Sharp County record., 1890-06-05
LORD JOHNS BARGAIN.
How a Collector Of Old China Was
Badly Duped.


Badly Duped.
My brother-in-law, Lord John St.
Pierre, regarded with no little com
/ placency his own possessions and
achievements. He was proud, in the
/ first place, Of the fact that he was a ST.
Pierre, and at the same time considered
himself competent representative Of
the talents and graces of the ancient
and illustriOus house Of Stoneyhurst
In the next place he was very proud Of
| his reputation as one of the best shots
at driven game in the United Kingdom,
and Of his consequent cntree into many
country houses where only brilliant
shots were welcomed. He was also
proud, very proud, of his own perfect
manners and plumed himself, not with
out cause, on his insinuating address.
1t was on his reputation, however, as a
successful collector of china that he
principally piqued himself, and the
triiling sums which he had paid for
various articles of vertu which orna-
mented his rooms at the Albany formed
his fayorite theme Of conversation. In
decd, If all he said was true, and if all
the china was really genuine, he fully
deserved all the congratulations which
he claimed.
Nor did he fail to see how valuable
were the three aforementioned qualiti-
cations in their reference to this latter
pursuit. Many cottager who would
have refused to sell his precious little
heirlooms to the travelling dealer was
only too proud to part with them at
perhaps a lower price to Lord John-a
Lord John, too, who spoke so prettily
and made himself so agreeable. 1t was
grand to think that some little figure or
cup and saucer which had stood un-
noticed in cupboard should take its
place, as the seller fondly imagined
would be the case, among the priceless
gems OF Stoneyhurst Abbey.
Johns presence, too, at so many sport
ing places gave him opportunities of ad-
mission into the interiors of cottagers'
and keepers houses which might not
otherwise have been obtained 1t is
not given to every one to be Il district
visitor tax collector or sHhool-attend-
ancc officer and without such or similar
professions it is not easy to gain an in
PRODUCTION unlimited to the houses of
tho poor. Lord John, however had
special privileges and he lost no op.
portunity Of ayailing himself Of the ra-
cilitios offered by neutrality-suspicious. in
farm-houscs or keepers lodges on the
different properties over which he shot
A few winters ago my brother-in-law
came to shoot at my home, Pen Owen
Court in Monmouthshirc, Knowing,
as ! did, how unrayorably the bags even
on my best days compare with tho
slaughter to which John was acCus-
toned, | had had somo hesitation in in
yiting him into such an out-or-thc-way
part Of the world.
He had heard, however, Of the won.
dcriul stand ut ENstHcld Coppicc, said
said to be perhaps the most difficult and
sporting in England, and was anxious
to try his hand at our "Rockotcrs." |
had no possible objection, and he was
invited for throc days shooting.
A sad and mysterious calamity, how
ever in connection with the death of
one of the boatcrs, happened ON the first
day. and the unhappy incident prcycnt-
ed us from carrying out the weeks pro.
grammc,
Guests who have no resources to oc-
cupy them, whom sport fails, are nat
urally difficult to entertain, and conse.
Qucntly | was not altogether sorry when
my visitors, with the exception Of Lord
John, decided upon taking ,hcir depart.
uro on the morning which succeeded the
catastrophe
He, however remained, and in the
course Of the afternoon announced his
intention of going up TO the Keepers
house, whore we had Nnchod ON the
previous day. and, Of course, offered
to walk thorc with him, Rather to my
surprise, he seemed to have no particu.
lar desire for my society and began to
wonder II his projected visit had any
4 connection with the mysterious affair
to which | have alluded At any rate,
] determined to accompany him, and on
/ the way | was made ConudAnt Of his
lordship's intentions On the previous
day he had noticed two china figures on
the keepers chimney-piecc, and though
with connoissour's natural suspicion,
he had at the time done nothing to at.
tract general attention to them, he now
confessed that ne had every reason to
believe that they wore old Dresden, llo
imagined thcm to be Of great value, and
had determined to pick them up as
cheOply Os he could, | have never vet
been able to make up my mind about
the morality Of such proceeding, bnt
thoroughly dtslikcd the idea Of any one
picking up a valuable article cheap"
from ono OF my own rotaincrs and as Il