Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-06-21
ONE GENT

shave not So to spare. replied in-
differently.
1t Is great bargain, ma'am, he in-
sisted.
II do not want them, / said.
lie was silent few seconds.
SIN sorry, ma am, he said. They'd
be great decoration for house like
this. But if you really won't buy, It
would be doing me great favor to al
low them to remain here until to-mor
row. I've long tramp before me, and
I'm not going 10 any place where think
they'd be likely 10 buy anything of this
sort. I'll set them back by the chimney
piece, ma am, where they Won't be in any
body's way. I'm very tired with carry
ing them.
/ felt sorry for the poor jaded wretch
so made no objection. And when he
was gone the vases did make the room
look wonderfully pretty. | could not
but wish they were mine.
Obadiah perceived them ut once when
he came home to tea.
Hello, what does this mean?" no
asked.
So told him, adding
II only wish that could afford them
they are so handsome.
Obadiah walked around and around
them, with his brows knit thoughtfully
and his hands in his pockets.
~Yes, they're pretty, said he. -But
they are not perfect.
@Not perfectl" echoed.
"Not by any means. Don't you see
that lengthwise crack down one? And
the end of the little raised rosebud is
Clipped off on the other. / hope you
didn't do IT, Josie ?" with sudden glance
of apprehension.
"I? Certainly notl" cried. "Why,
/ haven't so much as touched the
thingsl"
-Then dare say it's all right, said
Obadiah.
And we sat down to supper.
The next day, however, my friend,
the china vender, came along, smiling
and obsequious as ever.
"There are your vases" said, @just
where you left them.
But all at once he broke out into a
storm of reproach and obloquy. They
had been cracked and damaged in my
care. They were perfect absolutely per-
fect-when he left them there the day
before. / had worked the mischief, and
was of course responsible for the value
of the articles.
OF course knew that the rascal was
telling falsehood; but what could Ido2
was alone in the house and fairly terri
fed by the ferocity of the man.
"You must pay me for them, " he reit-
Grated again and again, "or viii have
you arrested at once.
] burst into tears.
~How can pay you?" said. "The
vases were damaged when you left them
here. And, beside, have not $5-no,
nor Sim the house.. Which was true
enough.
While spoke he had been glancing
furtively around.
II don't want to be hard with you,
ma'am," he said. "Of course a poor
man like me has got to save himself from
loss, and If you'll let me have that set Of
| blue and white India china in the dresser,
I'll leave the vases, and we'll say no more
about it.
It went to my heart to part with the
India ware, which had been a.relic of my
mothers housekeeping days, but was
so terrified by the mans bullying man.
ner that believe Iwould have given him
the house over my head IL he had asked
for it, and he went away, leaving the
beautiful vases on the floor.
How glad was tosee Mrs. Meggs come
cheerEully in half hour afterwardi-a
good motherly old soul, with silver spec
tacles, and an elderly dimple still linger-
ing on her cheek.
"Why, my dear, what is the matteri"
she asked.
told her all.
%But, my dear, she said, show came
you to be so taken in? There was an ar
ticIe in the paper Last week warning
everybody against this very impostor.
Didn't you see it? II was called The
Vase Swindler.'"
] colored deeply and hung my head.
"We have stopped taking the paper, /
said. @Obadiah thought we couldn't
| afford -"
@And your beautiful china, too" said
Mrs. MeggA why, there was half a
| column in the paper, week before last,
about the value Of old china just now.
And by what it stated your set of India
ware must have been worth $50 at least.
Twenty dollarsI And I had frittered
them away for q pair OF wretched,
cracked, tawdry vases, of the very sight
Of which was already sick.
my dear, said Mrs. Meggs, @your
ideas of economy are altogether mis-
placed You should read the papers.
Obadiah went and subscribed for the
BoggsviIIe Herald that very evening.
And in the first number hesaw an adver-
tisement for hands at new steam fac
tory in the neighborhood, which offered
steady work and wages q third higher
than he was now receiving. And I in
serted a modest little 4Dressmaking