Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-11-28
bows. She fitted into her SURROUNDINGS
aud completed the picture. So Mrs.
Ridgeway thought as she came up IL

I I z;.I{E|El||ZI
!! y 81
erS 4WlT
~ am looking about to get a pieee of old
croclery to gtUe to a friend"
path. She was about to make her usu.
al inquiry regarding old dishes whom
che caught sight of the platter on
which the cherries were preserving.
For all there was only the border of
laurel leaves and blossoms visible
Mrs. Ridgeway's practiced eye told her
that this was Lafayette landing plat
ter In imagination she could see the
whole picture-the two steamers and
numerous small boats in the water, the
row of six smoking cannon in the fore.
ground and the marshals and sentinels
riding about, while underneath it all,
in dark blue letters, were the words,
Landing OF Lafayette at Castle Gar
den, New York, Aug "a, 1924" All of
this was as plain to this student of
ceramics as If the PLATTER lay at that
moment before her.
MY dear lady, would you be willing
to part with this old platter for o con-
sideration?' Airs. Ridgeway eagerly
| inquired.
"Oh, dearic, no." Mrs. Esterbrook an
swered, looking up. "Why, that old
blue platter belonged to my settin out,
and it's every piece I've got left Of the
set. l never broke 'em myself to speak
Of, but in my younger days was sick
good deal, and hired help do raies
the mischief with diEhes."
eyes. indeed they dor and Mrs.
Ridgeway spoke feelingly. thinking Of
how many more treasures she might
have Cleaned If it had not been for
these same vandals-the hired help.
Il was looking about to get piece
of old crockery to give to friend for
wedding present." said Mrs Ridge
way. sitting down on the bowlder and
looking at the platter with longing
eyes, why, can't see nick in it,"
she continued as she examined it.
Eyes, there's one queer shaped one
right on the underside Of the RIM"
Mrs. Esterbroek explained, holding up
the platter.
"If you'd been willing to part with
the dish, I'd have paid you $40 for It,"
Mrs. Ridgeway added regretfully.
"Ten dollarsw and Mrs. Esterbrook
gave little start. Queer that it should
have been just the amount that she
had calculated only an hour or two be-
fore that she needed to enable her to
go to Johnnie's wedding. Here was q
chance to surprise him. 1t was q
temptation. She laid down her iron
spoon and, absently picking up peony
leaf, frightened some bees that We're
gathering about the sweetmeats.
Connected with the old blue platter
were thousand pleasant memories of
family gatherings, of Thanksgiving
dinners, of wedding festivities. They
all came crowdins into her mind now
and seemed to forbid her parting with
this memorial of those times. But on
the other hand was Johnnie's wedding,
and she did SO long to go! She pictur-
ed his surprise at seeing her when she
had written that she could not come.
"Er-what did you say you wanted
the old platter forY' she asked fslter-
lngly.
'srs give to friend who is getting q
collection of old pieces of crockery."
spoke up Mrs. Ridgeway eagerly. .Yrhis
would be put in pretty cupboard
with glAss doors. where 1t would be
very ornamental, besides being so well
cared for"
This put it In 4 new light to Mrs.
Esterbrook. AL Of her things were to
go to Johnnie after she was gone. But
1t was no ways likely that Johnnie's
wife would be one who would care at
all for such an old relic ~ this. Ger
tainly it would be better to take up
with this Offer when the money would
be SO acceptable, and be assured that
the platter would be sent where It
would be so priced. Yes, she would
let it go.
1.-The cherries are about summed now"
| she observed as she started to take the
platter into the house. ITS the last
I'll ever do up. But preserves kind
of go a-beggin nowadays, SO few drop
in to help eat EN-" she added, as IL to
pacify herself
She felt guilty as she took the $40
bill. And as she put 1t away in the lit
tie shell snuffbox for safe keeping, 1t
seemed to her some way as II the mon.
ey did not belong to her. Nor had the
feeling disappeared when the follow
ing week she set out for the wedding.
The hickman left her in front of one
of the pretty new colonial houses on
ono OF the fashionable streets of Prov
ldence. She presented very old fash
Toned appearance as she came up the
walk dressed in very large figured
black brocade, which was worn over
hoops. The dress had been made for
her niece's wedding IS years before.
On her shoulders was thin gauze
shawl somewhat brown with age. She
carried in her hand a long handled,
black travelling basket containing the
log cabin quilt, jar of sun cherries,
her best cap and few other articles.
She could hardly wait to see John
ME. She half expected him to be at
the door to meet her. Instead there
was only servant, who directed her
to the room above, where she was to
take off her things. She asked her
where she should leave the present she
had brought, but the girl did not seem
to understand and told her she must
see the mistress.
She was just in time for the ceremo-
ny. oh. how good it did seem to catch
n glimpse of Johnnie again after such
long time! She stole In quietly and
took seat in secluded corner. Thus
she remained almost unnoticed, for
after the ceremony everybody natural