Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-01-10
A STORY OF TEAcups

There is almcat always In every lnm
ny some one thing t.i.t 10 IL spscii
pride. In yours it may ban Choice Is
OF painting; IN minc, lei mo where
It Is . rare old book with.iIlu.Aiaaia
covers and in Tic Jaanigs iamAy Il
iaands has been everainca have lnovst
them, . delicate set OF blue India
china
The Jennings live in roolny old.
fashioned farmhouse, with broad
porch and high pillars, fronting on
the lake II was this that suggested
their taking summer boarders Mr..
and Mrs Briarley discovered them
nrst and knocked at the door and
begged to be taken in, and Mr. and
Mrs. Jennings hadn't the heart to send
them away. Next year they told their
friends, and | was one OF them, and all
their friends told their friends, until
now every summer the Jennings house
is 80 crowded that the gentlemen talk
about hanging themselves up in trees
for the night. and some of them have
gone SO far rs to hang themselves
up In hammocks out OH the broad
veranda
Although Mrs. Jennings is proud Of
her blue china she does not launt Il
before the eyes OF her less fortunate
boarders, whether for fear Of exciting
their envy or that abscnt-minded Mr..
Van Duyne. the artist, should tip over
his tea and knock off the handle of his
cup or that Mary In the kitchen
should crack q plate with too hot
water, do not know Certain II Is
that 1t Is only on tittingly rare occa.
slons that the rare china is placed at
our service.
The first time saw it was on Mrs.
Briariey's birthday. when the bell
rang for tea and we all came rushing
in from the orchard, tho rocks down
by the lake and the hammocks on the
veranda, every bourAer stopped short
and gazed with delight upon the white
cloth, and the dainty, aristocratic
blue and white china with its 1aring
cups, deep sauccrs and fat little
plates, Mrs. Briarley looked pleased
as u girl, and Dolly, who is her seven.
year-old daughter, seized Mr.. Van
Duyne by both hands and they pro-
ceedcd to execute some sort OF wild
fantastic dance across the whole length
Of the dining-room.
really don't know what would have
become of Mr. Van Duyne If 1t hadn't
been for Dolly It's my honest opinion
that he would have starved to death.
lie never, under any circumstances,
heard the bell-he was always too
deeply engrossed In "a Study Of the
Rocks" or 1.-THE Coming Twilight"
Dolly had constituted him her special
charge, and at the first sound Of the
teabcll she started forth to hunt him
up Dolly was general iavoritc with
all OF u.s. and the only child about. |
used to wonder sometimes II she didn't
get lonesome, but she seemed very
well content with us grown-up folks,
and at times would take her dolls and
go off by herself to her playhouse"
she called it. in field somewhere i'd
joining the orchard. Mrs. jennings
gave her CO. and cookies
Tor tea parties to be held with her
dolls in her playhouse" Mr.. Van
Duyne was, ! think, the only real
i've person who had ever been in
Vited to attend. lie told me when he
zane back that he meant to make
picture Of it. But, dear mel II Mr..
Van Duyne had painted all the pic
ures he meant to paint, or, for that
natter, finished all those he began,
here would have been sufficient to
nrnish IN art gallery.
But, pictures or no pictures, he and
Jolly were the best Of friends, and the
light Of Mrs. Briarleys birthday Wed
With each other in their lavish admir-.
ton Of the blue china ten set.
Either there were no birthdays after
hat or no one OF SO much Importance
5 Mrs. Briarley, for ordinary china
uticed each meal. Then MIR. Briarley
'as suddenly called home on business,
nd Mrs l}riarley and Dolly went with
in.
1t was rather lonesome after this, Z
nd everything moved along in very Z
aim, uneventful sort of way until the
ay OF my birthday. don't know
ow in the world they found out
lat it was my birthday, I'm.
ISIS Mr.. Van Duyne saw 1t in Dolly's :.
book" But, us fourd out !
ftcrwarls, Mrs. Jennings had been b
tanning surprise for me. There was y
birthday cake baked for me. and the y !,
lue china was to appear In my honor n,
'until-but see here, I'm going to tell L L
to you just as IL came to me. "
] was sitting on tho yeranda In the nc
feeling pretty hungry, for I;
was just half an hour before tea St
me, when Mrs. Jennings came bust. .,
ng out the front door, looking very !
ot and worried, and sank down in the J.
lair OF my side. n
Miss Wright" she exclaimed, what "'
you suppose has become OF four Of
y blue china cups?"
-Four Of your blue china cupsl' ! 90
hoed, staring at her Cant you =.
nd them2' ns
mo | can't she answered, In voice y y
|at sounded as il she was Just ready a,
cry. II
"0h, well, never mind" said :.
othingly, "the girl must have mis- n