The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-02-24

one refuses 10 tel. suppose she
paid whopping price for it, rot be-
ing used to dealing with these Turks
and Jews who sell rugs, though she did
mighty well at the fair. / suppose she
bought this there"
Then Caroline came in and asked
judgment.
Il tell you, Mrs. higgins, this is
wonderful art treasure. When wom-
al, buys she let's fancy and money go
to the winds. Even the darns, doubt
less, are hundreds of years old. l have
made study for years of this weaving
and cross-stitching. Tell us where il
came from, and I'll give you the New
York address of little secondhand
shop where l saw some fine little bisque
dogs for sale"
And Caroline, woman-like, Welded
sufficiently to say:
''Tll tell you this much-thc rug came
from Palestine"
Just as l told you," remarked Jack
Watts, sit has been carried on many
pilgrimage"
The year after the fair there were
many loan and art exhibitions, and
John loaned the old rug a number of
times, sending it away from home
boldly labeled as a bit of antiquity
from the Holy Land. Caroline began
to wish it would get lost on some of
| its journeys for the sake of art, when
sure enough ii calamity befell it.
One day when John came home to
dinner Caroline heard him looking
about in the library and hall. Then
he called up to her:
Cara, where is our Palestine rug?
| want to send it to Mrs McWatters:
she's to have an exhibit in her studio"
'Why, in the library, of course
replied Caroline, coming downstairs.
mo, it's not there"
The maid was called. Yes, her mis-
tress had told her to dust the rooms
and she had taken that old rug before
the inlaid cabinet out on the veTauda
to shake and dust it. Oh, yes, the
cook had called her before she was
through. and she had left it on the yer.
anda railing.
Then she discovered that the servant
had broken one of her choicest dogs.
life-like china spitz from Vienna.
And Mrs. higgins sat down and cried.
why, Caroline, nothing but china
dog, and that rug missing! / declare.
you make regular idols of those toy
dogs" said her husband.
"Idols!" and Caroline stood up and
said some very sharp things about rugs
and fads and collectors in general, and
the consequence was that she and John
said very little to each other for some
hours.
But the Palestine rug was really
gone, stolen was the general decree.
One day when John was sorry for call
ing her dogs "idols,' he brought her
home another little dog for her table,
and said as he gave it to her:
Cara, dear, | was savage that day,
but that rug was a great loss to me.
| liked it more than all the others be-
cause it was the only one you ever gave
me-"
Caroline hesitated. Should she tell
him its history? No. she would wait
for an occasion. some one of her de-
lightful little dinners when she wanted
good story to tell with some surpris-
ing little points in it for John VIM Mig
gins.
But John, likewise, did not tell her
that he had detective employed in
hunting up the old Palestine treasure.
One day, some months later, Mr.. Mig
gins came home in radiant spirits.
caroline" he called up the stairs,
for she was in her room dressing for
dinner, at is found!"
"Found?" questioned she, emerging.
whats found?''
''Why the rug, the Palestine rug, OF
course" he replied.
THAT old thing!" laughed back his
wife. "Who found it ."
"My detective found it in one of
those places where the rag men take
their woolens to be ground up for max
ing those cheap frieze coats. An old
rag peddler had taken it off the YER
anda railing. The detective unearthed
him, but l shall not prosecute him."
explained Mr.. higgins.
'Ishould say not" responded his wife,
and she sat down on the top stair and
laughed till the tears came. John
thought it was pure joyousness over the
recovery of his antique.
The rug from Palestine was given
place on the landing of the staircase
where John might enjoy it as he passed
| up and down. 1t had been there but a
few weeks when Caroline, coming down
20 meet her husband. caught her heel
| in its curious cross-stitching and was
thrown violently headlong.
Three times in the next two weeks
she was carried to the gates of death
and then led back again to life.
The first day that she was well
enough to come downstairs she walked
about. leaning on Johns arm, looking
at all the old familiar things. And
when John had settled her in an easy
chair by the window she looked up at
him and said:
"Why, John, where's your Palestine
rug? ! do not see it,
"No. That's the one you tripped on,
so | threw it into the hall closet. but
I'll have it out if you miss it, after ii is
/