The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-06-04

How much?" when farther on she
saw an old ruby-glass scent bottle.
Half crown. lady. that's just givin
1t away. Nice little bit, eh?"
III take it for two shillings," ven.
tured Helen.
It's yours, mum. Anything else?
Got 'em all down to war prices"
Il may come back this way later"
murmured Helen. wondering if she had
offered too much. She might have got
ten il for one and six.
Hello, dug up anything?"
She started to find Warren beside
her.
"Oh. what have you got?" looking
at bulging bundle under his arm.
Never you mind. Doing little
looting on my own"
Dear, you know you mustn't pay
what they ask first, don't you?" anXi-
ously. They all ask more than they
expect to get"
See here" testify, who's doing
this? You go ahead and buy your own
junk. If l see anything .want-Tll
get it,"
Helen turned away vaguely troubled
He might buy something foolish and
pay an absurd price. Perhaps they
should have stayed together.
The next moment she was absorbed
in a particularly alluring lot from
which she finally selected an ivory
fan broken but not past mending. a
cameo pin and curious jade locket.
After some bargaining she got the
three pieces for only seven shillings.
1t was dusk now. and oil lights flick
cred over many of the stalls. IL was
q weird scene-this great dark market
space, lit only by those flaring lamps.
Some of the men were now packing
up. but many were still shouting their
wares, eager for few last shillings.
At stand farther on Helen found
an old sampler II was dated 1868,
with quaint house-and-tree design.
Did this man know its value. Her
heart beat fast at the possibility of
getting It for a few shllings
Twenty five shillings," he an
swered gruffly, as he went on packing.
"Yer'd poy three guineas at one o yer
Bond Strait shops"
So he did know Helen's hopes fell.
"Oh. couldn't pay more than
twelve" she murmured.
"Five-and.twenty's thu price, m um.
Take it or lave it"
ua1an nucbod ipJionoptlr %
wanted the sampler She passed on
slowly. hoping he would call after her.
Where was Warren? She turned
suddenly to look along the opposite
line of stalls. Ii was quite dark now.
What if they should get separated?
Her eyes strained anxiously through
that shabby. jostling crowd.
A long panic stricken moment. Then
she saw him-a few stalls back.
oh" running to him with joyous
relief. Il thought I'd missed you"
Had enough? Let's get out of this.
Which gate did we come in?"
Outside, Helen looked back over the
dimly-lit market. They had been
through only a small part of 1t, and
she thought longingly of the undis-
covered treasures in all those other
stalls
They made their way back through
the dark, squalid street to the under
ground. When they entered the train
Helen glanced anxiously at Warren's
bulky package. What had he bought?
Remembering certain purchases he
had made in the past, she mstrusted
his judgment.
Want to see it now, eh? All right.
we'll give you a treat"
He took off the crumpled newspaper
and proudly displayed a garish shell
box with a mirror on top! Helen
gulped. II was awful
Pretty good haul, eh?" fitting a
loose shell in it's red paste bed "Old
one too. How about that for ten
shillings?"
Ten shillingsl II he could throw
away ten shillings on this CHASTITY
thing-why hadn't she bought that
sampler?
What's the natter sharply. Don't
like it?"
"Oh, yes-yes," hastily. Il was
only thinking of an old sampler that
I'm sorry / didn't get"
With we'll feigned carelessness,
Warren felt in his pocket
THAT it?" tossing a small package
into her lap.
Helen tore IL open. and with a cry OF
delight held up the sampler.
oh. you dear. you dear! But how
did you know"
Was right there behind you"
In her Joy over the sampler, the aw-
full box was forgotten.
Now how about this?' Warren took
it up again. "Think,it bum, eh? Well.
IL it'll make yos feel any better--I
only paid a bob Thought it would
be. worth that" with chuekle, ito see
you glare at e."
oh" with mingled relief and re-
sentiment You spent shilling Just
to--to--"
ITO get you going. Had to have
some fun out OF this blooming trip,