Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-08-26

SOVu peOpie' tOo-WuO WOuiu give any
thing TO be guest ut our home. 10 be
able TO speak with familiarity OF our
belongings"
Antoinette. sitting on an ottoman mt
her mothers feet, clasped her hands
around her knees and thought. wrin-
king her smooth white brow In per-
| pleXity and doubt. She had remark.
able aptitude for that kind of add.
ton known as putting two and two to-
gcther.
"Pere has said positively that this
house Will be the next thing TO go.
Now, we have many beautiful pieces
or furniture, much bric-a-bra and chi.
ma that is really very good. charming
associations that make the relative
value high. You and /. dearest. will
so through the house and put q price
on what we would be willing to sell
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 greater
value"
Madame dramatically clasped her
hands.
| You do not mean we would sell our
belongings TO Il vulgar mob like com.
mon tradespeople?" she cried I'm 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 I'm the back: w
vienne her cream colored silk, the one
made out OF grandmother's ten gown.
and the violet chiffon with black vel.
| vet.
Then" she continued, 1--WE would
invite a choice few. thirty perhaps.
not more. Believe me, they will slay
, every engagement to accept an invita-
ton to the first entertainment given
| by the De In Vergnes. See. mother.
using our asset No. /. our family
name. After they have been here
some time we will casually remark:
we are going back TO New Orleans
We are distressed about our collection
OF antiques. We are going TO board
ana 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 congenlal, 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
picked up so and so. They would
hardly part with IL even TO me. ! told
madame / could not buy it, just to give
1t to me, and | would leave few gold
pieces in the cabinet for one of the
girls" Invariably 1t was followed nv
the remark. my husband thought II
rather high, but L did not considering
| the associations and so on"
Those thirty women were the envy
or every person of means in the CITY.
They schemed how they, too. could
manage an invitation. Not being a
public sale, an invitation was n neces-
silly. In about two weeks Antoinette
In her mothers name telephoned the
| chosen thirty telling each one TO bring
a rev friends-she could trust them,
she knew-and spend another after
noon at the Chateau de Fleur.
This time Il 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 end a 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
Seyres vase and some family heirooms
madame refused TO part with.
1T is n miserable shame" wept An
toinette, after we have created the de
mand, established the fad. we cannot
create the supply"
Unheard of circumstances The next
morning Antolnette drove to the city
alone and unattended nj n very early
hour.
Arriving at the telegraph Office, An
ioinette wired 10 certain dealers I'm an.
giques, little holes in the wall. I'm New
Orleans 10 ship Immediately various
articles that she named. She knew Of
those places because many Of their
beautiful pieces had found in those
stores temporary home
So events developed The De Ia
Vergnes received antiques In the back
door and sold fbem out the front door.
Every other Thursday witnessed