Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-02-17
The Washington Plate

Don't think it is fair" cried Net
tie Bourn. ITO think that one hor-
rid old plate should make all this
trouble! 1t was mean of Uncle John
10 make will like that"
HE didn't make a will like that"
continued Harry Warren. How was
he to know that one of the plates
should be broken between his death
and the reading Of the will? He was
fair enough. He left one to your
mother and one to my father. Sure
ly that was fair division OF the two
His intention was all right"
"Well, them" said Nettie, stamp
ing a very pretty little, foot, "it's
shameful that our parents should be
80 horribly stubborn as to fight over
one miserable old plate"
"You can't blame them, exactly"
defended Harry, charitably. you've
had your fads and you know how 1t
is. Your mothers collection OF china
is so close to my fathers that the
possession of that single plate would
determine the supremacy. Natural
ly each one wants 1t, and they are
going to fight for it."
"And in the meantime We can't
even announce our engagement"
walled Nettie, sto say nothing of get
ting married"
1--WE don't want to get married un-
til spring." reminded Harry, optim-
istically. Something will turn up
before then--if have to turn it up
myself"
Ever since Jason Pomfret's will
had been read, and it was found that
| the two famous Washington plates
were left to his brother, Silas War
| rem, and to Martha Bourn, there had
been a bitter warfare wagsd between
the two legatees.
| In the hustle of preparing for the
| funeral one of the plates had been
/ broken beyond the skill of the most
| expert member to put together, and
Mrs. Bourn and Silas Warren, who
were both a little mad on the subject
Of china, had taken the matter into
the courts, each insisting that the re-
naming plate was the one Jason
Pomfret had repeatedly indicated as
the one he wished the claimant to
have.
But Harry did not let the grass
grow under his feet. He went to
see his closest friend, Dick Lyons.
who was noted as an expert in old
porcelains.
II dent want to see you get the
worst of this row over that Wash
ington plate,' he said when he had
aroused her curiosity sufficiently.
"Pve often studied that collection OF
Jason Pomfret's and other experts
had always agree with me that his
Washington plates were not genuine
The plate that is left Is merely a
copy of the real ones-an aWfully
good copy, you know, but bogus for
all that
Don't tell me that" she command
ed with a sniff. I've seen the plate
a hundred times and know very wei
that It is a real Washington"
Look here" suggested Dick. "Yor
can look the plate over closely Sc
long as YOU don't take it out of the
executors office. You've seen 1t
hundred times, but you never looked
at it with doubt because you TOOK
for granted that it was what Pom
fret said it was. You look it owe
carefully and you'll get the cred
COR dropping the fight over a plat
that is not worth fighting over"
"If this is a trick" began Mr.
Bourn, and she paused.
Its not a trick" assured Lyon
: as he turned away.
at is the same that took from tn
cabinet" declared the lawyer tartlS
: not relishing the suggestion that wa
: conveyed in their demands.
\ "It's not that" Mrs. Bourn hasten
|. ed to explain. 1--WE always had a
. Idea that the plate was not genuin
1 and l want to make certain that tn
: plate is worth fighting over"
: Funny you never though of tha
l before" commented Silas Ware
: suspiciously. 1--WE always had m
r doubts" he added with the colle'
!. tors vanity and pride in his know
a ledge. Harry told me the othe
/ night that one Of his friends also ha
v expressed his doubts. I'm going
= bring another expert In"
= II don't think that will be nece
4 sary." hatily said Mrs. Bourn, eagt
to maintain her reputation as kee
= collector who could not be deceive
= "Now that / look at 1t carefully +
| AL. oh oil claim Tn III
- legacy. It's not at all genuine.
> II don't want ever to see it again
= he declared. ITO think that chez
q. copy should have spoiled our frien
ship all these months! That's wor
= than the loss of the plate. We us'
to be pretty good friends, Martha.
y. 1--WE can be good friends sti
le Silas,' she reminded.
70 Lets go out and have lunches
to and talk 1t over" suggested Sila
and they talked it over with su
t. good effect that they went from the
r to the jewelers., and when they car
out solitaire on the widows fling
announced that she expected shor'
e. to change her state Of loneliness.
~ Nettie and Harry, watching acre
III the street, smiled at each other.
THAT will simplify matters gre
lis DEAL" declared Harry in tones
D. relief. "We'll give them the Was
ington plate for a wedding presen
It "But that's not worth anythln
a objected Nettie.
n "The real one u.s." explained Har
as 'In a good cause the end justif
,r the means. l got Benson's clerk
~ exchange the plates. 1t cost S.
NJ copy that had the same pattern.
IN was worth it, for it brought abb
\. q double wedding and Quadru
happiness"
Aisle of the Car in a Railroad Wre
"a, A veteran railroad man gave pit
-, Of valuable advice not long ago.
~o,, nv,r~ ~~k int mpnok ~