The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-07-28


told them Off.
Dear heart. our most valuable as
set Is Que family name. that hardly
has money value"
II am not so sure" unused Antoi-
nette. There are hordes of people
good people. too-wbo would give any.
thing to be guest at our home, to be
able to speak with familiarity of our
belongings"
Antoinette, sitting on an ottoman at
her mothers feet, clasped her hands
around her knees and thought, wrin-
king her smooth white brow In per-
plexity and doubt She had q remark
able aptitude for that kind of addi-
ton known as putting two and two to-
gether.
"Pere has said positively that this
house will be the next thing to 60
Now. we have many beautiful pieces
of furniture, much bric-a -brac and CHI
ma that is really very good. charming
associations that make the relative
value high. You and |. dearest. will
go through the house and put price
and gather them together in the music
room, library and drawing room. mix
ing them with the things we would
not part with for untold gold. That
will apparently give them a greater
/ value"
Madame dramatically clasped her
hands.
"You do not mean we would sell our
belongings to vulgar mob like COM
mon tradespeople?" she cried in hor-
ror
mo, no. We would give a little at
home or tea. very informal. You
could wear your black lace. and the
lace scarf thrown over your shoulders
would hide the hole in the back; VI
vienne her cream colored silk. the one
made out of grandmothers tea gown.
and l. the violet chiffon with black vel
vet
"Then." she continued, I'VE would
invite a choice few thirty perhaps.
not more. Believe me. they will STAY
every engagement to accept an invita-
ton to the first entertainment given
by the De la Vergnes. See. mother,
using our asset No. l. our family
name. After they have been here
some time we will casually remark:
We are going back to New Orleans,
J We are distressed about our collection
of antiques We are going to board.
and articles of such value we really
cannot store. We would be willing to
dispose of few, but cannot bear the
thought of just any one-unapprecia-
tive people. as it were-owning them"
Antoinette was so delighted with the
idea she danced all over the room.
Coming back to her mother. she kissed
her on her forehead.
After much debate and family con-
ferences the tea" was given. What
wonders. WEAKNESS and hope delayed
and anxiety for the welfare Of ones
best loved will accomplish in the way
of disintegrating self respect! Punch
was served In the library. ices and
cake in the dining room; on the We
randa were CONNECTIONS and fruit The
guests were congenial. delighted. COM
plimented and bought freely; they
were also all wealthy. Antoinette saw
to that
Every woman there took particular
pains to call Immediately on all her
best friends who were not among the
chosen and casually to refer to the
other afternoon at the De la Vergnes'
l picked up so and so. They would
hardly part with it even to me. told
madame | could not buy 1t. just to give
1t to me. aud would leave few gold
pieces In the cabinet for one of the
girls" Invariably 1t was followed by
the remark. MY husband thought it
rather high. but did not, considering
the associations and so on"
Those thirty women were the envy
of every person of means In the city.
They schemed how they. too. could
manage an invitation. Not being
public sale. an invitation was a neces-
sity. In about two weeks Antoinette
In her mothers name telephoned the
chosen thirty telling each one to bring
few friends-she could trust them.
she knew-and spend another after
noon at the Chateau de Fleur.
This time different costume was
arranged for the three ladies of the
household. The second tea" was even
greater success than the first. One
dozen of Napoleon's breakfast plates
sold for $500 and II Persian rug for
$500. The bank account was growing
to most encouraging proportions. The
trouble now was they had really few
pieces left they cared to sell. The
Sevres vase and some family heirlooms
madame refused to part with.
ut is miserable shame" wept An
toinette, after we have created the de-
mand, established the fad. we cannot
create the supply"
Unheard of circumstance! The next
morning Antoinette drove to the city
alone and unattended at very early
hour.
Arriving at the telegraph Office. An
toinette wired to certain dealers in an
tiques, little holes in the wall, in New
Orleans to ship immediately various
articles that she named. She knew of
these places because many of their
beautiful pieces had found in those
stores a temporary home.
So events developed. The De In
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