The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-05
Euening Story
The Little Luster-Ware.
Pitcher,
By BARBARA KERR.

ing rain. LAS If papa told it. to,
grumbled Renie Martin, whose para
mount interest in life just now was the
quest of a walnut chair to match
suite that had been her grandmother's.
Judge Martin did not sympathize. But
nothing would have kept Renie at
home after Mr.. Berry, the second
hand man, had telegraphed her and
told her of country sale where some
walnut furniture was to be sold. He
said;
They're rich carved, were in the
HOLSTER family back east for no tell
ing how long and in Sam HOLSTERS
family here for half a century" Mr..
Sam HOLSTER was having the sale.
''It looks as If the quest was over,
motherI" cried Renie; that is. If you
can stand the drive, for we'll take a
jitney and go out to that sale"
Mrs. Martin had been on a milk diet
till her strength was rather OF that
variety and she knew the trip would
lay her up. but she reflected that the
next day was Sunday. So what mat
tered it il she were sick for one day,
If her husband did not know the
cause OF her illness?
They bundled themselves into rub
bers and mackintoshes, drank some
hot milk, climbed into the jitney and
were off.
When they reached the little coun-
try place the sale goods had been ar
ranged for the widower by neighbor
women, whose hearts were warm and
in the right place, but whose dish
water had gone stone cold. The
dishes washed first showed their pat
terms somewhat, but all smelled loudly
OF their bath. However, Renie and
her mother did not come to buy
dishes, so they picked their way thru
the tumble in the yard and on the
porches and went inside.
There they werei The old walnut
chairs with their haircloth upholster-
ing. arranged in company order. The
sofa was thanked on one side by the
rocker, on the other by the armchair
six small chairs sitting expectantly
and decorously in front. You have it,
There were too many. of them, too
good to be true! They were carved
and recarved, but not .'our chaste de-
sign" groaned Mrs. Martin.
They went out a. side door upon a
small stoop, where was a table Of
dishes. Mr.. HOLSTER explained that
the five white bowls with the blue
landscapes on them, and the bits of
straw and paper inside, were new. He
had bought them last April. was go
ing to have an oyster supper on his
birthday. but as his wife had died be-
fore that time, they'd never been used.
Never even been unpacked," vol
unteered the hushed and solemn
voice of the dishwasher at Mrs. Mar
tins elbow.
There were two large glass coal oil
lamps. One was very beautiful, with
a pink bowl, SO you did not have to
fill it with colored cotton or tissue
paper to make it look pretty. There
were all varieties of gorgeously, flow
cred dishes, representing the various
city firms who gave away dishes with
that kind of baking powder Also
there was a large glass dish. standing
high in TIA nf he fH
planted by a stack of glass fruit
saucers.
Mrs. Martin and Renie. after the
manner of true connoisseurs, noted all
this. then they looked at each other.
The Initiated could not mistake the
look. They saw a findi
In the middle of that table was a
genuine luster-ware pitcher. Peeping
from out the CRIME was the beautiful
pink-lavender house with birds of the
same hue and about the same size,
lowering over it!
Mrs. Martin carelessly picked up
the pitcher. set it in the tail glass dish
did not suit her, she would give him
a dollar for the two and return to
town
The woman who had washed the
dishes heard the esStravagant offer
and gasped. 1t affected HOLSTER
Taking the articles out of Mrs. Mar
tins hands he fesolutely put them
back on the table, and said:
No, ma'ami 1 advertised my goods
for sale. Mebbe there might be one
OF my neighbors come just for that
dish. It's meant to hold oranges. If
sold it private, they'd say, 'Hollister
never give US no chanst on that dish.
You kin bid it in" And he went to
inform his stool bidder
He was thinking only OF the dish
Mrs. Martin and Renie held a little
council. Mrs. Martin took the jitney
back to town, Renie took up the job
of watchful waiting. She noticed
among the crowd of bidders and on
lockers a young man whose dress and
manners were most engaging. She
caught his appraising eye several
times, but mindful that she was un-
chaperoned and with only one object
in view--to get that luster-ware
pitcher-she looked coldly away. How
ever. that did not prevent his gradual
~ edging his way into her vicinity.
Near by. upon a paper-covered
trunk, was another stack of dishes;
among these was another little brown
pitcher. 1t would hold three times as
much as the luster-ware, also it had
the advantage of belonging to a class
of pitchers the process of making
which is not lost, so If anything hap
the factory is still running At least
that was the argument that sold the
moving machine.
The crier leaned over the dishes to
pick up a lot. A country whisper
reached the ears of the young man:
Amt that the little brown pitcher
that town woman wanted-better bid
on i'll" He drew near and made his
bid after it was started at 10 cents
Spirited bidding followed. HOLSTERS
neighbors went up spiritedly or 10
cents at a time. The town guy. paid
$3.50 for his pitcher. much to the
amusement of Renie who knew it
could be duplicated at the 10-cent
store.
Just then some one tossed a roll of
cotton batting into the middle of the
table of dishes. The crier reached
over, picked up the cotton. stuck one
finger thru the handle of the coveted
pitcher. another thru the handle OF a
glass vinegar cruet. and holding them
a dou7ondad- s,,1.1f an, 7