The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-07-30

Inc vases had been packed evidently
with great care, and Field lifted them
tenderly out of their receptacle. They
were tall-quite two feet high-their
shape was very peculiar, their coloring
deep and rich amber.
The dragons which climbed round
the stems of the vases had something
brilliant about their coloring which
gave them the effect of being set in
| Jewels. Arthur Field said
81 never saw any china like this be-
fore; should not be surprised il it was
valuable. When Power comes l will
ask him to take look at it."
"Oh! it is hideousl" said Lucilla.
"It is not the least valuable"
81 don't know that, replied her hus-
band, but valuable or not it is very
quaint. think it will give our draw
ing room a decidedly unique appear
ance. 1t will just fit, too, on that carved
oak shelf which l put up last week"
Field was very poor man, and that
thing presently happened to him which
is always disagreeable, but especially
so when it comes in the train of an
empty purse. Arthur Field got into
bad health; he was not dangerously ill,
but he began to suffer from what may
be termed 'the complaint of the age
his nerves got out of order.
The poor man can neither take
change of scene nor do his cares often
slip off his shoulders. Field was
obliged to stay IN town, and, whether
he liked it or not, whether it was good
/ Gov hr Lnl 30
One day Field came in and said with
shadow of his former brightness:
by the way, Lucy, l ran up against
Power to-day on High street; ne is stay
ing here until tomorrow. 1 asked him
to come in this evening and look at the
vases"
What vases?" asked Lucilla. She
had absolutely forgotten her old aunt's
yellow dragon vases.
"Those that your aunt left you, my
love-" replied her husband. "The more
l look at them the more certain / am
that they are irresistibly quaint and
uncommon. Power is a judge of china,
and 1 should like his opinion of them"
At the appointed time the guest ar
rived He was little man with red
hair, keen, intelligent face and
bright, brisk manner. He and Field
had been at Trinity college, Cambridge,
together.
After few words of conversation,
Field fetched stepladder, and, mount
ing it, carefully removed the two vases
from their shelf. He took out a silk
handkerchief and busted them tender
ly; then he turned to his friend and
looked anXiously at him for his verdict.
Lucilla, seeing the solemn expression
on her husbands face, began to laugh.
arthur is quite romantic over these
frightful things" she said to Mr. Pow
er. Pray, put him out of his misery
at once; it is only merciful to quench
false hopes. The things are hideous,
are they not?"
Not at all, said Power. He lifted
one of the vases in his hand turned it
to the light, tried to discover some sort
of inscription on the base of the stem,
twisted it round and round, and finally
replaced it on the table.
"Well?" said Field.
"They are valuable" said Power, sud-
denly. How valuable l cannot tell
you. should like to take them up to
Christie's."
Lucilla clasped her hands.
What" she exclaimed, her color
coming and going. ''Do you mean-do
you think those-those frightful things
would fetch-money?"
They may" he said, slowly, Eyes,
/ am inclined to think they will fetch
something"
But how much? Do-do tell me-"
at is imp ossible for me to say"
"a ten-pound note, perhaps?" queried
Arthur Field.
Power gave him lightning glance.
81 feel confident you may reckon on
that sum-" he said. ''If they are value
less from a collectors point of view,
the coloring is so rich that they are
sure to be bought for purposes of
decoration"
"Oh! Arthur" said Lucilla. She went
up to her husband and impulsively laid
her hand on his shoulder.
Field made no answer, but, leaving
the room, he returned in few mo-
ments with the wooden case in which
the vases had been sent from Red Cross
house some months ago. The two men
packed them with extreme care, and
the next day they travelled up to Lon
don under the care of John Power.
There was good deal of illness in
the large manufacturing town where
Field worked, and he was so busy just
now visiting the sick and soothing the
agonies of the dying and of the be-
reaved that he quite forgot the yellow
vases.
Lucilla, however, who remained at
home, had time to think of them. She
did think of them. Now that there was
a possibility of money being forthcom-
ing through their means, she began to
build castles around those vases.
! She felt herself turning pale when, a
week after the vases had been sent to
London, the post brought letter from
| Power, and Field and his wife were to-
getlSsr at the moment, He opened it
with languid interest, read its contents
and passed it on to his wife with the
| smile which came more and more sell
dom now TO his face.
"Power says We ere certain of our
ten pounds" he remarked.
Arthur exclaimed his wife, 81
have made up my mindI''
well, dear" he replied, you often
do. What result have you arrived at at
the present moment?"
1--WE will go to Christie's and see the
vases soldr' exclaimed Lucilla.
MY dear!'
"Yes," she continued "Mr. Power