The Virginia enterprise., 1907-12-13

Gertrude looked meditatively at
the open letter lying upon the sheet
she was hemming. 1t was addressed
to her sister and was written in
large, slanting hand on the thickesI
of parchment note-paper, which ex-
haled an odor Of heliotrope. The
writer was Mrs. De Councey Barris-
tow, the president of the Humane So
ciety, and she informed Miss Fitz-
hugh that all arrangements having
been completed for the art loan ex-
hibition, for the benefit of society,
she ventured to ask from them the
loan of two or three family heirlooms,
feeling that they must have many
treasured relics Of by-gone genera
t1ons which could not fail to be of in
terest to the general public. She
promised that everything intrusted to
her care should be carefully guarded
and returned intact at the close Of
the exhibition.
II don't see that there is anything
to be done except to tell her frankly
that we have nothing to lend" said
Gertrude calmly.
Eyes; and have her look complete
ly overwhelmed with SURPRISE; beg
my pardon, and say she is 50 sorry,
and that she wouldn't have asked me
for the world, If she dreamed for a
single moment that we could not CON-
ply with the request. Oh. know
her! I know her only too we'll.
IF I could only beg, borrow, or
Gertrude! !" Amy sprang up suddenly
from the old lounge on which she had
thrown herself. II have it! That
box belonging to our revered great
aunt! In that
'Oh, Amy, you wouldn't, you
couldn't open that"
"Yes; I would and I could-unde-
these desperate circumstances. Where
would be the harm? Aunt Reliance
is in California and would never be
any the wiser, and there is no end Of
old china in that box. I'll get the
hatchet and open it now. Glorious
thought"
Gertrude looked grave. Her old
great-aunt, Reliance, was so exacting,
and so imrerious, that all her rela-
t1ves stood in awe of her. The previ-
Gus fall, on going to California to
spend the winter, she had sent large
box to Miss Jane, with the request
that it should be stored until her re-
turn. Incidentally, she mentioned in
the accompanying letter that the box
contained the superb antique vase
which had been left to her by ma
ternal uncle, and the white and yel-
low f1owered teapot which had be-
longed to her grandmother Fftzhugh.
Amy, who had once paid a visit to
Miss Reliance, recollected both heir
looms perfectly, and had described
them minutely to Gertrude.
Suppose the things should be
broken?" said Gertrude.
I'VE won't suppose anything so un-
likely" rejoined Amy, who was in
high spirits. now that she had solved
her perplexing problem.
Amy received most ELUSIVE letter
from Mrs. Barristow, in which she as
serted that she could never be suffi-
ctently grateful for the privilege of ex-
hibiting heirlooms so beautiful and so
rare, and would hold herself respon-
sible for their safety.
The Art Loan Exhibition-thanks
to the tireless energy of the efficient
president of the Humane society
was a pronounced success. People
were pleased at the idea Of exhibiting
their family relics, and of having an
opportunity to air their pride of
birth; and those who did not contrib
ute came to criticise, admire and gos-
sip.
Amy and Gertrude arrived a little
late, and after a ramble around the
room stationed themselves near the
table on which the fat teapot and the
top-heavy vase had a conspicuous
place. Upon each was a card bearing
the words: Loaned by Miss Fitz-
hugh" And Amy felt a momentary
pride as she called Gertrude's atten.
tion to them.
While they were standing there, Mrs.
Barristow came rushing up to them.
her face radiant.
Here you are, mounting guard over
your beloved treasures, I see." she
cried, In her most cordial voice. "How
can 1 ever thank you sufficiently. my
dears, for lending them? That teapot
is just too sweet for anything, and the
vase is a perfect love! They havc
been so much admired! assure YOU.
my dears, nothing in the whole e.
hibition has attract"
"Look out! Look out there!" cried
loud voice, and man came rushing
toward them, waving his arms fran.
tically.
Amy looked around, then up-tust
in time to see q large oil portrait.
which hung above the table by which
they were standing, plunge forward.
The next instant there was an av.
full crash, the sound Of which rang in
her ears for many q day, and :, the
portrait lay in the middle Of the table
among those hallowed relics Of the
past. s. H. :s....=:< ..= :. :.
For a few moments she was too
much dazed to realize exactly what
had happened; then, she became con-
scious that people were uttering ex.
clamations OF dismay and regret. and
she felt Gertrude's hand on her arm.
he teapot = 81 50 pieces g Ger.