Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-10-19
The SATSUMA BOWL.
HIxTHERE on earth did Won
By II. 3. Williams.

w that bowl?" Nelly Marshall
saiG - old Mrs. Graves. She and her
FRIEND. Ellice Davidson. had stopped at
TIE cd woman's cottage on their re-
turn from long. hot walk 20 get a
-driE.: CT her cool woH water.
As Mrs. Graves opened her cupboard
to t":.e out her one tumbler NeIly's GU
ricUs eyes noticed on the top shelf a
cil;E2 bowl covered with dust, on which
she bounced eagerly
That chiny bowl. is it. honey? WHY,
Ii Wis my mothers afore ever | was
born and she set great store by it. Ny
father was a sailor, and he used to bring
all finds of queer things from his voy-
ages~ They're all gone but that one
bow. and somehow I've got il fixed in
my mind that / won't have any good
luck il anything happens to that bowl. -
.e two girls glanced at each other.
Good luck and poor old Mrs Graves
seemed far apart. She was very old. and
had survived all her family and friends
She picked up wretched living by
knitting and quilting. She owned the
little cottage in which she lived. and
with sturdy independence refused the
charity of her neighbors, save during
her attacks or rheumatism. which of
late wer' frequent and severe. Every
one piti+d and respected the desoIate
old woman.
Well. what do you think of this -
Nelly breathlessly exclaimed, holding
out the bowl. when Ms. Graves had
gone &c the well.
=: sse an old china bowl" laughed
Ellice. very queer-looking. and very
dirty. and little Clipped al the edges"
'Iog see genuine Satsuma." Nelly
said. .mpressively. Il question wheth-
er another such can be found in this
country. Look at that diapering of
dull gold at the base and edge. and
those birds with outstretched wings in
the center, Why. it's treasured"
is st?" ElIice answered, Indifferent
". at just looks to me like queer
bowl. Very nice for milk BOWL
~ milk bowl, You know / spent
year before last with my aunt. Mrs.
Davenport. in the city. and she and her
friends were all deep in the study of
ceramics. Aunt is a great collector of
old china. and as she is very wealthy
and great traveller, she has some su-
perb specimens. Why. she gave $40 for
SatuSma cup and saucer that isn't to
he compared with this. One of her
friends gave $500 for pair of vases. and
they were cracked. Oh. I'm an expert
III china. I'd give anything in the world
TO own this bowl, and I'm going to have
1t. too. Hush. Here comes the old
woman Not a word to. her of its
value.
Here's your bowl. Mother Graves"
she said. handing it to her with an in
different air. Its very queer. and
would like to have it in my cabinet of
-cl:r;osities- l suppose you wouldn't
care to sell it?''
Land sakes, no. honey!' laughed the
old woman. Who'd buy an old thing
ike that? 1 call it my luck bowl. 1t
wouldn't be mite of use to anybody
but me. and it really isn't any use to
me: but it's all that's left of my old
life. and / think it would most break my
heart to look in the cupboard and find
1T gone.
Very we'll, Mrs. Graves, but if you
ever change your mind and wish to
sell it, let me have the refusal. I'll give
YOU more for it than anyone around
here"
As the girls walked home Nelly was
silent and prcoccupied.
Ill have that BOWL" she cried out,
suddenly. ''Yes, it will be mine before
many weeks. The old woman can
hardly hobble about now. and it won't
he long before she is laid up. That will
he nv time. and won't it be triumph
To show my aunt as fine piece of china
a. she has in her whole collection-and
at bargain. too!
EIiice looked at her friend in mute
surprise. Nelly was good girl, kind
hearted and humane, and yet she was
exuIting now that poor, wretched
creature should be tortured with pain,
and laid up, helpless and hopeless, in
order that il might give her an opPor-
4,,r,itv to possess an old piece of chinai
4 ,1,suia for ceramics. she thought. was
not likely to enlarge the sympathies or
SOFTEN the heart.
What viii you give Mrs Graves for
the bowl?' she asked
..Oh. fair price. She'll think it more
4ban fair. But of course I'm not such
n fool as TO offer even quarter of its
actual value L couldn't begin TO at
ford Il. Don't look so grave, as II L
were going to swindle the old woman!
A pearl is only pearl to one who knows
SIS value, and to Mrs. Graves 1t is only
an old. useless china bowl.
But some one might give its value
to the poor old creature.
Vow. look here, Ellice Davidson,
Nelly cried, red with anger, you talk
as If 1 were going to take dishonest
advantage of the woman! Who would
Owe IS cents for il here? In this little
out-of-the-way village the people have
nexer even heard cf Satsuma ware
WHY. it will stay on that shelf TIL Old
.frs Graves is dead and buried, and
then be thrown aside, or some old WON