CHAPTER V--LOVE AFFAIRS AND ANTIQUES
While the cars were speeding over the long flat country that stretchedaway after leaving Bristol, Dodo entered into a confidential chat withRuth who sat in the back seat beside her. Although it was againstJimmy's wishes, Angela managed to get in the front seat beside him, inorder to give him some sound advice about his future.
"I just heard, Ruth, that you would have a birthday, shortly," beganDodo.
"Yes, but who told you so?" returned Ruth.
"Polly mentioned it, and I said that I hoped we would all be with you tohelp celebrate. When is it?"
"Not for three weeks yet, Dodo. And I expect to be at Uncle's, then.They'll give me a party, I suppose," said Ruth.
"Well, that's too bad--that we won't be together--as I have a littlegift for you and I hope you'll like it."
"Oh, Dodo! How nice of you. I really did not look for anything fromanyone, you know," cried Ruth, delightedly.
"Maybe not, dearie; and this isn't much--not what you deserve, but it isa little remembrance, as you will find when you get it. I'm not going togive it to you until the day arrives, but when you open it you'llunderstand everything that I can't explain to you, now," explained Dodo.
"Whatever it is, little or big, I will like it, Do, as coming from yourgenerous heart. Even a flower from my friends is more than a jewel fromsomeone who doesn't mean it," said Ruth.
"I know that, Ruth, and that's why I want to give you something you'lllike. You are true blue, and you deserve all the joy one can give you."
"It's awfully good of you, Dodo, to say that," smiled Ruth, althoughtears of pleasure welled up in her eyes.
The other girls had overheard the conversation and now they chimed in."Dodo's right, Ruth. You're just fine!"
Later in the afternoon, Jimmy stopped his car at a tiny farmhouse withthe spoken intention of getting a drink of water. But his subtle reasonwas to get Angela _out_ of the front seat and Ruth _in_ it. "Who wants adrink?" called he, as he jumped out and started for the cottage.
"I do!" cried Polly, getting out to go after him.
At the open door of the humble dwelling, the two looked in and saw thehouse-wife bending over a cook-stove, turning some doughnuts in a pan ofhot fat. Jimmy waited until she had finished and then said: "May we havea drink, if you please?"
His smile and manner were very pleasing, and Polly saw how people fellbefore his winsome way. "Just a minute--I'll draw some fresh cold waterfor you," said the woman.
"Oh, do let me help you!" exclaimed Jimmy, whipping off his cap as hehurried through the room to carry the pail the woman had taken.
The two of them went out to the back-shed where the water ran, andfilled the pail. Meanwhile, Polly gazed about the interior of the littlehouse. She saw several objects which might be old pieces, so shewondered how she could get Mr. Fabian there to judge.
As Jimmy came in, carrying the pail, and the woman held a tin dipper forthe tourists, he remarked as he passed the cook-stove: "My, how goodthose doughnuts smell." And he sniffed.
"You shall hov some!" declared the woman, laughingly.
"Oh no! I couldn't think of it," objected Jimmy, hoping all the time tobe persuaded into taking some.
"I knows what young boys' appetites is like," chaffed the woman, takinga large platter from the corner cupboard and piling a heap of doughnutsupon it.
Jimmy laughingly protested, but she waved him out and followed at hisheels. When they reached the cars, she proffered the platter to the_gentlemen_ first. Polly tried to get Mr. Fabian's eye to tell him aboutthe furniture in the cottage.
But his eyes were rivetted on the old Staffordshire platter that heldthe refreshments. He nudged Mr. Ashby and both men eagerly took thedish. As they gazed at it, and then passed it on to the ladies to helpthemselves first, they exchanged opinions.
"It's the rare old blue that seems etched on the ivory glaze," whisperedMr. Fabian.
"Where that came from, there may be more," added Mr. Ashby, eagerly.
The platter had reached Mr. Alexander on its return trip to the men,when the little man took two doughnuts, one in each hand.
"Ebeneezer Alexander! How can you? Don't you know what your red booksays?" scolded his wife.
"I dun't care, Maggie! I'm good and hongry and dunnits always was mytemptation. These smell like your'n ust to before we got too rich foryou to cook."
Mrs. Alexander tried to hide the smile of satisfaction that tried tocreep up into her face. She reached out her hand for one of hisdoughnuts, without saying a word. But Mr. Alexander moved away out ofher reach.
He hurriedly held at arm's length the hand that held one doughnut, whilehe took several great bites from the tidbit held in the other hand, lesthis wife compel him to give up his treasure trove. The others laughed athim, and Mr. Ashby said:
"I don't blame you, Mr. Alex. If our wives would cook, as once they did,we wouldn't have to act so childishly when we travel."
The platter was emptied and when the farmer's wife turned to go back toher work, Mr. Fabian and Mr. Ashby insisted upon carrying the pail anddipper, to the amazement of those in the car. Polly understood andnudged Eleanor to follow, too.
"This is a very fine old dish, madam," remarked Mr. Ashby.
"Oh yes, it's a bit of old blue I've had in the kitchen for years. Iremember how mother used to heap up this same plate with scones, for uschillern," replied the woman, smiling at the platter.
"Are there many such pieces of blue in this section of the country?"asked Mr. Fabian, while Polly and her companions listened eagerly forthe reply.
"Summat; but my gude mon stacked our'n up in the back-shed when uswanted to use the front cupboard for my new chiny."
"Would you like to sell it?" was Mr. Ashby's tense query.
"D'ye think it would be wuth summat? I' do be thinking of laying by afew bits, this year, to buy us a wool carpet."
"Perhaps we will buy some pieces and pay you as much as anyone else youmight meet," suggested Mr. Fabian.
As they entered the low-ceiled room of the cottage, the woman said:"Come out back and we won't have to carry so far to the front room."
She went through a tiny door that opened to the small lean-to, and thenbegan taking all sorts of old dishes from the corner cupboard that herhusband had constructed to hold the accumulation of generations. As thecollectors saw choice pieces so carelessly handled they held theirbreaths in dread.
"Now this old blue belonged to my gran'faither afore it come down to us.He, and my faither after him, lived on this same farm. Us had no son sothe home come to me as eldest of the family."
As she spoke, the woman carried armfuls of dishes out to the table inthe middle of the room. Some was worthless trash, but there were severalpieces of rare Staffordshire, and some fine bits of old lustre-ware. Inthe last armful she carried to the table, were some valuable Wedgwoodjugs and bowls.
"Us got an old pink set, in the front room, but us don' use it now thatus got a fine new chiny set," said the woman, turning to go for a sampleof the pink ware.
"You pick out what you want here, and I'll go and see if the pink isgenuine pink Staffordshire," whispered Mr. Ashby.
So Mr. Fabian soon set aside all the real good pieces on the table, andin so doing noticed the table itself.
"Why!" gasped he to Polly, "I verily believe this is the realHepplewhite!"
Instantly he began a close examination of it, and smiled as he examined."With careful restoring you would have as fine a Hepplewhite as any inAmerica," he said to Polly.
"Oh, then do let us take it!" exclaimed Polly, eagerly.
The table started them examining other broken down, or criminallypainted, objects of furniture in the shed, and when Mr. Ashby returned,carrying a plate of pink Staffordshire, those who had remained behind inthe shed were greatly elated over something.
"Oh, Mr. Ashby! just see what we found!" cried Polly.
"While you were away I discovered a Hepplewhite table, Ashby," explainedMr. Fa
bian. "And Polly got the girls to help remove all the paint-potsand trash from this bureau to make sure it was what she thought. Look!"
Mr. Ashby was taken over to the little bureau which had been used for acatch-all for years. Its drawers were over-flowing with rags andgarden-tools, but nothing could hide the true lines of a genuineSheraton piece.
"Well I never! To think such a gem should be so treated!" murmured Mr.Ashby.
The others laughed delightedly at his amazement. But the owner nowjoined them again, and Mr. Fabian began bargaining.
"Are you satisfied with the prices paid you for the old china?" askedhe, as an introduction to further dealing.
"Oh my! Us begin to see that wool carpet," laughed she.
"Would you sell this old table and bureau?" continued he.
"Them! I should say so!" retorted she, emphatically.
Instantly a price was offered and eagerly accepted between the two, andthe table and bureau became the property of Polly and Eleanor. As Mr.Ashby said: "The basis of your business-to-come."
Dodo had found some old brass candlesticks and a china group that provedto be old Dresden. These she hugged tightly as they all left the cottagefollowed by the blessings of the woman.
"My goodness! see what's coming?" laughed Jimmy, as he watched the fivecollectors file down the pathway, each one loaded with china.
"Where do you expect us to sit?" added Mrs. Fabian.
"On the running-board, to be sure," retorted her husband.
"Yes, because this fine blue takes precedence over modern objects, eventhough they be mortals," chuckled Mr. Ashby.
"You-all just ought to see the pink set Mr. Ashby got!" exclaimed Dodo,intensely interested in this quest of the antique.
Mrs. Alexander noted the bright eyes and flushed face, and determined tokeep Dodo away from such dangerous interests.
"And the old table and bureau that Nolla and I got for a song!" criedPolly, also highly pleased with the purchases.
"Best of all, that good woman is so happy to know she is able to get the'wool carpet' she has wanted for years, that her blessings will travelwith us for many a year to come," added Mr. Fabian, turning to wave hishand at the farmer's wife as she stood in the doorway waving her apronat the tourists.
After the dishes were safely stowed away, Angela was induced to give herplace, in the first car, to Mr. Fabian, so that he could talk to theother girls about the relative values of china.
Angela took no interest in these matters, so she willingly climbed inwith the elders in the second car; and Mr. Fabian began a dissertationon blue, pink and brown Staffordshire; gold, silver, and bronze, orcopper lustre-ware; Wedgwood, Derby, and Worcester ware, andsalt-glaze--which was finest of all when it was genuine antique.
Jimmy had grown very impatient while waiting at the farmhouse and whenAngela exchanged seats with Mr. Fabian to permit him to lecture thegirls on china, the young man frowned. Finally he became so irritated atwhat he considered "bally mush," and not being able to flirt with Ruthwho sat in the back seat, he ran the car through all the ruts and overall the rocks he found in the way. This shook up the passengersuncomfortably and interrupted the flow of eloquence from Mr. Fabian. Buthe and his girls were so absorbed in the subject that they never dreamedthe roughness of the road could have been avoided by discontented Jimmy.
Angela, sitting beside Mrs. Alexander, made the most of her opportunity.She managed to ferret out just how much money Dodo would inherit, andwhat Mrs. Alexander might be persuaded to do for an acceptable husbandfor the girl. So cleverly was this information secured that the informerfailed to realize she was being "put through the third degree."
Angela was a sweet pretty girl but had experienced so many unpleasantsacrifices since her father's tremendous losses that she had growncallous to all higher feelings. Her sole ambition, now, was to secure_her_ future either by Jimmy's marriage to money, or by her own escapefrom the bondage of poverty by marriage.
She fully realized that most desirable young men in England were in thesame position as her father and brother, hence she had not much choiceof escape that way. But with Jimmy--upon him rested the salvation of thefamily and its debts.
Mr. Fabian was still talking "antiques" when the cars reachedGloucester, so Jimmy steered through, by way of side streets, and thendrove through the famous cotswolds, on the way to Worcester.
A few miles this side of Worcester, Polly spied a very old-looking housestanding under a group of giant trees which must have been hundreds ofyears old.
"Oh, I just know there will be old pieces in that place!" exclaimed she,leaning forward eagerly.
"Stop, Jimmy! Oh, do make him stop, Prof!" cried Eleanor.
"Do!" added Dodo. "We are almost in Worcester, anyway, so a few minutesmore won't matter."
"Everyone is so tired with the drive, I don't see why we must haltagain," complained Mrs. Alexander, impatiently.
"Suppose your car drives on, then, and we will stop to inquire if we cansecure any old things," suggested Mr. Fabian.
But no one wanted to do this, so both cars stopped while the two men andthe girls went to the house. This time no subterfuge was used, but thequestion was plainly asked:
"Do you happen to have any old dishes for sale?"
"And furniture?" added Polly, anxiously.
The surprised woman laughed at the unusual query, but she nodded andsaid: "I got some black china, and several queer bowls and pots that Imight sell--if you make it wuth while."
The collectors all filed into the cottage, then, and the impatienttravellers left in the cars had to cool their tempers well, before theysaw their friends appear again. When they did come forth, however, theybrought with them several old tobys, a few bowls, a number of pieces ofblack Staffordshire, an old knife-box of fine inlaid work, a mahoganydressing-mirror exquisitely stencilled and a knitted bed-coverlet withraised roses and scalloped edges.
"Oh now! This is expecting too much of Job!" called Mrs. Ashby, when shesaw the consternation expressed on Jimmy and his sister's faces.
"When we started on this tour you never said a word about founding asecond-hand business," added Mrs. Fabian, secretly amused at thecollectors, and the chagrin so evident on the faces of their two"English cousins."
"One never can tell what will happen when you take fanatics on a trip,"retorted Mr. Ashby, depositing his burden on the ground beside the car.
Then began another exodus of the passengers until a completereadjustment of all the various purchases could be made. While the twomen were carefully packing away the precious objects, Polly said: "Wehad to leave behind the best piece of all--a chair of satin-wood withdaintily turned legs and rungs. But they were splintered and the rushseat was broken through."
"Don't forget, Polly, that the thing that counted most--the beautifullystencilled back slats with their fruit and roses as clear as the daythey were done, was in good preservation," added Eleanor.
"Then why didn't you buy it?" snapped Angela, angrily.
"Oh, we did!" replied Dodo. "At least, I did. But I couldn't carry itout, so it will have to be shipped home when the other things go."
"You got it?" cried her mother. "What for?"
"For my shop, of course. I'm going into decorating, too, and open a fineplace of business," giggled Dodo, tantalizingly.
"Not on _my_ money! You've got to make a good match over here,"commanded her mother.
Little Mr. Alexander had not had much chance to speak during the day, asantiques and talks on such subjects were not in his line. But now hescented battle on his own preserves, and he threw out his chest andthrust his hands deep into his trouser pockets--a habit he had when hewished to impress his wife.
"Well, now, mebbe Dodo can't open shop on your money, Maggie, but shecan on _mine_! If she wants to do that ruther'n get spliced to afurriner, who's going to stop her, I'd like to know!"
That effectually ended the tirade for the time being, and when everybodywas seated again, Jimmy was made supremely happy to find
Ruth besidehim, once more.
The only subject that interested the majority of the tourists thatevening, after dinner, was the discussion of the various piecespurchased that day, and the examination of them. Mr. Ashby and Mr.Fabian knew so much about collections of antiques that the stories theytold were most interesting to the girls.
But Jimmy and Mrs. Alexander were bored to death by the conversation, sothat they soon made their way out of the hotel, in search ofdistraction. Not long after they had escaped from the company of theothers, another packet of bills passed from Mrs. Alexander's hands tothe young man's pockets. But it was a personal matter that concerned noone but themselves, said she, and Jimmy anxiously agreed to thecondition.
"Of course you know, Mrs. Alex, that nothing on earth could make meaccept this gift from you, if matters with the Pater were not awfullytangled, this year," explained Jimmy, hurriedly.
"Don't mention it, dear boy! I'm so glad I can give it to one I think sohighly of. Some day you will be able to do a good turn for me," repliedMrs. Alexander, affably.
Jimmy understood too well, both from Angela and Mrs. Alexander, what wasexpected of him, but he hadn't a thought for Dodo, because he wasinfatuated with Ruth. And she, nice little girl, hadn't a fortune tobless him with. So he forced the future still further into thebackground, and took the money that was offered him, the while he baskedin Ruth's sunny smiles.
In the morning the cars started for Birmingham, which was on the road toLichfield. But the city was smoky and uninviting because of itsfactories and filth, so they chose a side-road that would bring them tothe beautiful edifice that makes Lichfield a Mecca for lovers of theancient and rare.
The cathedral, from a distance, looks like a fret-work of finest lace.And as one draws nearer, its patterns show up clearer, until one isquite close, when the outlined designs on the front of the buildingcompel even the indifferent to stand and gaze in admiration.
Mr. Fabian pointed out the marvellous sculpturing of the arch, the tiersof niches with their protected figures, the two spires and otherbeauties, then he led his friends inside the cathedral. Here they sawthe ancient Bible with its illuminated and designed pages, and then theyvisited the Chapter House.
Upon seeing the others follow Mr. Fabian indoors, Mr. Alexander remarkedjocularly: "I'm afraid of visitin' so many churches, 'cause the good Iget will cure me smokin' my old pipe. And I woulden' go back on that oldpal for all the cathedrals in this wurrold."
They left him sitting on the running-board, contentedly puffing at theblack "evil" aforementioned; but when they all came forth, again, Mr.Alexander was nowhere to be seen.
After shouting and searching for ten minutes, or more, he was stillabsent and the natives could not say that they had even seen him about.
"I knew how it would be if Ebeneezer came to Europe!" exclaimed Mrs.Alexander, impatiently.
"Pa is able to take care of himself, never worry," added Dodo.
"But he is always cutting such capers," complained his wife. "One minutehe's here, and the next he isn't!"
The remark caused a general smile and Mrs. Alexander thought she hadsaid something very clever, so she smiled, too. Perhaps the smile madeher feel better-natured, for she joined the men when they resumed theirsearch for the missing man.
Jimmy went to the authorities to question what had best be done aboutthe matter of finding Mr. Alexander; the other two men had gone inopposite directions to ask natives if they had seen such a man as theydescribed and the women walked about, calling aloud or poking undershrubs, and back of cottages, where he might have taken a nap.
Finally a little man sauntered from the cathedral and stood gazing aboutin surprise at the ladies--they acted so queerly. He began loading hispipe from the old tobacco pouch and as he called out to his friends whowere scattered far and wide, they looked up and started for him.
"Where _have_ you been? You've made the most trouble--losing yourself inthis ridiculous way!" scolded his wife.
"Why, I wasn't lost! I kind'a thought it was wicked in me to sit with mypipe when I oughter be seeing that church, so I tucked away my oldfriend and follered you-all. I hunted most an hour for you-all, but Ididen' see hide ner hair of anyone I knew. But I did see a lot offiggers stuck up in the walls, and a lot of folks starin' at 'em. So Icome along out again."
His description made everyone, but his wife, laugh. She shook her headdespairingly at such behavior, and refused to look at her spouse for therest of the day. But that seemed not to dampen his feelings a whit.Rather he felt relieved, he said.
From Lichfield the cars turned due west and drove to Wolverhampton.While driving through Wales, the tourists found great entertainment intrying to converse with the Welshmen they met along the road.
The country was beautiful with its rugged hills and heather-clothedfields. The road to Bangor ran through the most picturesque section ofall this scenic beauty, and the girls took many snapshots of theartistic views.
The route planned led to Bangor, where the tourists stayed over-night.No one cared to cross St. George's Channel and arrive in Dublin atnight, for they had been hearing too much about the Irish riots, todeliberately choose to stay at any hotel where bricks and shot mightstrike innocent heads at any time.
It was during the evening spent at Bangor, that Jimmy beheld EleanorMaynard with different eyes. Ruth had suddenly palled on him, and hisheart grew cold towards her charm and beauty. But Ruth paid no attentionto his change of tactics. She had smilingly accepted homage, and she assmilingly waived it again. Jimmy's ardent protests of enduring faith andlove were empty words to her. The candy and tokens were tangibledelights.
What opened Jimmy's "love-eyes" to Eleanor's apparent value was herremark about butterfly lovers.
"I never could stand a man who buzzed about from one blossom to anotherlike a butterfly," commented Eleanor.
"Nor I. But then, you and I, Nolla, always knew real _men_," addedPolly.
"If other girls had the advantages we western girls have, of knowinggreat big heroes of the plains, they'd soon sicken of society idiots,"declared Dodo.
Ruth and Nancy were the audience to these remarks, but Angela was havinga tete-a-tete with Mrs. Alexander. Jimmy stood eagerly watching the fivegirls, comparing notes on each other.
"Well, I never was west, so I only know the kind of a beau that JimmyOsgood represents," giggled Ruth. "As long as they are not serious, andare useful in giving you candy and flowers, they answer a certainpurpose."
Ruth had been so cloyingly sweet and responsive to all his (Jimmy's)advances, that this speech from her suddenly broke the spell he had beenunder. From that moment on, Jimmy had no eyes for a girl who could be sounkind.
"Poor Jimmy! Ruth, you will break his heart if he ever hears of what yousaid," remarked Eleanor, and that sympathetic rejoinder to Ruth'sheartless chatter drew Jimmy to a new star in the firmament of hishopes.
No one knew that Jimmy had been accidentally eaves-dropping, so whenthey began to climb into the cars the next morning, to go to Dublin,everyone was surprised to find how carefully Jimmy assisted Eleanor tothe front seat--the place he considered a seat of honor.