The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-03-19
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
The japanese jug.
BY SYLVIA TURNER.
Copyright, 1918 by the Mcclure

- and tired of these baby white
elephants that people call wedding
gifts don't know what to do, and it's
blue and white. Imagine that with
Jacobean furniture and duh olive deco
fetions think I'll put it in the bath
room. It goes beautifully with the
white thing"
',Yon poor fIsh-"
sBennie-"
= mean goldfish, darling. Don't
you know the value Of that thingr
The recent bridegroom stood before
the long, dark oak table beaming on
the object that had Just emerged from
many WF9pplngs. 1t was nearly two
fest high-a jug Of blue and white
porcelain. About it coiled in sinuous
folds q most engaging dragon.
Uncle Barnaby has collected Chi
lese porcelains ever since can re.
member" informed the young hrs-
band. II am sure it is worth its
weight in gold. Wen have to make a
place for it somewhere. II were in
your place would get 4 pedestal"
What kind OF a pedestal?" asked
Evelyn, scornfully.
"0h, a sort Of white one." Ben tried
to make his tone genial. you know
what mean. The kind they put them
on up at the museum"
Il know" she said, gIoomily. par
Ian marble. "Just bring me half a doz
en- when you come home, dearest"
Ben eyed the jar appraisnGly.
"l'll bet could bring hundred If
had what that is worth" he said. "You
know, Eve, Uncle Barnaby's the queer.
est old duffer He lives all alone at
Crag-y-More up on the hudson His
name is Barnaby Wynne.Joncs, and he
was born in Wales haven't seen him
since was in knee brooches. believe
he has general suspicion that every.
body is after his money, and that has
sort of alienated the family bet If he
could see my bride he'd be glad that he
sent such gift"
"The dear old thing" Evelyn said,
happily. Lets invite him down for
week. Perhaps he'd take a fancy to
you, and do something wonderful"
The following month Uncle Barnaby
arrived. He was q little, light-eyed,
alert man, with not very much to say,
but, nothing escaped his ken. Almost
the first thing he spied was the porce.
lain jar on its pedestal in the sunny
dining room. Evelyn had put tall
strays of Towering almond in it and a
Japanese print on the wall behind 1t.
The pedestal was Of ivory white, after
all, but it really made very attrac.
tive corner,
"Humph!" said the old gentleman.
Looks pretty good, doesn't it?"
I'VE prize 1t highly" Ben answered
reyerently. And Eve added:
i've been up to the library and read
up all about Japanese and Chinese por.
ceiains."
"You did, did you? Then you prob.
ably found out that this is an imita.
ton"
The silence in the dining room for
moment was unbroken. Eve did not
dare look at Ben. She was thinking
very rapidly. An almost irresistible
temptation 10 laugh stole over her. At
least she had kept Ben from buying an
expensive pedestal to put the jar on.
eyes" Uncle Barnaby went on, pleas.
antly, II natter myself it's one of the
best limitations have ever seen. had
q lot Of them made before started dis
posing Of my collection. / don't sup
pose you heard, Ben, two of the COM
panies had stock in went up in
smoke, so to speak. I've been riding
close to the wind for good many
years. One reason why / came down
here was to look around quietly for a
tidy little job OF some sort. l haven't
told anybody else in the family about
this, but you've always been a steady
going. sort Of boy, and you were coun.
try bred, too. I'll tell you, Ben, Chi.
nese porcelains and Japanese jars
can't satisfy a man when he's lone.
sone.r'
"The worst Of it is" Ben told his
wife that night you can't tell wheth.
er he's Joking or in earnest. He's
regular old Bre'r Rabbit for cleverness.
He's Just as liable to tell US all that
lust to see how wen take it and how
we'll treat him. l don't believe he's
lost everything he had"
Well, I'll tell you,' Evelyn was
braiding her long brown hair thought.
fully, as she sat before the threshold
mirror Of the dressing table. Lets
treat him just as if we believed every
thing he said. There's one comfort, il
the old thing does get broken now,
It doesn't matter. I'm rather sorry
invited Miss Rutherford up for tea to
look att"
Don't tell her." advised Ben.
"0h, but she'll know. she's q con.
noisseur on porcelains."
The following Saturday Ann Ruther.
ford arrived. Uncle Barnaby's back
vas turned as she entered the room.
Although she was past forty Evelyn
thought what a stunning looking won.
an she was. She was recognized
authority, because Of her own beauti-
fnl collection. AS Uncle Barnaby
turned and saw her look OF utter
amazement spread over his face, while
she gave little exclamation OF pleas.
ure. why, Mr.. Wynne-Jones, TO think
% seeing you down here in New York
81 this time OF the year. You've como
Tor the Creighton auction, haven't you?
The pieces are marvellous, hear"
After she had gone the old man
beamed happily at Evelyn.
Found me out, didn't you" he
asked. Well, did come down for
that sale. and your jars a real one.
Just wanted to try you out, and l