Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-27

/
presented the appearance Of patient In the
early stages OF a pink fever. But, on the wall,
and In position where the light ofthe opendoor
Tell full upon ii, was object which was not
| covered with gauze. This was plaque, OF some
| sort of earthen ware, which appeared to be OF
| n 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. 1
was so much interested in this plaque that
arose and approached 1t while the old woman
was still praisng her benefactress. 1t was, In
Deed very curious object, the like OF which
had never seen before. 1t was round plate about
loot In diameter, and quite deep so as TO be al
was of a rich, red color, but it was nearly COW
| cred with oriental designs of various hues. the
| forms OF which were outlined with what aP-
| peared To be threads of brass, which were evil
/ IDENTITY merely sunk into the clay, and not fas-
tened upon copper basis, as in Closonne ware.
| But the most remarkable feature of this plaque
was the body of a little demon, jet black in
color, and about four inches in length, which
leaned over the edge OF the plafe his legs and
| feet being underneath IL. Directly opposite to
hlm. leaning far backwards over the edge OF the
| plate, was bright, green Chinaman, with his
/ legs and feet also underneath. one outStretched
arm of the black demon clutched the end of the
| queue of the green Chinaman, the combination
OF queue and arm forming a handle TO 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 10 it, whether set upon the table or
| hung upon the wall There was an amount of
i wild. idiotic glee on the face of the demon, and
OF untrammeed terror on that of the China
| man, which gave q delightful life and vigOr to
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 pig-tail pulled out, or gittin
| ketched by the devil. an it looks as if ones
got to happen, sure. Well, you see the way l
| 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
brought back these things an give EN- to my
mother, though if people had thought much
about em then as they do now reckon they'd
a been sold an sOmethin' useful bought with
the money. The young lady was teliin you
of, she did admire that devil dish, though she
she wanted to buy it, but l don't know about
that. These things has been a-hangin' here
ever sence was gal, an the fust lessons my
mother give in keerful dustin was on
these cups an sassers an chiny fggers, an
I've busted em regular ever sence. III was to
come down in the mornin an find any OF 'em
gone it I'D seem to me as if it was the beginnin'
of the breakup. But if ever do sell anythin'
it'll be that dish, fur it's the ugliest piece of
mire it that took the kiver off it, so she could
look at il better, an while it was off thought
might as well wash it. an 1 amt put it on
agin.'
IF You shouldn't sell it to that lady" said
L. -! should like very much to buy it my
''Oh, no, no, no." cried Mrs Grome "If any
body buys that dish, an amt sure I'll sell it
at All, I'll be that young creetur, who's jest as
pretty as that chirfy thing is ugly, though, of
course. wouldn't sell it TO her, for that, but
she was so kind an good iistenin to all my
kell an in sendin you here, that I'd do iur her
what L wouldn't do fur nobody else"
"HOw did you come to know this lady?" 1
asked, beginning to take some interest in the
OBJECT OF Mrs. GromeS admiration and graft
tude.
"Well," said the old woman, "she came here
to see these things was brought from Chiny
She Amt the fust one that's done that, 'nuther
fur the city's good deal nearer than it used to
many folks has come TO look at 'em, mostly
pretendin that they just stopped to git a drink
OF cool water from the well, which they
couldn't see from the road, an why these rich
people in carriages should have to drive up
this lane to git Il drink of water is more n kin
tell, an none of EN- got nothin' fur their pains
nuther, fur haven come to sellin' the things
was raised among yit. But this young lady,
an wish d thought to ask her name, she's
jest come an said she'd heerd about nv
things, an wanted to look at 'em, jest as 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
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 i said before, she listened
jest as if she'd been a relation, an said she'd
send somebody that nd 60 an see old 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. 1 said couldn't make up my
mind TO that all of a sudden, but I'd think about
1T, TO which she told me that she was goin'
away the next day TO the shore, an when
she got back she was comm out here, an hoped
I'd let her have 1t, which I've about made up
my mind to do An then she went over to see
Billy, as L telled you, an come back to let me
know 1t want no good, an said she'd send
lawyer that she knew to make it all straight to
him. AfOre she went away she took the corner
OF her handkerchief an rubbed some of them
brass lines on the plate that goes around the
flowers an the Outlandsh figgers an said she
believes they was pure gold, an that the thing
had beer stole from some heather palace which
wasn't a very smart thing in her to say when
wantin' to buy, but 1 shant charge her much
more on account of there bein' chance that
they may be gold"
81 think you ought to let her have it very
cheap" said i, considering the trouble she has
taken on your account, and if 1 should succeed
in making your neighbor come to satisfactory
terms, m not sure but that you ought to give
it to her."
"Oh, N.Y. cried Mrs. Grome, 81 couldn't
afford to do that! But I'll let her have it Jest as
low as kim"
Having obtained directions from the old
woman rode over to the abode of Mr. Billy
Haskell: but that gentleman was not at home,
and as had now no time TO wait Tor him, re-
turned to the city.
had heard of Mrs. GrOme's case. and he agreed
with me that of course the old man had not a leg
To stand upon and that if he had not furnished
horse, as he agreed, he ought not TO have half
OF the crop.
81 think you will have to tell him so your
sell, said L, '.for l cannot ride out there this
afternoon, and as the affair has been taken in
hand suppose it ought to be attended to at
once
'.Ali right" said Curper. 81 really ought to
Knock off for a couple of hours this afternoon,
and as II won't be necessary for me to see the
old woman. Ii IL Ike spin out there and settle
Mr. Billy W hat-yon-call-him, If you will tell me
where 10 find him."
Hello, said Mr.. Curper the next morning
when We met at the office, ''yOu nave got that
affair all wrong. Your old woman didn't half
state the case. 1t appears that the agreement
was tllat htsheli Vas To furnish the horse, but
she was To feed him. This she did not do ana
the horse starved 10 death at the very begin
ming OF their partnership. Haskell took MIN
over there on Friday; saturday was Decora-
ton day, and the old man went to town: and
on the Monday it rained, and no plOughing
could De done; and when he went over on Tues
DAY the horse was dead: and it was found that he
had died from starvation. The old woman re-
fuses 10 pay Tor the horse will she adhere to
the original bargain, although Haskell has done
all tnat he promised to do. Now, If his state
ineht Is correct, and suppose there will be no
trouble In getting at the facts the old man
ought To have the value OF half the CROP which,
as understand it, was very small one and
horse, and for his labor
Il had an idea," said /, "when was talking
to Mrs. Grome that she was a eraspinp old
creature, and that her gratitude to the Young
lady who beiriended her was more talk than
any thing else"
"Ah," said Curper, closing the law book he
had just opened, THAT young lady to be sure
IS, OF course, the Janet Floyd OF my letter
L forgot to say how eloquent the old man was
about this young person, for whom he has evil
IDENTIFY conceived "a great admiration. 1t was