The Washington times., 1901-11-17

/ - iSOhSu as thOusua the uTSt set WOJi
go for $500 or s1.ooo. which seemed yer
! wonderful price for so very small thinl
when. through some sudden movement o
! Burghley's-he said afterward there wa
a wasp or an earwig trying to get int
| his ear, under which circumstances on
jump is allowed to any man. Anyway, h
started suddenly, and the edge of his opel
book caught one of the bowls Bowl ana
breaker described graceful paraboli,
curve in the air, and fell onto The tabl,
below with a little spIintering crash tha
made the collector blood present run cold
and the collector-heart stop beating II
their nightmares they had heard that aw
ful sound and awakened in cold perspira.
tions.
There was a moments dead silence
Miss George went pale. Dick Vaile went
red and white. Gwen sat looking at the
Pitiful blue pieces strewn on table and
floor.
THAT is a misfortune" said Burghley
quietly. but without turning hair. we
will go on to set No. 2. What bids. gen
tlemen. This set is now, as you see. alb
soluteiy unique. There never were but the
two sets made. There is now only the
one set in existence. The possessor of it
need fear no rival"
Two thousand" said a quiet voice, and
Miss George and Dick awoke violently.
THANK youi Any advance on e.. .0oo-
for this absolutely unique specimen of
Louis Quinze Sevres?"
-Two-two," from another quarter
''Two-four," from another: and so at
last, after very spirited race, the little
blue bowl and breaker which Lous XIV
had not thought good enough for Madame
Pompadour fell to the old gentleman who
had made the first lid for it, and the
price he paid was s3,S00. He came
across and had a little pleasant chat
with Miss George and Gwen. and
congratulated them on having been in
strumental in putting so beautiful
specimen of the potter's art upon the
market.
That izas very cleverly done on your
part, BurshIey," he said, with a humor-
GUS twinkle in his kind old eyes as that
worthy Joined them. I'm inclined to
think you did IT on purpose, you know"
mo. your Grace. L assure you. 1t was
entirely an accident, and 1 am heartily
Of it. Such a thing has never
happened In this room before, and I
would sooner have paid one thousand
pounds than had it happen now"
You wrought better than you knew,
my friend" said the old gentleman. II
suppose I'm entitled to the fragments of
the other one2"
Il don't think Miss jeanne will object
to your Grace taking them,' said Burgh-
ley.
"oh, no, indeedr' gasped Gwen. who
was not in the habit of conversing with
dukes.
VIII you oblige me by gathering up the
fragments yourself, Burghley. and max
Ing them into two parcels for me? will |
send for the other things tomorrow" said |
his Grace. When the sharp-cornered lit
tie parcels were given to him he put one |
Of them into Ovens hands, and said,
Keep that, my dear, as a reminder of a T,
fortunate accident Things that we look |
1n as misfortunes sometimes turn out |
after ali to be but blessings in disguise. |
and Louis Quinze Sevres is too precious |
to be thrown away even in fragments" |
Then he shook hands with them and went |
mis- way.
And afterward? Were they married,
Dick and Gwen? "
Well If IN the course of conversation,
you should accidentally ask Miss Gecrgie
( they ever had a wedding at Rochel- |
aine. the dear old eyes will widen and
brighten and the sweet old tongue will |
ipple like a spring brook. and the beau
iful white hands will play inaudibIe
unes on an invisible and unknown in
trument; or perhaps it is limning invis-
BILE pictures they are at Whatever it is.
hey help you wonderfully to See it all as
he saw it.
"Oh, my dearr' she viii say, 1.-The most
elightful wedding that ever was in this
World. For there never was a sweeter or
ovelier girl than our Guenfre, and that
l0rning she lool1ed'-and the slim white
ands express the utterly inexpressibIe.
For you must understand, she had been
4 love with Richard ever since she knew
im-ever since she was a little girl In
eed, Richard says she proposed to him
1hen she was fifteen. and Guenfre does
OF deny II. And the child Insisted on
auline and myself acting as bridesmaids
it if you can, my dear-and
9th Of US old enough to be her grand
iother! Nothing else would satisfy her,
nd, mo-? Dieui we were eligible, truly
hat was the year. you know Of Rich
rds great picture In the Academy-the !
and Ariadne was our dear /
uenfre. Richard said Ihey would never
E able to resist her swe ct face, and he
as right
In Mrs. Richard vailes very charming
rawing In the low red house at
inner. you may see. among other choice |
iementos of many lands. little cabinet
II by itself. and In it a blue Sexres cup
nd saucer and both cup and saucer are
all of broken fragments of the same |
eeply, darkiy, beautiful blue ware; and
you ask Mrs. Dick what they are she
ill tell you they are the most precious
lings the house contains. after little
lick and Gwen upstairs and the stalwart
ichard s,rnself.
If she told you more. which is not like
?. she might tell you that in times of
'ouble-for 1t is not the happiest of lives
lat is wholly free from trouble-the
ght Of those broken chips of night-blue
proclaim have minfstered strength and
to her soul.-John Oxenham,
Chambers Jurnal.
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