The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1921-07-08
A Vase From Aunt
Mary
GO. 1921. Western Newspaper Union. }
BY WILLIAM FALL

PEG pafcel was nanueQ 10 her by the
postman. II just know that it's some
thing odd, George"
1T must be odd, because Aunt Mary
was odd" She was queer little old
spinster, with the kindest heart and
the crankiest manners that ever went
into combination. She had always
kept the warmest spot in her heart for
George Strang, her handsome artist
nephew.
And now that he had married pretty
able, If not affiuent circumstances, she
had sent him wedding gift.
"A china vase!" exclaimed George
Strang in disgust as he eyed the queer
looking object i'm his hand.
1t was, indeed, the most repulsive
1t was rotund and highly decorated
with painted pink roses, and upon 1t
was printed in small, black letters:
"YOu may break, you may shatter
the vase il you will.
"But the scent Of the roses will cling
to it STILL"
Blank" said George. 1t was not
"blank," that he said, but it sounded
like that. because Lucy promptly
closed his mouth with her hand.
"She might have sent me something
that we could keep on our mantel,'
said George Strang ruefullly, looking
upon the object with a shudder.
'But it must be on view, George
DEAR" said Mary.
But George refused pojht-blank to
have the thing in their living room.
"She knows it's horrible, Lucy" he
said, "and if she wants to quarrel with
me let her have her way"
Which was precisely what she did
have. For few days later Aunt
Mary did come up to town from Bay
ards Bridge and did drop in unexpect-
eddy, and the mantel was bare save
for two antique Pompeiian vases.
"Well, my dear" said the old lady,
taking in the situation instantly, 81
must say that I admire those Orna-
ments upon your mantel greatly. ]
fear my own poor efforts to please you
and George must have been singularly
unsuccessful. And, incidentally, l
shall bestow my money where 1t will
be likely to promote greater service"
And with these words she s,alked
out of the apartment, leaving Lucy in
tears.
She told George Of the happening
when he returned from his studio.
"Give me that internal vase" he
shouted.
But Lucy hid the vase from him.
"She wanted to see how far she
could CO." said George Strang gloom
fly. "It was test. She couldn't real
ly have liked that vase. Well, let her
do her worst"
And Aunt Mary did her worst speed
sly, for she took 1t into her grabbed
old mind to have sudden seizure q
week later and die. But she had had
time to carry her threat into effect.
ITO my nephew George" the will
read, 81 bequeath the china vase which
is now in his wife's possession"
Yet, after all. 1t seemed that Aunt
Mary had had singularly little to
leave. For what she did leave to the
dozen nephews and nieces amounted
to exactly nine y-seven dollars and
eighteen cents apiece.
George" said Lucy In tears, when
they got home from the funeral. "if
Aunt Mary has any knowledge Of what
Is happening now, don't you think 1t
would please her IL we kept the vase
on our mantel after all?"
81 tell you what Wen do" said
George "We'll put it ON the mantel
each anniversary Of her death as q
peace Offering"
Lucy brought 1t out Of its place Of
eoncpalment and deposited II beside
the POmpeiian Jars. George looked at |
it-than, suddenly overcome by pas
sion, he dashed Il to the floor. The |
vase broke into thousand pieces.
"Georger' exclaimed his wife |
wretcbcdy. "How could you have the |
heart to do that? Dear Aunt Mary ! |
Why-tl ere's paper inslde!"
BILLS" shouted George Strang, as |
he unfolded It, And he shook out, one |
after another, nine bills Of the value |
of thousand dollars apiece.
Look There's a letter." said Lucy |
Strang, picking up piece Of paper |
covered with Aunt Marys queer, crab
bed hieroglyphics.
"My dear, hot-headed nephew"
George read aloud. Forgive cranky |
old woman who loves you with all her
heart. know how you will hate this |
vase. II you are hypOcrlte enough to
keep it, or unkind enough to give Il
away, you will never read this note.
But IL you are honest enough to fol-
low your impulse and shatter 1t you
will be glad and forgive your loving
old aunt"
Dear old Aunt Mary" said George
Strang "Lucy, dear, I'm going to have
the old thing glued together and keep
1t in memory Of her"
"Not-not--" began Lucy.
"Yes, dear, upon the living room
mantel."