Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-05-11
THE TWO Y Asses.

What I am about to relate is absp-
lutely true. 1t has never appeared in
type before. I shall merely make a
necessary Change in names and locale,
leaving the facts exactly as they were de-
tailed to me by one personally interested
in the story.
In a rambling old rectory in the Mid
lands there had stood for more than forty
years two china vases-not specially ad-
mired or valued by the Owner-dusted
chance housemaid, yet, curiously enough,
unbrOken during that long period of
time. There were quantities of china
lying about and ranged along the walls,
apparently of equal or greater value
The place was vast china warren-why,
no one seemed to know.
At the end of the forty years the
Rector, who had a more dignified
ecclesiastical title as we'll, died Like
Mr.. Bardell che glided almost imper-
ceptibly from the world" and left his
china behind him.
The Rector left two sons, Robert and
James Fitzroy. The property was
divided pretty equally between the two,
except that to Robert, the elder, went
the furniture, pictures, plate and china.
Before the final settlement, however,
James Fitzroy said to Robert: 81 have
a fancy for those two vases out of the
hall-more for auld lang syne than any
thing else" To which Robert replied,
with generosity more conspicuous than
discrimination: Cali right; don't care
about them. You may have them with
pleasure"
The incident, which seemed to both
trivial enough, did not dwell in the
minds of either of the brothers. James,
who was barrister by profession and
farmer by preference, took his spoil
away. The vases were placed in the
drawing room of his country house,
where his wife, partly because her hus-
band from old associations attached
value to them, busted them herself
One day lady of their acquaintance
patitudes about the weather and the
.dulness of the season, the visitor glanced
round tue room in search of new sub
ject. The Grant gaze lighted on the
strange vases, and the quest was over
ooh, what lovely vases Where did
you get them, Mrs. Fitzroy"
They came from fly husbands ia
theirs. Were they not in the room when
you called last, Mrs. HemmingY'
ono, [ am sure they were not. I do
admire them tremendously; don't you?"
Here the visitor crosses the room to in
spect the delicate ware more closely
The pantOmime of devotion which fol-
lows can be more easily imagined than
described.
81 like them very we'll, replies the
hostess, unsympathetically; 'but 1 have
seen great many vases that 1 like bet
ter"
The visitor returns to her seat, but
cannot keep her eyes and thoughts from
the obj of her admiration.
A week afterward Mrs. Hemming calls
again. This time she is accompanied by
Lady Sarah Mordaunt, who is unknown
personally to Mrs. Fitzroy. but who is
an ardent chinamaniac. Mrs. Hemming
introduces her friend. Together they
strike becoming, appreciative, and, to the
unsympathetic, somewhat ludicrous at
titudes before their idol Mrs. Fitzroy
plays second fiddle to her own china
Lady Sarah Mordaunt is even louder in
her praises than Mrs. Hemming To-
gether they insist, unmoved by the pas
sive resistance of their hostess, on re-
moving the contents of a glass hitherto
filled with bric-a-brac, and installing in
its place the two vases. Departing with
a solemnity becoming to the occasion,
they thus exhort Mrs. Fitzroy: eff you
and your husband do not really value
this china, why not send it to Messrs.
Christie & Mason, and let them send it
to some one who will2"
Lady Sarah Mordaunt, With, indeed,
an enthusiasm worthy of the cause, was
quite rude about it. The world outside
chinamania is, to the true believer, very
much what Macedonia was to Athens in
the day of Pericles-a barbarism only
to be touched with the tongs.
These exhortations sunk deep into the
receptive soul of Mrs. Fitzroy, and event
ually permeated even the more pachy-
dermatous entity which composed her
husband. The barrister communicated
with the famous frm of auctioneels
They asked for a description of the
china, which was given. Ultimately, by