Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-07-12
The PeachbI0w Vase.


"a IGHTEEN thousand dollars 4
ia quite a sum to pay for q piec,
~ of baked clay barely eight inche:
In height. Yet l paid it. Ten hour!
after it came into my possession hat
the pleasure Of casting the fragment.
into the Hudson l say pleasure" il
all faith. / believe l was the happies
man in all New York when consigned
those twenty bits of the peachblow
vase to oblivion off Fifty-nin street
although each bit represented an out
lay of $500.
1t is my humble opinion that a WON
an without pride has as little grace il
the eyes of the Lord as a woman with
too much; therefore l glory in the fac,
that IneZ, the beloved of my soul, dem
onstrated her independence Of spirit IL
the effective manner which this confes
sion will show. As for the expense
that was a mere bagatelle.
Inez was the daughter of a very pc.
culiar old gentleman who had sQuan.
dered a fortune by INDUCING q hobby
for antiques.
1 Will call him Mr.. Christopher, with
holding his real name as we'll as my
own for obvious reasons. became ac-
quainted with Mr.. Christopher through
an advertisement which carried me to
his home In quest Of an ancient and
valuable meerschaum-for II I have a
weakness 1t is for q carved pipe that
somebody else has industriously col
ored. bought the Pipe and Incidental
y discovered Lnez. After seeing the
beautiful daughter made It a point to
visit Mr.. Christopher again and again
upon the pretext Of looking for more
pipes. Before obtaining permission to
call upon Inez as a pr0fessed suitor l
had purchased a collection Of smokers
curios. ranging all the way from q
Sioux saonen's pipe Of peccs ID a won
drOusly confrived chibouque.
Mr.. Christopher was poor, and II
touched me to the heart to mite to what
shift 1neZ was pmt IN the matter Of
dress. Her carefully mended gloves,
her simple but tasteful gowns and an
absence Of ornament from her attire all
bespoke the straitened circumstances
of her father, who was literally starv-
priceless value. Mentally l berated the
old man for his grasping selfishness,
and while l pitied Inez from the bot
tom of my heart 1 could not but admit
that simplicity of costume enhanced
her loveliness In my eyes, sated as they
were with the sight of beauty profuse-
ly adorned with silks, laces and gems
Had declared to Inez my station in
life she would certainly have miscon-
strued my attentions, which were hon
est as the day. She was poor; l was
rich. Her rank. socially. was beneath
my own. Although have no patience
with the arrogance of those who make
a high-caste of wealth, yet the Brah-
minical banner exists and none acknowl-
edge 1t so freely as the poor. Therefore,
1 was obliged to cloak my honesty with
trifiing deception. When asking per-
mission to call | told Inez that had
recently been left modest bequest suf-
flcient to set me up in an honorable
business. dropped no hint Of wealth
beyond this fictitious legacy, and IneZ,
in the simplicity of her heart, believed
and did not question how my slender
competence might permit heavy pur-
chase of expensive pipes AS to her
father, he had no thought beyond his
art collection.
My wooing prospered. In due course
there came the tender acknowledge
ment that l was beloved, and l went
to Mr.. Christopher to ask him for his
daughters hand. l found my prospec-
tive father-in-law gloating over a cab
met of valuable ceramics. 1t was with
a.ficulty that l drew his attention from
his collection of old china, stated my
case and asked for Taez
Are you able to care for my daugh-
ter as | care for herY he asked with
commendable foresight and with an
astonishing disregard of her present
condition.
AN uncle of mine left me some S2O,-
000." l remarked, clinging to the story
l had told Inez- THAT will give me .
start in business, l think. and"
Twenty thousand dollars!" he ax.
claimed. rubbing his bony hands. "Inez
sever told me Of this. Why, that
amount, expended in antiques" He
paused suddenly.
DO you love my daughter, Mr.. Gros-
venorT'
with my whole heart"
There was glitter in his humid eyes
rs he asked the next question.
But would you make a sacrifice, q
,leayy sacrifice, for herr
Il would give even my life"
THAT is well. that is WELL" he NUT
tered. rubbing his hands once more.
You seem to be an honorable young
man, and 1 have no objection to your
marrying my daughter. providing you
-yOu-" he hesitated. glancing at me-
furtivciy. !
Wei, Mr.. Christopher
in few days the 'Peachblow Vase
gul be sold at auction. Mrs. Mary
lane Morgan, SO 1 hear, paid $4,000
for it. 1t was found in China, belongs
TO the Kang-he period, and is unique
DO you hear me, Mr.. Grosyenor? That
vase is uniquer
The old gentleman was greatly agil
lated. Rising from his chair, he took
several turns about the room. with
quick, nervous strides. Finally he stOp1
ped be(ess me and went q: