Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1926-06-02
The Brass
Plaque
BY CLARISSA MACkIE
(Copyrig ht.)

(Copyrtght)
LIVERY morning at nine o'clock.
~ Faith Lantry passed the antique
shop, and she always found time to
gaze in the window at the various
pieces Of china, glass, pottery, pewter
brass, or what not, occasionally find
ing something within her limited
means as a newspaper writer to add
to her cozy room in a nearby mol
dering brown-stone block.
This summer morning, the little old
shopkeeper was rearranging his win
dow. There was nothing but metal
displayed. Such an assortment of tar
nished silver, Sheffield plate, crusted
brass and copper, green with neglect.
Someone else crowded into the narrow
window space but Faith did not look
up.
"The lovely plaque!' she murmured
to herself moving toward the door of
the shop.
At that moment the shopkeeper was
tapping a furnished brass disk with a
crooked forefinger. He glanced up at
the tall young man in spectacles who
grinned back cheerfully at him. and
beckoned him into the shop. The
young man laughed and ran down the
steps into the dusty little place. AS
the door changed behind him. he looked
around and saw the girl with the big
dark eyes who had stood beside him
outside.
The shopkeeper crawled out of the
window and looked at his two Gus
toners in a sociable way.
"Tll bet it's the sundial," he nodded
wisely.
"There is no price on it," said Faith
give dollars to you, miss" said the
man promptly.
She shook her head and turned
away. If he had only said '"Three
1loIlars!"
give dollars is lot for that plate"
said the youth frowning. 'Its sun
dial plate, isn't it, and the marker is
gone"
81 have the marker somewhere" said
the other. ITS very old, sir, and
there's engraving on tiff you can
make it out"
"Let me see it, please" said John
Wayne with more interest.
Faith fingered nearby, meaning to
hold the plate in her hand If she
could. She wanted that sundial that
once had stood in some old garden,
and marked only sunny hours" as
most of them declare What fun 1t
would be to clean it little by little, and
under the crust of verdgris and dirt.
suddenly see the polished brass shin
ing out What a brilliant corner it
would make in her little workshop!
The sundial would form the nucleus
for that dream garden she would have
some day-with a rockery where grew
sweet alyssum, live forever, myrtle and
other trailing plants What was that
odious shopkeeper saying now?
give dollars too much for the sun
dial, Ell? If you both want it and
neither one wants to pay five dollars
for it, why don't you buy it together?'
A horrifi d silence fell over the
dusty shop. The man, looking star
tied, turned dark red and shot swift
glance at the slender girl with the
brief case.
"What do you mean?" she asked
haughtily. 1--WE are total strangers !"
The antique dealer was taken aback.
I'm sorry, indeed, miss, l beg your
pardon. I thought you were two
young people together, both looking
at the sundal together in that way.
never meant anything"
The girl bowed very sweet ac-
acknowledgement of the apology and
turned to go.
81 might sell that plate for three
dollars, miss" broke in the shOpkeeper
contritely.
Faith turned tempted. II wanted
it for my garden" she murmured visit
fully.
Have you got pedestal?' asked
the man eagerly. give got one here
Faith broke into silvery laughter
"Excuse me- it is very funny,
haven't even got the garden, but some
day I shall have one, and l was be-
ginning with the sundial."
AS she went away with the precious
package under her arm, little smile
curved her lips.
She left the sundial in her desk,
and went out to speak to the Sunday
editor who had given her an assign
ment to write something about my
Grandmother's Garden"
"Here you are, Miss Lantry! greet
ed Mr.. Smith, the editor, II want to
present John Wayne, the landscape
painter who is going to let us make
some pictures of his wonderful gardens
at Grasmere, to illustrate your article"
Faith was shaking hands with the
specialized young man Of the antique
shop. But John was speaking.
"If you will allow me, Smith. I'd like
to illustrate. that article myself
there's corner Of my grandmother
garden with a sundial that would nj