The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-07-29

man take it?"
let him leave it in the hall, Jessie,
answered Lucilla. The maid withdrew
Mrs. Field glanced at her husband.
II don't want that box" she said.
ION the contrary, my love, l shall be
very glad to see these dragon vases YOU
aunt was SO kind as to leave you," he
replied.
Arthur" said Mrs Field. ''you don,
think ! am fretting because of the mere
moneys lossP"
You can scarcely speak of money as
lost which you have never had, Lucil
Ia" replied Arthur Field. with his slow
sweet smile.
He took off his coat and made fuss
about opening the box: he perpetrated
| two puns while he lifted the lid, and
Lucilla's mirth was no longer forced.
The 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:
~ never saw any china like this be.
fore; I should not be surprised if il was
valuable. When Power comes will
ask him 10 take look at it B."
"0h, il is hideous." said Lucilla.
ut Is not the least valuable"
II don't know that" replied her hus-
band. but valuable or not il 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 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 III,
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
for him or not, he had TO work.
One day Field came in and said with
shadow of his former brightness:
by the way, Lucy, | ran up against
Power to-day on High street; ne is stay
ing here until tomorrow. 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.
"Thosc that your aunt left YOU, my
love-" replied her husband. "The more
| look at them the more certain | am
that they are irresistibly quaint and
uncommon. Power is a Judge of china,
and should like his opinion of them"
At the appointed time the guest ar
rived. he was little man with red
hair, a keen, Intelligent face and
bright, brisk manner. He and Field
had been at Trinity college. Cambridge,
together.
Field fetched a stepladder, and, mount
ing it, carefully removed the two vases
from their shelf. lie took ont silk
handkerchief and busted them tender
ly; then he turned to his friend and
looked anNiously 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
err, Pray, put him out of his misery
at once it is only mercifui to quench
false hopes The things arc hideous,
are they not?'
Not at all" said Power. He lifted
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. "ilow valuable cannot tell
you. should like to take them up to
Christie's."
Lucilla clasped her hands.
What she exclaimed. her color
coming and going, 40 You mcan-do
YOU think those-those frightful things
would fetch-moueyp"
They may" he said. slowly, "Yes,
l am inclined to think they Will fetch
something"
"But how muchH Do-do tell me-"
lit is impossible for me to say"
"A ten-pound note, pe,haps?" qucried
Arthur Field
Power gave him a lightning glance.
II feel confident you may reckon on
that sum" he said, IF they are value
less from 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-
mcnts 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 80 busy lust