The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-06-12
THAT TEA pOT.
Italherine white.

You're looking at my teapot" Aus
Tin remarked with a twinkle Of the
eyes. az he glanced at his friend. who
occupied the cosy armchair In front
Of the open wood Ore
"wdl. yes. replied Summersi "of
course don't want 10 be too curious
but Il does strike me ms an odd piece
Of bric.a.bac."
"lrs not iuquislllve. oil chap" with
hand on summers shoulder "You
are the beat friend have In the world,
and IN tell you is story and the
lines that made hts face almost sierra
and somewhat cynical when in repose
vanished from Henry Austin's face as
he leaned against the mantel and care
iessly knocked the a'hes from the
bowl ~ bis meerschaum.
you know ia be- glad 10 hear IT,
Austin" the younger man replied
'sThat pesky mining business has shut
me on fron the world for three years
but / have not forgotten my friends
nor ceased 10 be- interested Ia what
concerns them
Summers looked frankly up into the
/ face Of his friend His was pirasail'
] opcn counleuancc, and through ih.
I bronze which Idaho sun aud VIVA hao
given n hearty sunshiny nature ASSERT
/ cd Itself
you were mo- archeologisi three
short years age" Doe lnughingly con
] tlnnrd. "nfr do ! remember any iurk-
/ ing fondness iu your heart Tor crorA-
cry In a state ~ acknowledgements Du'
| this-you don't mind nay touching IT,
/ dn Won or viii 10 drop to pieces " an
unhallowcd finger Is laid upon ~ ana
I Summers lifted IL glngcrly ana turner
I n around with cautious touch nnd Win
Increasing mrrr.ment well. spout
half gone. both handles ditto. top much
/ battered and many pieces missing
cover % had cover once, ! suppose
now lacking entirely. Vow. ~ ".
I original beauty ana splcndor l shouiu
say Judging from iis texture ana 'h'
stvle OF decoration. u must have been
worth nj least 30 cents. I've seen
something similar. u mistake not, ~
nh the Chinese stores down town. N
bargain you might got 10 for two
lsts' Now. Austin IN Us prisllne
beauty l might imagine its appealing
10 vour fastldious taste. hut m us pres
ent condition. and in this room Tie
paused and gave q cursory Hahcc
about the luxurious bachelor apart
meni. 1t l1n't a legacy from some
long forgotten grandauni, u ~
"No." reylled Austin quietly not re-
senung nj all his friends hHn'efihA'
"hut 10 has its associations
We'll. I give Il ~" remarked SUM
meis. replacing the object IN question
and rrseatlng himself. As you were
ahout 10 say." Dc continued nqnir
llgy.
$40 You know Jim Ley asked Aus
Tin as he settled himself Ia the follow
hanging chair and razed into the nre'
stranger % mine, laughed sum
mcrs. Resident Of this burg
yes" was the reply "he u the pro
prleior n the hlgh-class restaurant On
Sccord trect"
"Whaty Ch,namanT
yes" replied the narrator. "and a
very decent sort 90 fellow. too. Wei.
Il was at his restaurant one night that
I first made the Acquaintance OF the
teapot Cranhl made up a party one
right ~ see the sights ~ Chinatown,
ilc was Inter sicd in entertain NC MIS-.
S,agofd's n.ccC who was visiting hrf.
I IIe asked me 20 Join them and We d'd
thc usual thing. took lu' the joss
rousr. rackcd % suhocailon aud smell
inc % heaven with tnrW COMPOUNDED
inccnsp; looked into the saofs. also
fragrant with vile cigarette and opium
smoke. sandal WUcd and punk; went
% the theatsr aud had our hearing
inrro or less lniurI with the uu-pan
s,muhoules and the fqucaking hddlcs.
End finally wuuad No With The les
taa,ant u was drrlpg the feast OF
lanterns. and the Ccl,ctials were oai
lu rull force. packing th' streets ard
. making pelesu,arism Through their
erartcr almost impossible As W.
turned o. climb "a, stairs 90 Jim Lees
/ had the illuck TO punch an ugly
lnuking old Chinaman with my elbow
/ was oscuri.ng the niece aud trying u
make way FOR her Tie gl0wcrcd az me
and muttcrcd some ~ H. huaih'a iar'
CON. gave the matter no thought AZ
the time You must 80 mp there with
me some night" Austin broke on Ia
his narrative; REALLY lis worth seeing.
Those inlaid tables and chairs oi jlm's
muri be worth small fortune. aud DC
las some old Chinese embroidery THAI
Il wonderful. Ills collection u dag
-crs and swords, wrought Ia old
lroUve. would b. bonanza q
some museum lie a. an intel
lgcnt fellow, YOU know. aud de-
lights In entertaining. We had a
lolly little suppcr-of course Cnnh.ll
had arranged Il an beforehand, 50 we
would not be interrupted. When u
came time TO 60, Jim, In his usual
courteous fashion. begged the youn-
lady 10 accept q beautiful livery.
handled fan as q souvenir 81 the uc'
caslon. She refused. hut, seeing this
teapot on small side table, asked
n she might take that. instead. liu
protested somewhat al the suhs,itu
ION hut she would have that or moth
lng. 80 the tea pot was wrapped NJ
and We babe our gdieus aud de-
sccnded TO the lantern Ia streets
again. The young lady perslstcd n
carrying the tea pot herself That's
H. you .sce-lt Is all 80 singular \
pause cnmes. during which MIR. Aus
tin gazes into the ilrc with singular
dreamy and PARKWAY look, aud Mr.
Harold Summers tries to tatl.om bis