Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-05-04
The Shattered
Vase
BY WALLACE JOHNS
V1s1's'PT@s~ts-S'+e-
(Copyright.)

'ciy poIpOuS man. lie was NOT
wealthy, but he had enough to live on,
and he devoted himself to the collec-
ton of old china. Besides, Morton
Fenwick had wife, Jane, and
daughter, Bertha. Mr.. Fenwick's
word with regard to old china was
final and Mrs. Fenwlck's dlctum with
regard to "Old families" was decisive.
Mr. James Floyd was nearly as
pompous as Mr.. Morton Fenwick; and
he, too, was collector in the old
china field. Floyd had barrels and
barrels of money to back up his col
lectlng fad, but Fenwlck had the tech
nical knowledge.
Now Floyd had a son, bright
young fellow named John, who was In
love with Bertha.
The two collectors were so en-
crossed in their collecting that they
scarcely realized that their children
had grown up-still less that they
were in love with each other. 1t was
Mrs. Fenwick who discovered 1t first.
Morton" said she, shat John
Floyd is in love with Bertha and 1
really believe that Bertha is in love
with him."
Nonsense" said Fenwlck, "they
are mere children"
Perhaps" returned Mrs. Fenwick,
"but Bertha is twenty-five and John
Is a couple Of years elder. OF course,
the Floyds have no family; but they
have money; we must consider Ber-
tha's future"
Floyd's lack of family, Jane" re-
piled Fenwlck, "but should hate to
have my daughter marry the son Of
a man who makes himself laughing
stock by pretending to know some.
thing about old china"
"Father," said John Floyd one eve
ming, II want to marry Bertha Fen
wick"
"Whati" cried Floyd starting as II
bomb had been dropped beside his
chair. MARRY the daughter of that
pcmpous old ass who pretends to be
such an authority on old china2 Why,
the man is impossible Besides that
wife Of his is always talking family.
No, no. could not endure to be linked
up with those people. Try some other
girl. Besides, Fenwlck cheated me
out Of that Satsuma vase"
"Why, father" said John, you
know very well you had n chance to
buy that vase and did not do 1t. You
only recognized It's value as an artls-
tic treasure after Mr.. Fenwlck had
procured It,"
my agents deceived me-or were
too ignorant to know what they were
talking about" cried Floyd. "They
said 1t was no good, and after Fen.
wick procured 1t the whole town went
wild about 1t. l wish could get pos.
session of that vase. No, sir, as long
as Fenwlck keeps that vase he cheat
ed me out of ycu shall not marry his
daughter"
That night John and Bertha held
deep conference over the state of af.
fairs. OF course, they were both over
age and could have married without
parental consent, had they been so
disposed.
Bertha took her mother into her
confidence and Mrs. Fenwlck said:
Leave 1t to me. am sorry you are
going to marry outside Of your rank
family rank, mean-but the
Flcyds have money and your father
won't leave you any; and John Is
good boy who, thank heaven, doesn't
collect old china. That old vase has
been nothing but a source OF worry
ever since your father bought IT,"
John Floyd was surprised n day or
two afterward to get n note from
Mrs. Fenwlck asking him to call upon
her ut a certain hour when Bertha
would be Out-she wanted to see him
alone on most important business.
When John came in response to the
note he and Mrs. Fenwick held a long
and very serious conference. AS he
was leaving she said: "Now you
thoroughly understand the lay of the
land. | will arrange things as I have
said. Do you think you can do III"
Sure" replied John. "This sort
of thing just suits my dcpraved M.
turc."
About week after this confer.
ence the papers came out one morn.
Ing with glazing headlines over nrtl.
cles describing burglary, accompa
MED by a piece Of vandalism which
had taken place Mt the residence OF
Mfr. Morton Fenwick. A watch be
longing TO Mrs. Fenwlck had been
taken, the burglars, apparently. hav
Ing been scared away before they
could complete their pllage. But that
was mere detail the great fact was
that the burglars had evidently rum
mayed about In the room containing
Mr.. Fenwick's priceless collection Of
old china and the famous Satsuma
vase had been broken into fragments.
"Hei Her. laughed Mr.. Floyd to
his son. $50 Fenwlck has lost his
vase. has he? Serves him right Sup
pose he feels mighty bad about ltY
"Frlghtful," replied John. ale Is
so cut up that he has renounced china
collecting forever"
"Ias he?" cried Floyd "Wcll, thai
was tough blow for the old fellow
You can marry his daughter If you
want to. The Fenwicks are very
cid fnmily-and we are not"
"When shall give you back your
walchf" asked John Of Mrs FcnwIck
next day.
"Oh wait a little WHILE then re
turn II to me through the mail. We
must preserve artistic verlslmlltude,"
said she.