The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-04-10
Stealing Plate

4 don't think 1t is fair, cried Net
tie Bourn. ITO think that one horrid
old plate should make ell this tr0u-
bic! It was mean OF Uncle John TO
make a will like that"
He didn't make win like that,
contended Harry Warren. "How was
he to know that one Of the plates
should be broken between his death
and the reading Of the WIZ he was
fair enough. he left one to your
mother and one to my father. Surely
that was a fair division OF the two.
His intention was all right
well, then" said Nettie. stamping
a very pretty little foot, its shame
full that our parents should be SO hor-
ribly stubborn as to fight over one
miserable old PLATED
You can't blame them, exactly
defended Harry, charitably
And in the meantime we can't
even announce our engagement"
walled Nettie, "to say nothing Of get
ting married"
''We don't want to get married UNI
til spring., reminded Harry, optimis-
ticalIy Something win turn M be-
fore then-if / have to turn it UP
myself"
He smiled down into the worried
little face, but found no answering
smile. Ever since Jason Pomfret's
will had been read, and it was found
that the two famous Washington
plates were left to his brother. Sias
Warren, and to Martha Bourn, there
had beer a bitter warfare waged be-
tween the two Iegatees. IN the hustle
Of preparing for the funeral one Of the
plates had been broken beyond the
skill Of the most expert mender to
put together, and Mrs. Bourn and
Silas Warren, who were both a little
mad on the subject of china, had TAX
en- the matter into the courts, each in
sisting that the remaining plate was
the one Jason Ponnfret had repeated
ly indicated ais 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 porce-
lains. He had done Dick a great
favor once, and Dick did not hesitate
a moment. He managed to meet Mrs.
Bourn at an evening party.
Il don't want to see you get the
worst Of this row over that Washing
ton plate" he said when he had
Il aroused her curiosity sufficiently
Eve often studied that collection Of
Jason Pomfret'a, and other experts
had always agreed with me that his
Washington plates were not genuine. z
Don't tell me that" she command
ed with sniff. I've seen the plate a
:, hundred times and know very well
that it is real Washington.
Look here" suggested Dick. ~You
can look the plate over closely 30 long
as you don't take It out Of the execu-
tors Office. You've seen It a hum
dred times, but you never looked at
Il with doubt because you took it for
granted that It was what Pomfret
said It was. You look It over careful
II and you'll get the credit for drop
ping the fight over plate that is not
worth fighting over
III this is a trick began Mrs.
Bourn. and she paused. she could
think Of no threat terrifying enough
and her silence was more eloquent.
Its not trick" assured Lyons.
What Harry had not counted on
was that his father and Nettie's
mother should arrive at the ONCE OF
The lawyer executor at the same time.
1T is the same that / took from
the cabinet" declared the lawyer tart.
", not relishing the suggestion that
; was conveyed in their demands.
3 ITS not that" Mrs Bourn FASTENED
to explain. I've always had an idea
that the plate was not genuine and
want to make certain that the plate
Is worth fighting over"
Funny you never thought Of that
before, commented Silas Warren sus.
4 piciously. I've always had my
( doubts" he added, with the collector
vanity and pride in his knowledge
Harry told me the other night that
one Of bis friends also. had expressed
his doubts I'm going to bring an.
e other expert In.
= don't think that that win be
necessary. hastily said MRS. Bourn.
She looked douhtfully first at the
plate, then at the lawyer. The latter
Z was above suspicion even II the plate
was not with a sigh she turned Il
over to siiaa who IN turn laid It on
the desk
Y don't want ever to see It again. 2
he declared. ITO think that chear
copy should have spoiled our friend
ship all these monthsl That's worse
than TIE loss q the plate. We used
e 70 pretty 8Oou IrIendes Martha
I'VE can be good friends, stin
+ Silaa.p che reminded
! Let's 60 out and have luncheon
and talk It over" suggested silas
aud they talked it over with such
good effect that they went from there
to the jewelers. and when they came
out q solitaire On the widows finger