Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-03-04

The vase was about IS inches high,
| and Of varying diameter. 1t was of
some sort OF crockery or china ware,
and it was as ornate as a Lonesome
hurst cottage. On one side was a wat
teau young woman, clad in truly ru-
raj pink satin puffy skirt, mostly all
| pleats and an apple-green bodice, also
satin, and a "shepherGess' hat that
must have cost at least $24.S0, and
white silk stockings that ended in pink
satin slippers (high heeled), apparent
| " No. u, children's size
The young woman was engaged IN
| holding on to the kind of shepherdess'
crook that shepherdesses used always
to carry in the old days-gilded, and
with vari-hued liberty silk ribbons
tied all over it. She was also indus
triously engaged in gazing into the
branches Of sapphire blue cherry
| tree, wherein a very red and very
| spankable Cupid was doing the usual
| act with a bow and arrow.
On the other side q young man, with
more or less Of the same makeup, with
| out the skirt, was climbing a gilt lad
der into a gilt balcony shaded by tyrian
| purple vines.
The auctioneer held it up.
What am | offered for this real
| thing?" he inquired, insinuatingly. La
dies and gentlemen, the age of this
vawze is beyond my humble compufa-
| ton. Moreover, do not like to go be-
| yond facts that | know. | do know
! that this vdwze adorned the home OF
! the Russian minlster-Cacky-
yowsky-something like that-to this
country Y years ago. 1t passed from
| his unwilling keeping, when he was
recalled, to the household establish
mept of the car. The many vicissl-
tudes through which this vaW2e has
passed in finally reaching my humble
but reYerent hands, ladies and gentle
men, we're too pathetic to relate. It
suffices to say that it is a gem fit to
have adorned Versailles-as, indeed,
| who shall say that it never did adorn
Versailles? Ladies and gentlemen.
ask you to make me all ot1erlng Tor
this vawze, keeping in mind"
Two dollars, said a coarse, brutal
man at the far end of the room.
The autioneer looked grieved.
Surely" said he, you jest. Surely
you must be unaware OF the merits OF
| the CuGl lSucQ SNuOOl VI NNiEAAAS SAN ~
which this"
oAsfwo N half" put in another low
churl, Witlfa business-like eye, up near
the auctioneers stand,
Il perceive" said the auctioneer
sadly, "that a spirit of merriment per-
lyades the room this morning? 1t is d
sorry enough reflection that gem, q
prize, of this character, ladies and gen.
| hot
have been grabbed at by"
We'll, call it three" said the first
man to make a bid.
MY friends" said the auctioneer
shaking his head mournfully, ARE you
aware that it is among the possibilities
indeed, among the probabilities-that
this vawze for which you now offer me
such paltry sums may at one time have
embellished the boudoirs of queens?-
that the fated Marie Antoinete her
self"
Three fifty" said another man with
a low forehead, but a bright, alert eye
1t was at this point that the deter
mined-looking elderly woman, with the
poppy- covered bonnet and the fat, old.
fashioned purse. walked in. The love
OF tradition shone in her eyes. and she
flashed a look of contempt at the bid
ders.
Five dollars" said she, pushing
through the crowd close to the auc-
| tioneer's stand.
"Ah, madame" said the auctioneer
"you have arrived in season. 1t II
readily to be seen that you know a
good thing when you-that you have g
cultivated eye, that is to say, for such
perfect products of sadly deteriorat.