Connecticut western news., 1901-10-31
THE OLD
 BLUE JAR


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 Before Clementine went down to her mind that she would bend all her energies to wheedle Aunt Phoebe out of the old blue ginger jar that Uncle Julius had brought home from China, little thinking that the old slant eyed, fat sided mandarin would take such a jocular interest In her joys and sor- rows.
 The old blue jar had perched for many years on the corner of the high mantelpiece in the old fashioned coun- try parlor, and Aunt Phoebe knew that if she gave It to Clementine she would have dreadfully lonesome feeling every time she stood on a chair to dust the old clock, the shells, the peddler vases, the leather fans and other com panions of it's lofty abode. But Clem- entine was an accomplished wheeler, and the fond old aunt finally said she might have her wish.
 When Aunt Phoebe gave over to Clementine her right and title to the old blue Jar, Randall was leaning in the window and idly sitting rose leaves from the old climbing vine through the meshes of his tennis racket. He sympa- thized with her lively admiration for the antique and unique in china and was glad that she had attained her hearts desire, but more absorbing h. terest possessed his manly breast.
 Clementine was going home In the morning, and he had been trying in vain for several days to get the feeble courage of his ardent convictions up to the declarative point. She was such a lively, fun loving girl, and love, you know, Is such intensely serious busi- ness. Several times Randall fancied he had found her in a sober and prop erly receptive frame of mind, when with trifiing jest she would defeat his intention and put the little god to flight.
 Now, however, when the slant eyed mandarin on the blue jar winked at him through the vines, Randall said to himself enthusiastically:
 "Well, old boy, that's the very thing! Thank you for the bright idea! Are they all as clever as you are over in ChinaY
 That night, in his room under the caves, he constructed an eloquent let ter to Clementine and In the early morning sneaked into the parlor and deposited 1t in the robust bosom of the old blue mandarin.
 'If she finds 1t before she goes home, i1~l,+ Iar | Ing fellow, land If she doesn't find it until afterward 1t will be all right too. :" But the mandarin felt little funny that day, so when Clementine packed her trunk he inspired her to stuff the | ginger jar full of her silken hose. that l the precious article might take no risks | of breakage in It's voyage. So when | Randall parted from her at the station | she made no sign of knowing anything | In particular, and his hopeful heart de | cided that she would surely find the letter when she reached home, and he | would then hear from her.
 Now, Clemintine was a girl who al ways had great many things on her mind. and when she had unpacked the treasured jar and placed 1t on dainty table in her pretty parlor-with a self congratulatory thought that It was sc respectable to have things that ones relative had brought from China-she wholly forgot the curious load that the mandarin had on his breast. She missed her silken hose, of course, and pestered Aunt Phoebe with messages about | them.
 In Milltown, as you may imagine l Randall waited for the answer to his letter. Awhile he waited patiently then impatiently awhile, and then | dived into his law books with that "composure of settled distress which lovers have known In every age and cline. He did not dream that the slant eyed mandarin would be guilty of the ungentlemanly trick of intercepting a love letter.
 But the fun loving mandarin knew what he was about. He was not with out experience in these matters. and he wanted to punish Clementine a trifle and bring her to the proper con. dition of seriousness.
 And Clementine was feeling the situ. ation with all the sobriety that was de sirable. She had suspected all sum- mer that Randall had tender feeling for her which she felt qualified to re. ciprocate, but she was proud girl and could not by feathers weight infiu- ence the balance of his attentions Therefore behind her smiles she had been not little wounded that he had allowed her to come home without hay ing given expression to his sentiments So she, too, now took on a sober countenance and banished thought and regret by Joining several new clubs and taking membership in two or three ! more charitable organizations.
 Just before Christmas Randall one day experienced in his breast sort ot imperative intimation-perhaps direc from the slant eyed mandarin, wht knowsfthat he might hear of some thing to his advantage If he should gC down to the city and call upon Clemen tine; so after some futile resistance tC the message he betook himself thither
 He was graciously received by Glenn entine-that Is, graciously enough fol young man who had played ths | hinei "ilH Hef luNiSlpis aHecuonS- and he seated himself in a cozy chail near the pretty table which held his old friend-the blue Jar.
 As he talked with Clementine, lit tie constraint being apparent on bott sides, he toyed with the lid of the Jar and the slant eyed mandarin appeared to wink at him three times very know ingly.
 Under some occult but imperativ, pressure Randall removed the lid an( touched with his finger the silken tex ture of some mysterious contents. Curiosity further constrained him and he pulled from the bosom of th, now Jubilant mandarin pale blue ar ticle of singular description for parlol