Nevada County picayune., 1891-01-29

Herald! I'll l could only get lit' tie drcssmakine to do," l said tt myself. II would subscribe again But cannot bear to ask Obadial for a cent of his hard earned money
 I was sitting by thr window, sad and lonely, one freezing February day, trying 10 mend an old waistcoa' of Obadiah's, so that it would last q few days longer, when travelling peddler with huge basket of china ornaments on one arm and n bundle on his shoulder, knocked at the door. He nodded at me in an insinuating manner as l answered the summons.
 "Couldn't sell you anything this morning, ma'am?" he said, with a liberal display of very white and even teeth. "Anvthing m the way of elegant mantel vases, statuettes, decorated china, match boxes"
 II have no money, and l do not want any of your wares" 1 said, spiritess.
 'Ah, but you do not know what a splendid article l have here," he persisted, loosening the strap which passed across his shoulder, and low ering the precious package to the floor. "A pair of real Wedgewood faiences. Oh, don't shake your head, ma am; 1 shan't charge you anything for looking at them, you know. I'm certain you're an artist all the ladies are born artists-and this is something quite out of the or. dinary run."
 And with a success sion of mods and grins he unstrapped pair of really very pretty vaces, nearly two feet high, and ornamented with raised garlands ,n white.
 "Only SC pair, ma am," said he. Dirt cheap. It's positively giving them away at that price.
 II have not SC to spare," re- piled, indifferently.
 
 Its a great bargain" he in- sisted.
 II do not want them," l said.
 He was silent few seconds.
 "I'm sorry, ma a'am," he said. They'd be a great decoration for a house like this. But if you really won't buy, it would be doing me a great favor to allow them to remain here until tomorrow. I've a long tramp before me, and I'm not going to any place where think they'd be likely to buy anything of the sort. I'll set them back by the chimney piece, ma am, where they won't be In anybody's way. I'm very tired with carrying them" "
 felt sorry for the poor jaded wretch-so I made no objection And when he was gone the vases did make the room look wonderfully pretty, l could not hut wish they were mine,
 Obadiah perceived them at once when he came home to tea.
 "IIello, what does this mean?" he asked.
 So told him, adding
 II only wish that 1 could afford them-they are so handsome.
 Obadiah walked around and around them, with ms brows knit thought fully and his hands in his pockets.
 "fes, they're pretty" said he. But they are not perfect. ."
 Not perfect :" 1 echoed.
 Not by any means. Don't you see that lengthwIse crack down one And the end of the little raised rose bud is chipped off on the other. hope you didn't do 1t, .losieg" with a sudden glance of apprehension.
 "IY Certainly not!" cried "Why l haven't so much as touched the things!"
 linen 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, smil- ing and obsequious as ever.
 "Thcre are your vases" l said, just where you left them"
 But all at once he hroke out in- to a storm of reproach and ohloquy, They had been cracked and damaged In my care. They were perfect absolutely perfect-when he left them there the day before. l had worked the mischief, and was of course responsible for the value of the articles.