Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-04-04
STORY OF A VASE.
The Tragedy with Which It Was
Connected.

George. S. Goodwin stood with his
back to the fire -place and one hand in
his pocket, thinking. When his two
hands were strong he usually had them
both in his pockets. but on this evcn-
ing one hung in sling, broken. Half
an hour before his wife had departed
for church with Nh. and Mrs Whittier,
their next-door neighbours. and shortly
afterwards the servants had gone.
presumably to church. too. So for
once the master of the house was in
complete possession. And every few
moments he reached over with his left
hand and gently strokod the one in
the sling and muttered: ITS jolly
painful. l know" and then fell to
thinking again.
Although late in the autumn. no
fire burned in the CRATE. But Good
win felt Just little lonesome, and
second nature drew him to the fire.
place for comfort. When u man is
lonesome q fire, if it does not actually
cheer him, at least is very compan-
ionable, and when there is no fire a
person must just put up with the
place where u fire should be. So
Goodwin b; cked up to the empty
CRATE, looked at the ceiling. gazeu
slowly round the room for something
to interest him, then down at his toes
and leaned back against the mantel-
piece. Then there was Il crash. Be-
hind him stood a handsome Dresden
vase, reflected in a mirror, and as
Goodwin leaned back the weakly sup
ported n.antel-shelf partly gave way
under his weight, and the vase-an
heirloom and to him priceless
toppled over, fell against the shoulder
of his broken arm, slid an inch or so
and stuck in wrinkle of
the coat he was wearing, and
there it stuck while numer-
Gus small ornaments clattered and
smashed on the fender below Good
win stood perfectly still and gazed for
moment ruefully at the smashed
articles on the floor, then slowly
turned his head and looked at the
vase. There it stuck, 4 delicate pink
flower caught insecurity on the
wrinkle of the coat-a hold that any
move, however slight, might unloose
and then for a smash on the mantel-
piece and fender He looked for q mo-
mcnt without breathing then said:
''Wen, l say" and looked again.
Cautiously raising his left hand across
his breast until the finger tips were u
to his shoulder. but there stopped, for
without moving his injured arm he
could get no farther and to move the
limb Simply meant certain destruc.
ton to the vase. He thought of all
the schemes that would come into his
mind, whether by a quick turn he
could catch the vase before it hit the
putting his hand behind his back and
letting it fall into the hand. But all
the schemes he felt certain would end
in the breaking of the one ornament
in the house that he could not afford to
spare.
NO" he muttered to himself,
''There's nothing to do but stand right
here like a statue till Oracle comes
home. That's all about it. AS Gen
eral Grant said: I'll fight it ont on
this line if it takes all summer When
Oracle comes and relieves me I'll
probably sit down. Stand bravely
with my back to the foe"
The clock behind him struck seven.
The house was now quite dark and a
fog hung low over the ground out
side.
AS George Goodwin stood, as still
rs man without a cigar can be ex.
pected to stand, he thought he heard
IL grating sound in the kitchen. There
was rasp and the back door seemed
to be opened quickly and shut softly.
AS he strained his hearing he caught
the sound of muf1led footsteps. In
slantly the thought of burglars flashed
throu gu his mind. Church burglars
without doubt. He had read repeat
eddy of men who watch for those
houses left INTENDED by occupants
and servants, all going out of Il Sun
day evening. What if the fact that
no light burned and every thing was
so quiet in the house. had caused some
of those ruffians to believe the house
untenanted. 1t was more than likely
What to do he did not know. To move
was out of the question. Yes, even
though they stole the house from over
him he would not break that vase. Ii
he shouted he was afraid the motion
necessary would unlodge it from its
frail hold. Anyhow, his nearest
ncighbor he knew had gone to church.