The Osceola times., 1886-12-18
HER CHINA "CRAZE."
What Kate Lost to Gain O. Superb
Pitcher.


ulIamarne Chinese landscapes and od,
scattered figures, II is of statel
height and shape. and it has a cover
The cover is one of its special charms
for the knob is hideous Little grinninc
blue lion with curved tail. Nobod,
knows how old the pitcher is, but Mad
anne Burrill says she will warrant il ,
hundred and fifty, for her groat-aun
gave IT TO her forty years ago, and sh,
sa d the lady who gave it TO her had 4
from her grandmother. II it were nv
own pitcher | would never part with il
but would not pay the price to yet h
that my cousin Kate did,
Somehow, somewhere, the .scbina
craze seized Kate without my know.
ing it. The width of our little old town
lies between our homes, and we do not
meet daily. really had supposed that
henslngton en- lroidery, her mandolin
lessons, and her lovers filled Kate !
heart completely last winter. There
was rumor about George Cathcart,
ana 1t surely seemed as if there might be
something in it. Every body said what
magnificent couple they would make,
she with her beauty and dignity, and he
with his manliness and wealth. | had
even gone so far as to wonder whether
an especially elaborate lambrequin that
was making might not do Tor we'd
ding present.
But one day Kate and | were out call
ing together. and as we were passing a
dingy. weather-beaten old house, She
said, suddenly; ''Lct us call oa Madame
Burrill.
agreed. for had not been there for
year and we all think il a sort of duty
10 visit Madame Burr II now and then.
SO we went in, and found the old lady
as usual sitting in her highbacked rock
lng-chair, her complexion still with a
pretty touch of pink in it. though she is
II nety-threc years old, If she is dav.
At the table sat her daughter Janet,
sewing for dear life on somebody's polo
naise; for the Burrills are quite reduced
now, as every body knows. and Janet
has TO earn all the bread and butter they
get. We had not been there three min
utes before Kate began to be enthus as
tic about the old-iashioned corner cup
board, and that led Miss Janet to get up
and open II. upon which kate's exclam-
alton of del ght acted almost like the
music of Orpheus, and drew from the
shelves to the table first n plate, and
then a tea-caddy, and then cups and
saucers. the best of which were thin
ancient Chinese china, and the common
est were scalloped b.ue and white, the
old primrose pattern
| saw kate's eyes grow greedy.
"Woud you sell me just one or two of
them?' she asked of Miss Janet, for she
knew how poor they were.
Miss Janet pursed her lips and shook
her head. ",She won't sell even one"
she said, in an undertone, nodding to-
ward her mothers chair. The old lady
turned herself little to watch us, and
j fancy the pink in her faded cheeks
kindled little more.
This plate said Kate, lifting
fower-besprent one, VIII ch hal blush
tint in the white, and which you could
fairly see the light through.
''MotherTefused ten dollars for that
plate from man who called here,
said Miss Janet. in an indifferent tone,
as one who recitcs some fact in ancient
history.
but you?n insinuated Kate, with a
glance at the toil-worn fingers.
They amt mine yet" said Miss
Janet, grimly, as she waxed thread
and resumed her sewing.
Kate 1attered and coaXed in vain.
When she begged for only one prim-
rose cup, the old lady leaned forward
and said: "Why, we drink out OF
them''-as if what Kate would pay
wouldn't more than buy whole set OF
common ware. There was what looked
to me like a CLEAN of malicious pleas
ure in old Madame Burrill's eyes. She
liked to tantalize. That is just the way
she treats her own daughter, who is
over sixty herself Poor Miss Janet
scarcely ever leaves her; but once she
did want to 90 out to spend the after
noon with some friends, and her
mother opposed it, At last she said
Every well, Janet, you may 90, but
YOU may find me dead in my chair
when YOU get back. / am Likely to
drop of any minute. II had mother
TO care for. as you have, ] wouldn't
think any thing in the world too much
10 do for her.
So then, of course, Miss Janet staid
at home.
And now the old lady bad treat in
seeing the rich and pretty daughter. oil
Judge Garland begging for something
thar she had the power to refuse her.
Her ewes shone as she dropped back in
her chair and said: open the cellar
door, Janet, and see If that buckwheat
batter has soured.
Janet obeyed, and lifted from shell
in the cellarway tall blue and white
pitcher, ike nothing on earth we had
ever seen before, and looked INTO IT,
"It's souring," she said, briefly.
"Oh, ohrF screamed Kate, in rapture
"what a lovely, what a precious thlng
that Is, DO let me see it!'
So the queer old pitcher was set be-
fore us. and the lid brought out that be-
longed on IL. :
And you mix buckwheat cakes IN
thisl" murmured Kate. -,
1--WE have to-" said Madame Burrill,
serenely; 1--WE don't have dozen 10
choose from. as your folks do. i
"Oh," pleaded Kate, "wontyon let
me have thisp : will give you beantl-
ful big brown r.tcher, and ten-doiiar
bill. and bag of buckwheas lot IT.
VIII you, dear Madame BurrillF
Janet looked up from her WORK WISH