The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-09-12
THE OLD
BLUE JAR
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Before Clementine went down to
Midtown for the summer she made up
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 q
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 1t to Clementine she would
have a dreadfully lonesome feeling
every time she stood on chair to dust
the old clock, the shells, the peddler
vases, the leather fans and other COM
panions of It's lofty abode But Glen.
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-
thlzed with her lively admiration for
the antique and unique In china and
was glad that she had attained her
hearts desire. but n more absorbing In
terest possessed his manly breast.
Clcmcntine was going home In the
morning and he had been trying In
van for several days to get the feeble
courage of his ardent convictions up
10 the dPclarative point She was such
lively, fun loving girl, and love, you
know, Is such intensely serious bust
ness. Several times Randall fancled
he had found her in a sober and prop
erly receptive frame of mind. when
with n tri',.ug jest she would defeat
his intention and put the little god to
flight.
Now, however, when the slant eyed
mandarin on the blue jar wlnked at
him through TIE vines. Randall said to
himself enthusiast ically:
well, old hoy. that's the very thing!
Thank you for tie bright idea! Are
they all as clever rs you are over in
China?"
That night. in his room under the
caves, he constructed an eloquent let
ter to Clementine and in the early
morning sneaked into tie parlor and
deposited II liz the robust bosom Of the
old blue mandarin.
"If she fiTds ii before she goes home,
1t is all right, said the timorous ador.
ing fellow. and if she doesn't find 1t
until afterwa.d II 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. TINT
the precious article might take no risks
of breakage In its 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 be
would then bear from her
Now, Clemintine was n girl who al
ways had great many things on her
mind. and when she had unpacked the
treasured jar and placed 1t on a dainty
table In her pretty parlor-with a self
congratulations thought that II was so
respectable TO have things that ones
relative had brought from Chlna-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 Midtown. az you may imagine,
Randall waited for the answer to hfs
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
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
trifie and bring her to the proper con-
dillon of seriousness
And Clementine was feeling the stu
alton with all the sobriety that was de-
slrable. She had suspected all sum-
mer that Randall had tender feeling
for her which she felt qualified to re-
ciprocate, but she was a proud girl and
could not by a feathers weight influ-
ence the balance Of his attentions
Therefore behind her smiles she had