The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-01-03

Ainsworth would have carried them
off for her collection" Mrs. Jennings
asked me
'Oh, my, nor l answered, Mortified
at the idea. "She's from one of the
best families in Philadelphia, and any
way, why would she take four teacups
and not anything elseP''
II don't know, I'm sure" Mrs. Jen-
nings said, meekly; but folks do get
so crazy over china they'll do most
anything sometimes"
When the day came for me to leave
Mrs. jennings, babe her good-by
and expressed the hope that her blue
china cups might be found.
But they never will be, Miss
Wright" she said, gloomily. Il
haven't any hope of them left" and
Farmer jennings, who was waiting in
the buggy to take me to the station,
looked down upon us encouragingly
and said:
well, well, wife, wouldn't give up
a hoping, for things sometimes does
happen in the most unexpected way"
And they do, as Mrs. Jennings will
testify now. l didn't hear about it
until the next summer. Mrs. Jennings
said: They meant to write me, but
they never got at it."
had hardly alighted at their door,
and Mrs Jennings still was holding
my hand in cordial welcome, when she
exclaimed, triumphantly:
well, found them
THE china teacups? You did
where?" l asked breathlessly.
III show you, she said, and she led
me into the parlor up to large, hand
somely framed picture on the wall.
looked at it in wonder. Dolly Briar-
ley was looking on at me from the
canvas with her dark, mischief-loving
eyes. 1t was a beautiful spot, with
overhanging trees, and festoons of Gle
mats and wild grapevine, and under
meath the trees in striking contrast to
the deep green of the grass, a white
cloth was laid, and on the cloth-did
not my eyes deceive memo, there
were Enthusiastically Mrs. jennings
faring little blue china teacups! There
were also cookies and tarts and little
pie in the way of viands, and to par
take of the feasts were Dolly's four
dolls, propped bolt upright on each
side of the cloth.
Mrs. jennings and l stared at each
other for a moment, and then burst
out laughing. At last Mrs. Jennings
wiped her eyes and endeavored to stifle
her peals of merriment.
1T was that Mr.. Van Duyne," she
said. "You remember how wild he
was over that china set the night of
Mrs Briarley's birthday?'
Yes" | answered, land he told me
once he meant to make picture of
Dolly's playhouse, but never thought
that he would"
just let me tell you all about it,"
continued Mrs. Jennings. After you
went away it went along, guess, two
months-anyhow it was getting quite
goldfish weather. One night after the
milking and the chores were done, Mr.
Jennings drove up to the Center to
get the mail, and to have the oilcan
filed, and at the post office they told
him that the man over to the express
office left word for him to call for a
package. Well, he went over and got
it, and it was such big, queer pack
age, and he not having sent for any
thing anywhere, he drove home fast
to see what it was, and where it was
from. He tied the horse out to the
hitchingpost and came right in
with it.
Il hurried up and got the shears,
and Josiah out with his jackknife and
we got it open and the papers off from
around it, and it was picture. And
we set it upon the dining-room table
and Josiah held the lamp up over my
shoulder and we just looked at it.
There was Mr.. Van Duyne's card
stuck in one side of the frame, but
didn't see that at all at first ! was
looking at the picture, and Josiah
didn't say a word, for he was looking
at the picture too. Then gasped out:
Josiah! Josiah. Aren't those my
teacups?'
And Josiah looked closer and said:
4 believe on my soul they are, Emilyp
"Well, what are they doing there?
and where are they, anyway? don't
understand anything about it-Dolly
Briarley, nor the teacups, nor any
thing else
And Josiah kept on looking with
a kind of puzzled look on his face as if
he was a-studying out something.
Then all of a sudden it all cleared up
and he exclaimed:
why, yes, mother, it's that south
lot adjoining the orchard. You know
we always called it the woodlot until
a few years ago when l tried to clear
it off. l used to see Dolly going off
down in that direction sometimes
"And then it all flashed over me and
l said: Yes, that's probably where
she had her playhouse. She was al
ways teasing me to make her little
pies and for cookies to take down
there. And Mr. Van Duyne he proba-
bly, took the teacups down there to
paint this picture and then went and
forgot all about them
"'Yes, it would certainly be just like
him. Josiah said
by and by said: Josiah, do you
suppose you could find that place in the
dark?'
''He looked at me kind of surprised,
and half grinned.
"'Well, / don't care!' l said. 1t would
! he Such n weight off INV mind 70 fpd