New-York tribune., 1888-03-25
THE FITZROY VASES.

What am about to relate is absolutely true;
Il has never appeared in type before. shall
locale. leaving the facts exactly as they were
detailed to me by one PERSONALLY interested In
the story. -
had stood for more than forty years TWO china
vases-not specially admired or valued 6y the
owner-dusted by the sacrleglOus hands OF every
chance housemad, yet, curlouSly enough, unbroken
during that long period OF time. mere were
quantities Of china lying about and ranged along
the wa is az arnty OF equal or greater value.
4 he place was q vast china warren-why. no
At the end of the forty years the Rector,
we'll, died Like Mr.. Bardell he glided almost
imperceptibly from the world" and left his china
behind him Hinc lila lacrym @!
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
for those two vases out of the baltimore for
auld lang syne than anything else" To which
than discrimination, "Ail 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 or
the brothers James, who was barrister by
profession and a farmer by preference TOOK MS
spoil away. The vases were placed in the
drawing groom OF his country house. where his
wife. partly because her husband from old asso-
Citations attached value to them. busted them
herself
Ono day lady of their acquaintance called
at The Briars. After the usual platitudes about
the weather and the dulness OF the season, the
visitor glanced round the room in search OF
new subject The ineptitude OF ones friends some
times gets threadbare under discussion IN
the country, and violent efforts after novelty
have to be resorted to. The Grant gaze lighted
on the strange vases and the quest was over.
"Oh. what lovely vasesl Where did you get
them Mrs. Fitzroyp"
"They came from my husbands fathers. were
tt.o,. in ho xVban vOu
Hemming?"
"No. am sure that they were not do admire
them tremendously; don't you? Here the VISITOR
crosses the room to inspect the delicate ware
more closely. The paptomime OF devotion which
follows can be more easily imagined than de-
. like them very WELL" replies the hostess
unsym rathetcally "but have seen q great
many vases that like better"
The visitor returns to her seat, but cannot keep
her eyes and thoughts from the object Of her
admiration.
A week afterward Mrs Hemmine calls again.
This time she is accompanied bv Lady Sarah
Fitzroy. but who is an ardent chinamanlac. Mrs.
Hcmmins introduces her friend Together they
strike becoming, oppreciatlve, and TO the unsym- c
pathetic somewhat ludicrous attitudes before
their idol. Mrs. F'tzroy Mays second fiddle to
her own china. Lady. Sarah Mordaunt is even
louder in her praises than Mrs Memmng 1liH 1
ancc of their hostess. removing the contents OF
a glass case hitherto filed with bric-a-brac. and
installing in its place the two vases Dep"rIlng
with solemnity becoming t. the occasion. they
thus exhort Mrs Fitzroy: ali you and your
husband do not really value. this china, why not
send il to Messrs. Christie q MaDsoh and let them
sell il 10 some one who w1llp'
Lady Sarah Mordaunt, with. indeed an enthu-
siasm worthy Of the cause. was quite rude ABOUT
1t. The world outside chinaman1s Is to the
trne believer very much what Macedonia was to
Athens in tho dav of PcrcleS--a barbarlsm only 10
be touched with the tongs.
These eXhortations sunk deep into the recep,
tive sonl Of Mrs Fit7rov and eventually nerneafed
even the more pachvdermatous entity which COM
posed her husband. The harristcr communicated
with the famous firm of anctioneers. They asked
for d"scrintion Of the china, which was gwen;
Ultimately. by their advice. the vases were sem
m TO Kinc-st s.. James SQUARE. TO he inspected,
and sold for what they would fetch.
Let us have q little iaunt up to town. my
hna MI M Ssn bc vases so ns to
fetch a tcn-pourd note each. and that viii nav
our exncnsps We have not had holiday for
smil1r excursion Mr. Fitzrov was unaware that
the future was big with fate. There the smile
breaks down.
Accordingly to town thev went. putting ND at
few davs snNnt in the extremely innocent eniov-
ment in witch married men indulge in London.
when thev have their wives With them Mr. FIT
that his vases would he sold on certain dav the
f,nowing week at the end NJ the sale OF Count
Miraheau's china. Count Mirabeau was name
the charmed circle. Tie was. in fact. hero
plant of the china fetish.
~ should like 10 see this collection Of Count
said Mr. r.,J James Fitzroy. II think we will go
With this view. when the dav arrived thev
went. preparcd 10 swallow quietly their own
land tho vasesD comparative insicnifrance On
their arrival in Kingst. they found the rooms,
~ course crowded with gentlemen and dealers
The tirnn fvrd for th" col" nod MT 20" comr.
Making their, way With difficulty through the
from The Midland shrc. in which they lived;
Halo Fitzroyl what are you dina ding here
You to Chrstie's on china day?'
II don't go in for this sort of thing as a, rnle,
but ! thought ] should like to sce Count Mira
beams collection. They talk so mnch about it.
Besiacs. have a little thing in the sale mvselt"
rremark. but answered the first ,"Qh Count
Sn IS nothing sa rs t to s"%s china at
further end OF the room. You come this way
and will show Won" tn" trio Threaded their
as rapidly as might he q great quantity OF, very
handsome china which was arranged and tickcted
readv for the sale. AT the end. remote from the
door and near the rostr1iD under two glass mouldS
on table stood their own two vases.
"Thcre, look at that" remarks the friend com.
placcnflv. with the gentle patronage OF superior
hnowl,dge; That is china II you likeaworthh
Hang III. said Mr. Fitzroy II need not
have come All this way to see those vases Why,
they minelS
"Yours. Ftzroy n like that, %You have turned
humorist in your old age. Don't you wish they
were by Joye! You must take care OF your hus-
hand. Mrs Fitzroy He works too hard
"ThanK you for the insinuation Somerset
am sane enough TO know nv own property when
see IL. tell you those vases that you think snch
lot Of are mine. sent them to Christie Tho
tone and the words were TOO earnest TO be mis-
taken.
BY this time the bystanders had heard the col
ioquy, and had gathered the import of what
passing. The dealers swarmed round Mr.. Fitzroy
like yultures upon carrion. They took the facts
and the grcenness" In at glance.
Il viii give you vive 'undred pound for those
vases T. viii give, you six 'undred pound for
those vases" ] will give you eight 'undred
pound for those vases Il will give you more
than any man in England for those vases on the
table. SIR Such were the cries which resnnnded