Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-05-22
STORY OF A VASE.
MA Tragedy with Which It Was
Connected.

lands were strong ne usu'tiiy hau them
s 9th in his pockets. but on this even
w. ooe hung in a sling. broken. Half
~ honr before his wife had departed
=, church with Mr.. and Mrs. Whittier,
M,r next-door neigh bors. and shortly
forwards the servants had gone.
,,s.omably to church. too. So for
f,.s the master of the house was in
nmplete possession. And every few
.omcnts he reached over with his left
had and gently stroked the o. in
No sing and muttercd: ITS jolly
sinful | know" and then fell to
linking again.
Although late in the autumn. no
fire burned in the CRATE. But Good
via i.lt Just little lonesome. and
acond nature drew him to the fire.
Mace for comfort When a man Is
Ouesome a fire, if it does not actually
cheer him, at least is very compan.
Unable, and when there is no fire
person must just put up with the
Dlace where fire should be. So
Goodwin backed up to the empty
rate, looked at the ceiling. gazed
slowly round the room for something
10 interest him, then down at his toes
and leaned back against the mantel-
piece Then there was a crash. Be-
lind him stood a handsome Dresden
vase, reflected in a mirror and rs
Goodwin leaned back the weakly sup
TorIed mantel-shelf partly gave way
under his weight, and the vase-an
heirloom and to him priceless
ppped 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 clatterel and
mashed on the fender below Good
win stood perfcc ly still and gazcd for
moment ruefully at the smashed
articles on the floor. then slowly
turned his head and looked at the
Vase There it stuck. delicate pink
Tower caught InsecurelY on the
Wrinkle of the coat-a hold that any
move, however slight. might unloose
and then for smash on the mantel-
piece and fender. He looked for mo-
aent without breathing. then said:
Well l say" and looked again.
Cautiously raising his left hanl across
bis breast until the finger tips were up
Ohis shoulder, but there stopped, for
without moving his injured arm he
could get no far her 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 quick turn he
could catch the vase before it hit the
nante. piece-or could he catch it by
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
the house that he could not afford to
pare.
No. he muttered to himself.
There's nothing to do but stand right
here like statue till Oracle comes
home. That's all about it. As Gem
tral Grant said: I'll fight it out on
hs line il it takes all summer. When
dracie comes and relieves me FL
probably sit down. Stand bravely
with my back to the foe"
The clock behind him struck seven.
lhe house was now quite dark and a
log hung low over the ground out
side.
As George Goodwin stood. as still
IS imam without a cigar can be ex-
Pected to stand. he thought he heard
sgrating sound in the kitchen. There
was rasp and the back door seemed
10 be opened quickly and shut softly.
As he strained his hearing he caught
ne sound of mufflcd footsteps. In
sanity the thought of burglars flashed
through his mind, Church burglars
without a doubt. He had read repeat
suly OF men who watch for those
Iouses left INTENDED by occupants
ana servants, all going out of Sun
Jay evening What if the fact that
10 light burned and every thing was
70 quiet in the house. had caused some
VI 'hose ruflians to believe the house
u,ntenanted. 1t was more than likely.
"nat to do he did not know. To move
was out of the question. Yes. ever
.Mough they stole the house from over
MN he would not break that vase. L
US shouted he was afraid the motor
necessary would unlodge it from it.
nM' hold. Anyhow, his neares
T II, he knew had gone to church
Inc only thing to be done was to keel
~ sun as he could. and. if possible
se' glimpse of he burglars so tina
u" s might make it interesting for then
stewards. Il the caught sight o
u''n doubtless thsy would decamp :
Sooa deal quicker than. they came
II Ihey didn't ne might get evidenc
n ~ to capture and convict then
n rne noise in the kitchen increased
iuere was now no doubt of the cha
seter of the visit.
INTO the hall they came, two me
"''n dark lantern throwing sms
e,teie OF light before them. The doc
VI The sitting-room where Goodwi
vas stood partly open. H. dim
:, them peer into the dining-roon
. .a.n one of them coming towards Il
%''hg-room door. said in lou