The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-04-01
IHRYM1SAY1NI9

''Of course you'll learn! The fried
potatoes this noon were marvel
Gus; and those last biscuits melted
in my mouth"
ERRED potatoes!" Nora echoed
scornfully. IA newborn infant
could fry potatoes, Don!"
1t was a happy time; and the
rainy morning when Don opened
the crates and boxes which threat
ened to crowd all firewood from the
shed-things he had found in far,
far corners of the world, was red
letter occasion, never forgotten by
Leonora. It was these treasures
Though her unsuspecting husband
didn't guess it till long after) which
gave the girl her first sharp long
ing for home. Hitherto she had
thought only of possessing Don; but
as she dropped to her knees in rap
ture before an arm chair of red
lacquer exquisitely decorated with
mother7of-pearl inlay, something
within her that is a part of every
normal woman, stirred to life. Don
smiled, watching the dreams he did
not understand, dawn in her eyes.
Like it, my dear? I've nest of
small red tables, too. Beautiful, all
of them. And somewhere round is
a piece of fawless cloisonne that'u
make your eyes shine. found it
in Tokyo-pure rose du Barry, with
a fight of butterflies spanning the
entire bowl. Got it for almost moth
ing, too; though I'll admit that chair
you're worshiping left me without
single yen!
"And see here, grill" Tile was
prying up box cover.) "When
first saw this candelabra it was the
property of Russian nobleman, a
postwar exile. It's said to have be-
longed to Car of all the Russias,
though you may season that story
with grain of salt. bought it
partly because it's such a beautiful
example of Russian brass; but prin-
cipally because the Grand Duke Tor
whatever the poor guy was) looked
hungry. There!" He held aloft an
eight-branch candlestick. IA stun
ner, isn't it,"
"Oh, Don!" breathed Nora. 81
am almost glad the Grand Duke
needed nourishment!"
Don laughed, dived into a corner
for another box and stared at it,
puzzled.
wonder what's here. I seem to
remember some Venetian glass,
andy Georgei I've completely
forgotten the jade pendant! We sim
ply must dig up that pendant, Nora,
for you can wear it now, not wait,
as you'll have to for these other
things until we're old, and wrin-
killed., and settled down. Somehow
l can't just see us settled down,
darling"
1T wouldn't be so bad to settle
down with possessions as beautiful
as these to keep us company. What
on earth are you producing now,
Don? Don't try to tell me it's jade
teapot! It is? Well, you must have
been in funds when you purchased
that"
Her husband smiled, seated him.
self upon a packing case and an
swered, eyes dreamy with reminis-
cence: You're quite mistaken. I
bought this teapot of a most gentle
manly bandit, during that Chinese
rebellion in which / had the luck to
figure; and paid him what amount
ed to about six-fifty of our money.
1t was loot, of course; but I ar
gued that since someone was des-
tined to get a bargain, it might as
well be I. Isn't it a marvellous
piece of carving? The thing belongs
in some museum, I suppose; but it's
yours, lady. if you care to keep it. /"
Nora reached out, lifting the piece
of jade with reverence.
what I can't understand, she
said after a moment, els why a
man like you, with no home and no
desire for a home, should spend
his money collecting things of this
sort. What makes him, DOM"