The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-10

Dimick's heart. "She says to me. Here.
Mr.. Peters, I've bought yer this. and
there's For a Good Boy on it. cause
you are good, amt yer, Mr.. Peters?
There wasn't one For a Good Man.
she says, but / thought you wouldn't
mind bein' called a boy for once, Mr..
Peters she said. Lor', I did laugh.
The next winter she died.
I've got rid of many things. but I've
had a superstition about that there cup"
he ended huskiiy.
Dear, dear" said Mr.. Dimick. apply
ing he red handkerchief again, ''and
I've broke it
He looked at the one he was holding
and then deposited it carefully on the
table. a thought had come to him. 1t
was in answer to it that he said mourn
fully:
THAT was Sairey's"
Yes said Mr.. Peters, tits a pretty
bit of chimney, too"
''She was took to Margate once with
treat" continued Mr.. Dimick. still
dolefully contemplating the cup and
saucer; 'it was only women and / didn't
go along. But she brought that with
her Tor me. She always had a thought
for me, Sairey had. There was the cup
and lot Of shrimps. l remember them
shrimps. They weren't like no other
shrimps I ever tasted. ] mind I said
to Sairey, 'Shrimps is like everything
else. The best's in London. Why, I've
many's the time off a barrer' But the
cup | hadn't no fault with"
No" said Mr.. Peters again cts GER
tainly a pretty bit of chimney"
Perhaps Mr.. Peters guessed what was
In Mr. Dimick's mind. He kept his eve
fixed upon the Present from Margate."
and at length he said, 1T resembles
mine, too, don't it?"
why, yes said Mr. Dimick rue
fully, 1T amt Altogether different Meth
err He put out one finger and touched
ii. 'P'r'aps," he said with a break in
his poor old voice, "p'r'aps it'll make a
substitOot.
''Meanin'," said Mr.. Peters quickly,
Gin the place Of t'other?"
That's So" assented Mr.. Dimick
TREMENDOUSLY.
why for that matter it is ill-con-
venient only to have one il don't look
hospitable, do it? But I'm afraid I'm
robbmg of you, Dimick."
Don't name it," said poor Mr. Di-
mick; there's others"
But he looked as sad as if he were
parting with an old and valued friend
We'll" said Mr.. Peters. magnani-
mously. well put it in this way Di-
mick. Whenever you drop in TO tea you
shall use it. Thank you kindly.
won't refuse you. Dimick. I know Won
wouldn't offer it if you meant me to re-
fuse you"
NO said Mr.. Dimick. But the no
was a very undecided one.
Very soon after this little transaction
he went back 10 his own room. He us
ually retired to bed shortly after dusk,
having pipe by way Of supper. This
evening he had not the heart to undreSs
and settle down for the night. He lit
the evil-smelling oil lamp and sat down
at his small table, resting his elbows
upon it, Then he deliberately contem-
plated the room and his possessions.
tiers, there were the glass sugar-basin
and the two glass jugs, there was the
green vase with red roses, there were
the two Clipped pudding plates that
Saire had picked up cheap, there were
the two with the pretty pattern round
the brim that they had bought together
at Clare market. there was the cup with
the Battle of Waterloo" on it, and
there-no, gap, a gap represented the
cup and saucer which had come from
Margate.
All that he possessed seemed value
less without It. Look where he would
he could see nothing but just that gap.
And surely Sairey would have been
deeply grieVed to have her collection
SpOilt in this manner.
He shook his head and moved uneasily
on his chair. Perhaps he had been too
impulSiVe.
But then he had destroyed his friends
little treasure, and surely it was only
just to make such restitution as lay in
his power. Even If he had had the
money to buy a cup as good as that
which had been broken, he could scarce
~ have hoped to replace it by one which
could recall his own to Peters, especially
as the Latimer road did not offer many
facilities for the purchase of varities
in china, ana he was not strong enough
to 60 farther afield unaided.
But it did seem pity. and he could
other way of making it up 10 Peters but
just this one.
once more ne surveyed his belongings.
Was there anything he valued less2 The
other cups. Why. he supposed not. Ger
tainly there were two of the Powered
pattern, but then il seemed shame TO
seperate them. and they looked so nice
on either side Of the green vase The
Battle of Waterloo 2" No. that was 50
interesting. He liked TO take it in his
hands and pick out the characters.
True. he wasn't quite clear as to which
was Boney and which was Wellington
they were dressed so much alike, and
the few features they possessed were
so similar; but what did that matter?
The value Of the cup was undiminished.
II was sufficient that both the generals
were represented.
He ceased his meditation suddenly.
There was only room in his mind for one
thought at Llnle. Inc question as 10
what he could spare to Peters was
driven out by the reflection that he
would have TO rearrange his china The
Battle of Waterloo" and the Present
from Margate" had set each other off.
The disposition was now one-sided. There
was a want Of symmetry about the
shelf as 1t appeared at present. The
sugar basin might perhaps be used TO
supplement the cup; it could be spared
from its place. but then it was certain
" rather large. It would dwarf the cup.
Suppose he took the cup off the shelf
altogether and put * on the mantel-
piece by the side Of one of the lusters
No: even then il would want something
TO match it. And If it. went in the mid
dle2 Why then he would have tc move
the bunch of wax flowers beneath a
(brOken) glass shade, which so elegantly
occupied the central position. II was
very worrying. He began to think that
the possession Of property was not
without it's drawbacks. Then he gave
way to futile wishes and regrets. He
lamented his generosity to Peters, and
h felt what a pity IL was he he'd gone
I'm to tea that afternoon. or, at any
rate that he had held his cup on his
knees. Perhaps, if he had not been sit
ting near the fender the cup might have
fallen without being broken. But he had
gone to take tea with Peters, he had
held the cup on his knees, it had fallen
on the fender, and he had offered a sub
stitute. He supposed there was nothing
for it but submission.
At last he abandoned the idea of max
ing any Encouragement tonight lie De-
Gan the lengthy process of undressing,
got into bed, and extinguished the light.