkened par.or I had noticed
that there seemed to be superabundance OF
small ornaments in the room. the mantel-p piece
and some tables being nearly covered with OBJ
jects over which was tied q piece Of pink cause
to keep the flies off. while on the walls were q
number Of small pictures. protected in the same
manner. In fact, the room presented the ap
pearaEce OF patient in the first stages of pink
fever. But. on the WALL in position where the
light Of the open door fell full upon it, was an
object which was not covered with cause This
was plaque, OF some sort OF earthenware,
which appeared to be of q very curious design.
have great fancy for ceramics, and. like
many other people, affect those things which
are odd and unique more than those which are
beautiful and unique was so much interested
in this plaque that arose and approached it
benefactress. II was indeed, a very, curious
object, the like of which had never seen be
fore. 1t was round plate about a foot in diam
eter, and quite Deep 80 as to be almost basin
like in form. The body Of the plaque was of a
rich, red color. but it was nearly covered with
Oriental designs of various hues, the forms OF
which were outlined with what appeared to be
threads Of brass, which were evidently merely
sunk into the clay, and not fastened upon a cop.
per basis, as in Cloisonne ware. But the most
remarkable feature Of this plaque was the body
of little demon, jet black in color, and about
four inches in length, which leaned over the
edge of the plate his legs and feet being under
meath it. Directly opposite to him, leaning
far backwards over the edge Of the plate, was a
bright, green Chinaman, with his legs and feet
black demon clutched the end Of the queue Of
the green Chinaman, the combination Of queue
and arm forming q handle of the plate, though
apparently too slight for use in that way. The
widespread feet of the Chinaman, and those of
the devil under the plaque, served as supports
to it. whether set upon the table or hung upon
the wall. There was an amount OF wild, idiotic
glee on the face of the demon, and of untram-
meled terror on that of the Chinaman. which
gave delightful life and vigor to the situation.
May ask where you got this?" said to Mrs.
Grome, who now stood by me-
That's jest what the young lady wanted to
know" she answered. ''She said she couldn't
tell whether the Chinee was most afeared of
havin' his pigtail pulled out, or gittin' ketched
by the devil an it looks as If ones got to happen
sure. Well. you see tho way / got this. an a
good many other things about the room, was
through an uncle of mine, who was mate on a
ship that went to Chiny an them parts more'n
fifty years ago. He brought back these things
an give em to my mother, though if people had
thought as much about EN- then as they do now
1 reckon they'd a been sold an somethin'
useful bought with the money. The
young lady was tel!in' you Of, she
did admire that devil Dish. though she
said l oughtn't to call it by that NAME an she
These things has been a-hangin' here ever since
was gal, an the fust lessons my mother give
me in keerful dustin was on these cups
an sassers, an chiny fggers. an I've
was to come down 10 the mornin' an
find any of 'em gone it nd seem to me if it was
the beginnin' Of the breakup. But if ever dc
sell anythin' it'll be that DISH for it's the ugliest
piece of goods I've got an the young lady did SO
admire it that took the kiver off it 80 she could
might as well wash it, an amt put it on agn."
IF you shouldn't sell it to that lady," said I,
Il should like very much to buy it myself"
''Oh. no, no. mol" cried Mrs. Grome. ''1f any
body buys that dish, an amt sure I'll sell it al
all, it'll be that young creetur, who's Jest as pref
ty as that chiny thing is ugly, though, Of course.
wouldn't sell it to her. for that, but she was sc
kind an good listenin' to all my troubles. an in
goin' over to see old Billy Haskell an in sendin
you here. that I'd do fur her what wouldn't fur
nobody else.'
How did you come to know this ladyq"
asked, beginning to take some interest in the
object of Mrs. Grome's admiration and gratitude.
well, said the old woman, 'she came here
to see these things as was brought from Chiny.
She amt the fust one that's done that, nuther,
fur the eity's good deal nearer than it used to
be, an peoples heerd about 'em, an a good many
folks has come to look at 'em, mostly pretendin
| that they just stopped to git a drink of
cool water from the we'll, which they
couldn't see from the road an why
| these rich people in carriages should have tc
drive up this lane to git drink of water is
more'n kin tell an none of 'em got nuthin' fur
their pains nuther fur haven't come to sellin
| the things l was raised among yit. But this
young lady, an wish I'd thought to ask he,
name, she's above all sich sneakn' lodges az
| that. She Jest come an said she'd heerd about
my things, an wanted to look at EN-, jest as a
good Christian young woman oughter do though
in finer clothes an ruther more flowers an lace
| on her hat than would have been thought not
sinful in my day; but people is changed. An
| showed her my things, an while she was lookin
| at EN- told her how it was likely they'd be sold
an the very house over my head, if old Billy
| Haskell come to have his way. an, as l said be
fore, she listened jest as if she'd been relation
an said she'd send somebody that nd go an see ole
| Billy an set everythin' all right. an that if
/ ever sold that dish must let her have it, an
she'd pay me good price. ! said l couldn'
make up my mind to that all of sudden, but
I'd think about it, to which she told me that she
! was goin away the next day to the sea shore, an
when she got back she was comm out here,
an hoped I'd let her have it, which I've about
made up my mind to do. An then she went ovel
to see Billy. as telled you. an come back to lei
me know it want no good. an said she'd send q
lawyer that she knew, to make it all straight tc
| him. Afore she went away she took the corner
os her handkerchief an rubbed some of then
brass lines on the plate that goes around the
i