The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-12-17
HER CHINA "CRAZE."
What Kate Lost to Gain a Superb
Pitcher.

What Kate Lost to Gain a Superb
Pitcher.
It does have a grand air about it
that great blue and white pitcher, with
its double twisted handle and its vivid
ultamarine Chinese landscapes and ODD
scattered figures. 1t is of stately
height and shape, and it has a cover
The cover is one of its special charms
for the knob is hideous little grinnino
blue lion with a curved tail. Nobody
knows how old the pitcher is, but Mad
anne Burrill says she will warrant it q
hundred and fifty. for her great-aun'
gave it TO her forty years ago, and she
sad the lady who gave it to her had il
from her grandmother. If it were my
own pitcher L would never part with it
but [ would not pay the price to get i;
that nv cousin Kate did.
Somehow, somewhere, the ''china
craze" seized Kate without nv know
ing it. The width of our little old town
lies between our homes. and we do not
meet daily. | really had supposed that
Kensington EN- oroidery. her mandolin
lessons. and her lovers filled Kate $
heart completely last winter. There
was a rumor about George Cathcart,
and it surely seemed as if there might be
something in it. Every body said what
a magnificent couple they would make.
she with her beauty and dignity, and he
with his manliness and wealth. l had
even gone so far as to wonder whether
an especially elaborate lambreguin that
i was making might not do for a wed
ding present.
But one day Kate and I were out call
ing together. and as we were passing a
dingy. weather-ba old house. she
said. suddenly: '.Let us call on Madame
Burrill
Iagreed. for l had not been there for
n year, and we all think it a sort of duty
to visit Madame Burr Ii now and then.
So we went in. and found the old lady
as usual sitting in her highbacked rock
ing-chair. her complexion still, with d
pretty touch of pink in it, though she is
ninety-three years old. if she is day.
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 Jane,
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-fashioned corner cup
board. and that led Miss Janet to get up
and open it, upon which Hates eXclam-
alton of delight acted almost like the
music of Orpheus. and drew from the
shelves to the table first a plate, and
then tea-caddy, and then cups and
saucers. the best of which We're thin
ancient Chinese china, and the common
est were scalloped b.ue and white, the
old primrose pattern.
1 saw Hates eyes grow greedy.
@sWould you sell me just one or two OF
them?" she asked of Miss Janet, for she
knew how poor they were.
Miss Janet parsed her lips and shook
her head. "She won sell even one, T"
she said. in an undertonc, nodding to-
ward her mothers chair. The old lad,
turned herself little to watch us, and
/ fancy the pink in her faded cheeks
kindled a little more.
''This plate" said Kate, lifting q
Acknowledgement one, which had a blush
tint in the white. and which you could
fairly see the light through.
Mother refused ten dollars for tina;
plate from man who called here,
said Miss Janet, in an Indifferent tone,
as one who recites some fact in ancient
history.
But you?" insinuated Kate, with q
glance at the toil-worn fingers.
''They amt mine yet" said Mis-:
janet, grimlv. as she waXed thread
and resumed her sewing.
Kate battered and coaxed in vain
When she begged for only one prim
rose cup. the old lady leaned forward
aud said: "Why, we drink out o.
them'-as if what Kate would pa,
wouldn' t more than buy a whole set O
common ware. There was what looked
to NE like CLEAN of malicious pleas
ure in old Madame Burrill's ewes. She
liked to tantalize. That is Just the wa,
she treats her own daughter, who i.
over sixty herself. Poor Miss jane
scarcely ever leaves her; but once she
did want to go out to spend the after
noon with some friends, and hel
mother opposed it. At last she said:
Very well, Janet, You may 60. bu,
you may find me dead in my chan
when you get back | am likely tc
drop of any minute. II lhad a mother
to care for, as you have, l wouldn'.
think any thing in the world too much
to do for her
So then; of course, Miss Janet staid
ut home.
And now the old lady had treat in
seeing the rich and pretty daughter oil
Judge Garland begging for something
that she had the power to refuse her.
Her eyes shone as she dropped back in
her chair and said: ..Open the cellar
door, Janet. and see if that buckwhea,
batter has soured."
Janet obeyed, and lifted from shell
in the cellarway tall blue and white
pitcher, like nothing on earth we had
ever seen before. and looked into it
''lt's souring," she said. briefly.
''Oh, OH" screamed Kate, in rapture,
..what a lovely, what precious thing
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 it.
''And you mix buckwheat cakes in
fhisr' murmured Kate.
We have to" said Madame Burrill.
serenely; I'VE don't have a dozen to
choose from, as your folks do
'Oh," pleaded Kate, won't you let
me have this? l will give you a beauti-
full big brown pitcher, and a ten-dollar
bill. and bag of buckwheat for it.
Will you, dear Madame Burrill?"
Janet looked up from her work wist-
fully. but her mother peered at Kate