The Washington times., 1901-11-17

the days of Charles de NervaI. Bert
handled the cups and ssucers as n youn
| father handles his first born. He gaze
| long and reyercutly into the wonderfu
| deeps and shadows Of their mysteriou
blue surfaces, with the capricious Httl
| ripples and rufiles OF Ilynter color. lik
wind flaws on the bosom of a mountain
tarn. or as though the mischievous lips o
a child had blown on the molten color il
the furnace. But when Dick set befor,
MIN the little round bowls with the Gu
rious little beakers inside them, he sar
down suddenly In a chair and said, "oh
Lord! and no other word for full fifteer
minutes. and 1t you ever met BERTHE yot
Know what that means.
Then he asked quietly. DO you know
anything about their history? They must
have history"
Dick said. Yes. Here's their little
story" He produced the ancient Bible
and turned to hy-leaf between the Old
and New Testaments. on which was in
scroed record of the family of Joannc
from the year 1913. when Pierre jeanne
Oh Rochelle married Guenfre Chavannes
OF Montauban. right down to 1850, when
another Pierre Joanne at Sevres married
one Marcelle Dupiessis, and their daugh-
ter GueDfre was, born at Chelsea the fol-
lowing year; and so on again to the year
1870 when the Guenfre jeanne who sat
listening on the other side of the table
was born at Derby, On the back of this
leaf, in the cramped hand of Pierre Jo-
anne of Sevres- himself, was the follow
ing:
Il leave as an inheritance to those who
follow me the two small rose-water bowls
and beakers which l made by command
of S. NJ. the Kinss as a present for Nine
des Etoiles-"
La Pompadour," said Miss Geergie; q
know her. in q tone which in itself alonu
was concentrated libel, though doubt
less counsel on the other side would have
admitted Justification and would possibly
have retired from the case
5. NJ. did not ike the shape, and bade
me keep them and make others after his
ows design. which therefore pleased him
better. though they were not by any
means equal to those l had made-(Sign-
cd PIERRE JoANNE. Sevres, 17eO"
That's enough" said BERTHE, quietly.
They're worth little fortune"
Next day he introduced Dick to Burgh-
ley. of the firm of Burghley, Boyson &
Co, who. he said. had knocked down
more old china than any man in England.
They described the bowls and beakers,
and he read the writing of Pierre jeanne
He asked why they hadn't brought one
down fo~ him to look at, and Dick con-
fessed that since he had become aware Of
their value the earth logan to leave un-
der his feet when he took one into his
hand.
What do you value them at?" asked
Il don't know. said Dick. "but some
thing quite enormous"
So bprghley grew Interested, and con-
sented to go over with him that evening
to Rochellaine toylook at them.
Yes" he said. after a critical exami-
nation; they're all right suppose you
want all you can get for them?"
We'll, we don't exactly want to give
them away" said Dick. You see, they
are this young lady's patrimony"
II would like you to give me a month";"
said Burghley. ''and then come along to
the sale yourself You'll meet some
zwells there. Are the other things to be
sold, too?"
Yes" said Dick. who had fully discuss
I'd the natter with Gwen and the old la
lies; 'all you see. Miss jeanne is keep
ng all she wants.
One month later he was sitting in
5urghley &c Boyson's big saleroom with
Gwen and Miss George and Berthe, who
vas pointing out celebrities to them so
very glibly that Miss George felt doubt
ul as to the genuineuess of his inforrna-
ion. He had a name for everybody with
ut a moments hesitation-whether the
light name or not 1 am not quite sure.
some of them were household words, and |
ome merely wealthy collectors quite un-
lnown outside their own special lines.
See that little chap in the round hat |
here, at the end of the table" said the i
BERTHE. He looks as if he'd be |
he better of a twopenny wash and brush |
p. I've seen him spend five thousand |
ounds in a single day on china in this |
cry room. and he didn't set very much /
or the money, either-not to look at, any
ray"
Then Burghley took up the parable and
OF TO business. and in due time. and aft
r a special Introductory speech, came
D the jeanne china Four cups and
aucers sold rapidly for three hundred
nd fifty pounds each; six plates produced
ne thousand five hundred pounds. and
hen came THE Pompadour Bowls and
as he called them.
Every possible purchaser had already
ad the opportunity of inspecting them to
is hearts content during the
me they had been on view in
urghley's private Office. Neverthe-
ss. they were brought out now and
It up on high on the rostrum to stimu-
tie weak-kneed bidders. 1t had been de-
ded TO offer the two lots separately:
zen, If the purchaser of the first set
anted the second set also. and could
ford It, il was open to him to try for II.
If the two sets had been offered
one lot. the circle of buyers must have
zen considerably reduced.
The little rippled blue things looked
cry small and insignificant up there with
lie large Burghley playing background
them. Miss George could hardly be-
Eve her ears when the bidding ran brisk
up to $500 R69a- e70O- -aSO0-fs0o.
'Is it possible?" she murmured.
AS for Gwen, her capacity for surprise
anything the purchasers Of blue china
light do had long since been exhausted.
.