The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1901-10-24
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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 a
ocular 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 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 Glenn
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 in
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 bust
ness Several times Randall fancied
he had found her in sober and prop
erly receptive frame Of mind, when
with a trifing 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
Gilman?
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 it in the robust bosom Of the
old blue mandarin.
eff she finds it before she goes home,
it is all right" said the timorous. ador-
ing fellow, land If she doesn't find 1t
until afterward it will be all right toe"
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
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 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 it on a dainty
table in her pretty parlor-with a self
congratulatory thought that it was so
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 Midtown. as you may imagine,
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
he wanted to punish Clementine a
tri6e and bring her to the proper con-
dition of seriousness.
And Clementine was feeling the stu
alton with all the sobriety that was de-
sirable. She had suspected all sum-
mer that Randall had a tender feeling
for her which she felt qualified to re-
ciprocate. but she was proud girl and
could not by feathers weight influ-
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 hav-
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 brea st sort of
imperative neutrality-suspicious. direc.
from the slant eyed mandarin, who
knows 9-that he might hear of some.
thing to his advantage If he should 60
down to the city and call upon Clemen-
tine; so after some futile resistance to
the message he betook himself thither.
He was graciously received by Glen.
CASAAC-lhdt Is, SlCSlOuSiy tAOuSu Luz
a young man who had played the
trifier with her invisible affections
and he seated himself in a cozy chair
near the pretty table Mlich held his
old friend-the blue jar.
AS he talked with Clementine, a lit
tie constraint being apparent on both
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 imperative
pressure Randall removed the lid ant
touched with his finger the silken tex
ture Of some mysterious contents.
Curiosity further constrained him
and he pulled from the bosom of thu
now jubilant mandarin a pale blue ar
ticle Of singular description for parlol
ornament. and, following it, he extri
Gated pale pink strip Of similar shape