The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-02-03
COLLECTION or CURI0S
BY BARBARA BOYD.

They had just returned from Eur
ope; and like all returning tourists,
they had lot of what their friends
privately called junk, but which they
enthusiastically referred to as a valu-
able collection of rare curios.
Aren't these the quaintest things?"
said Anne, exhibiting some brass
hooks picked up in Holland.
"She would have brought a whole
hardware shop of them, if I hadn't
stopped her." laughed her husband
But just imagine how stunning
they'll look on the hall to hang hats
on, or-or-in the bathroom for tow
els"
81 don't believe the fiat owner will
let you put up hooks" objected a
friend.
Goodness! never thought of that"
replied Anne. She put the hooks
away thoughtfully. Then she dived in
to another box.
Did you ever see anything so hor-
ridly charming as these? she raptur-
ously exclaimed, producing several
specimens Of leering gargoyles. "They
are so ugly they are fascinating"
What are you going to do with
them?" asked a friend
well, of course, they aren't intend
ed so much for houses. That is,
don't think so. Are they?" she asked
her husband.
ooh, don't know They'll look all
fired queer, no matter where you put
them"
Tom really hasn't much taste for
quaint things" explained Anne But
thought they would look delightful
sort of peeping over the caves of the
house, like they do at the tops of
churches; or maybe-sort of sitting up
alongside the water spout"
But there aren't any caves to a
fat" objected the practical friend.
Nor water spouts, either" chimed
in another.
81 never thought Of that" replied
Anne still more thoughtfully. But l
just couldn't resist getting them"
''If you only had a chicken house."
said a cynical friend, you might set
them up there. 1 think they would be
right on the job of keeping thieves
away"
Anne ignored such irrelevancy and
very carefully brought out huge box
which she opened and tenderly drew
forth therefrom one by one some door
hinges, knockers, latches, locks and
bolts. nail heads and a bunch of enor-
nous keys.
Aren't they just dear?" she said,
looking at them with kindly eyes.
'But what in the world will you do
with a lot Of scrap iron like that?"
obtruded the practical friend.
Fix UP the doors and make them
look Old-timy. Just imagine how dis
tinguished a door will look with
latch like that" she said, picking up
piece of bent and rusty iron. "Most
of these are Spanish. Some are Ger
man. But aren't they delicious?"
But if you are taking the hard
ware off the doors of your apartment"
chorused her friends, you'll get a
call-down from the janitor"
Il suppose 1 would" admitted Anne.
81 guess the only thing for us to do
is to build"
So now, she and her husband are
hunting a location that will be a
proper setting for house sufficiently
medieval in design to bear up under
French gargoyles, Spanish locks, Ger
man latches, Florentine nail heads
and Dutch hooks. They feel there
must be a deep, dark ravine, and en-
battled crags, and some melancholy
trees such as artists put in Italian
landscapes, and church with chimes.
And snuggled out of sight, so as not
to interfere with this artistic har-
mony, they would like well-oiled
stone road, good trolley and town
with a good show or two.
And while they are hunting this To-
cation an architect is having brain
storms trying to design a house that
will be tremendously French, Span
ish, German, Florentine and Dutch,
all at one and the same time.