Arizona republican., 1910-07-05

Mary ChatWOOd felt her courage weakening among these things The importance of winter voyage to the Mediterranean seemed likely to dwndle in the contemplation of any part ot these as the possible price, John Chatwood too, was thoughtful When he spoke his voice had husky sound, and the words did come freely.
 IT suppose l might sell one of-the blue Per slans Mary. Kisansian has made a standing offer of thousand for it. You see, there only those in the world, and he knows the price will go up. Of course, when Pm gone-that s-I mean
 Suppose we look through the dining room, John"
 But ill the dining-room most of the things were really for With the exception of few cages and copper things there little that Mrs. Chatwood herself would have been willing to spare. She led the way to the basement stairs where, be- low in the hall and in the two rooms especially shelved and fitted the greater portions of the splendid bottle and copper collections that were the pride of John Chatwood's heart and had made his name familiar to collectors everywhere. Chatwood followed with the air of a man going to receive sentence.
 It was dark in the basement, but suddenly Mary Chatwood touched a button in the wall and the place was flooded with blaze of electric light. Yet
 it not such light as may be found in the splen- dor of the gided hotel, in the onyx and marble palaces of the truly rich It was q light caught up and reflected and multiplied by thousand furnished surfaces refracted through a myriad of crystal shapes and marvellous hues. until the whole became such a coruscation of living color might lm- agine for Aladdn,s
 Perhaps because there were so many together, because some of them seemed rather less human in their associations, Mary Chatwood cared less tor these things. Still there the old samovars from which had been drawn for generations, and the holy lamps and drinking cups and odd pots, smooth with the polish of vanished hands. Then there the scent bottles of old Persia that some slender throated of long ago had prized and filled with such marvel of perfume that now, when she was dust and ashes these centuries, the trace of it still fingered. Mrs Chatwood did not care to part with these. Beside, they were Johns very soul-she knew that. To sell these, any part of them, meant for him real sorrow. Yet in her heart she did not mean to surrender. She had planned her trip too long. It was her one great de- sire, and she meant to hold fast
 Then, it for him, well He needed it. In the blaze of light that reflected his face and slverng hair she thought he looked old and worn And she wished he would not be still If only he would object and protest she could urge and combat and get the matter settled o-hand But Chatwood merely walked slowly down side and up the other observ- ing now and then in tired far-away voice that he seemed trying, for her sake to make cheerful how he had bought this in place and found that another
 T picked up that melon-shaped samovar in junk shop one night, OH the lower East Side. It was al! green and dented then and got 1t for the price of old metal There chances, now. All the junk dealers have got smart and people have literally raked the shops for anything that looks like old copper That's worth to-day fifty times what paid for it, and some day, when Pm-l mean
 Mary Chatwood touched the button that shut of the light.
 Come upstairs, John to the second ioor where the bird cages are.
 They ascended to the east room, where walls and ceiling and floor covered with the curious gilt and silver and reedlattced homes of hundred silent songsters. Some of the cages still occupied not by living singers, but by their stuffed remains perhaps brighhued imitation little birds to give the pretty prison dwellings air of life There cages of every land-cages of of the far Pacific islands-insect cages from Japan, made tall so that the eaping mnshi grasshoppersi singer can exercise-one rare glass cage from old Venice, and finally the rarest of all, curious little Delft cage of the only three known be in existence Some how in the atmosphere of this rather chilly and cheeress roomempty but for these lfeess and voceless cages Mary Chatwood regained courage.
 "Now. John' she began "you might just as well part with some of these cages They of no up here. They are not very beautiful stored they are and have all need for ornament, down stairs. Some of these cost lot of money and should bring enough to pay for journey. l won't say a word about the copper and bottles and other things They are all beautiful and have place for them But these cages--of course, they pretty and interesting too, in their waybut they simply fill up this room to no special purpose, and you've lot in the garre beside. 1 didn't know you had many until I went up there yesterday. I'm quite sure hadn't some of them before
 Chatwood did not find words at once When he did, he said:
 "Mebbe have one or two you haven't seen Perhaps you out when they in I guess l thought yod wouldn't for them very much"
 But do care John. l for them great deal, and especially as know you care Only have got to take that trip John and if it to sell something, then let it be the cages"
 q don't know as they'll bring their value Mary-not yet You see, people haven't begun much bird cages they have old copper and such things Of course, some day-mebbe when I'm"
 Never mind about some day. It. now gong to take that trip, John. If you get anything for them at ail-what you paid less-let them go. It's really wrong to do it You need the trip more than do. thought as looked at you while ago, and here go on year after year, until by and by won't anything about it, for these things either Anyway sell enough to pay for this trip and buy them back or others like them, after we get home"
 But John Chatwood shook his head
 If we sell any, we'll sell all Mary The collection is about complete it stands. and it wouldn't do to break it. You're right. though, about the trip and .uev oke I'll KinSievc artctio tomorrow, and let him advertise the sale for next week"
 And then, all at once, Mary Chatwood was in his arms, crying and sobbing his shoulders declaring that he the best in the world, and that he shouldn't do any such thing-not for her-no never
 And, of course this made John Chatwood all the firm in his good resolve, though Mary in all honesty had not meant 1t to do so yet none the less happy to know that they really going She consoled herself with the thought that John would be glad too when at last they their way. He