The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-10-01

nOu0cc the VI u UOA.
"It is prepaid. ma'am," she said, ad-
dressing Mrs. Field. "Where shall the
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, ! shall be
very glad to see these dragon vases your
aunt was so kind as to leave you," he
replied.
arthur" said Mrs. Field, you don't
think am fretting because OF the mere
moneys loss?"
"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
Sudpc was NCIy pCCuAiois thCAA
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:
IL never saw any china like this be-
fore; / should not be surprised if twas
valuable. When Power comes l will
ask him to take look at it."
'.Oh! it is hideousr' said Lucilla.
ut 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 decidedly unique appear
ance. 1t will just fit, too, on that carved
oak shelf which put up last week"
Field was a 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 i'll,
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
a shadow of his former brightness:
"By the way, Lucy, ran up against
Power to-day on High street; he is stay
| ing here until tomorrow. l 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
look at them the more certain l am
that they are irresistibly quaint and
uncommon. Power is judge of china
and should like his opinion of them. ,
At the appointed time the guest ar
rived. He was a little man with red
hair, a keen, intelligent face and a
bright, brisk manner. He and Field
had been at Trinity college, Cambridge,
together.
After a 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
or. Pray, put him ont of his misery
at once; it is only merciful to quencl
false hopes. The things are hideous
are they not?'
| Not at ALL" said Power. He lifted
one of the vases in his hand, turned i
to the light, tried to discover some sort
of inscription on the base of the stem,
twisted it round and round, and finail,
replaced it on the table.
"Well?" said Field.
"They are valuable" said Power, sud
denly. "How valuable l cannot tel
you. l should like to take them up Il
Christie's."
Lucilla clasped her hands.
"What!" she exclaimed, her colo
coming and going. do you mean-d'
you think those-those frightful thing
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 impossible for me to say"
"a ten-pound note, perhaps?" queries
Arthur Field.
Power gave him lightning glance
81 feel confident you may reckon OF
that sum-" he said. IF they are value
less from collectors point of view
the coloring is so rich that they ar
sure to be bought for purposes o
decoration"
"Oh! Arthur" said Lucilla. She wen