Trials and Confessions of a Housekeeper | Page 2

a while, contracts
between my own parlors and those of one or two friends, would take
place in my mind; and I often found myself wishing that we could
afford a set of candelabras, a pair of china vases, or some choice pieces
of Bohemian glass. In fact, I set my heart on something of the kind,
though I concealed the weakness from my husband.
Time stole on, and one increase after another to our family, kept up the

necessity for careful expenditure, and at no time was there money
enough in the purse to justify any outlay beyond what the wants of the
household required. So my mantel pieces remained bare as at first,
notwithstanding the desire for something to put on them still remained
active.
One afternoon, as I sat at work renovating an old garment, with the
hope of making it look almost "as good as new," my cook entered and
said--
"There's a man down stairs, Mrs. Smith, with a basket full of the most
beautiful glass dishes and china ornaments that you ever did see; and he
says that he will sell them for old clothes."
"For old clothes?" I responded, but half comprehending what the girl
meant.
"Yes ma'am. if you have got an old coat, or a pair of pantaloons that
aint good for nothing, he will buy them, and pay you in glass or china."
I paused for a moment to think, and then said--
"Tell him to come up into the dining room, Mary."
The girl went down stairs, and soon came back in company with a dull
looking old man, who carried on his arm a large basket, in which were
temptingly displayed rich china vases, motto and presentation cups and
saucers, glass dishes, and sundry other articles of a like character.
"Any old coats, pantaloons or vests?" said the man, as he placed,
carefully, his basket on the floor. "Don't want any money. See here!
Beautiful!"
And as he spoke, he took up a pair of vases and held them before my
eyes. They were just the thing for my mantle pieces, and I covetted
them on the instant.
"What's the price?" I enquired.

"Got an old coat?" was my only answer. "Don't want money."
My husband was the possessor of a coat that had seen pretty good
service, and which he had not worn for some time. In fact, it had been
voted superannuated, and consigned to a dark corner of the
clothes-press. The thought of this garment came very naturally into my
mind, and with the thought a pleasant exhilaration of feeling, for I
already saw the vases on my mantles.
"Any old clothes?" repeated the vender of china ware.
Without a word I left the dining room, and hurried up to where our
large clothes-press stood, in the passage above. From this I soon
abstracted the coat, and then descended with quick steps.
The dull face of the old man brightened, the moment his eyes fell upon
the garment. He seized it with a nervous movement, and seemed to take
in its condition at a single glance. Apparently, the examination was not
very satisfactory, for he let the coat fall, in a careless manner, across a
chair, giving his shoulders a shrug, while a slight expression of
contempt flitted over his countenance.
"Not much good!" fell from his lips after a pause.
By this time I had turned to his basket, and was examining, more
carefully, its contents. Most prominent stood the china vases, upon
which my heart was already set; and instinctively I took them in my
hands.
"What will you give for the coat?" said I.
The old man gave his head a significant shake, as he replied--
"No very good."
"It's worth something," I returned. "Many a poor person would be glad
to buy it for a small sum of money. It's only a little defaced. I'm sure its
richly worth four or five dollars."

"Pho! Pho! Five dollar! Pho!" The old man seemed angry at my most
unreasonable assumption.
"Well, well," said I, beginning to feel a little impatient, "just tell me
what you will give for it."
"What you want?" he enquired, his manner visibly changing.
"I want these vases, at any rate," I answered, holding up the articles I
had mentioned.
"Worth four, five dollar!" ejaculated the dealer, in well feigned
surprise.
I shook my head. He shrugged his shoulders, and commenced
searching his basket, from which, after a while, he took a china cup and
saucer, on which I read, in gilt letters, "For my Husband."
"Give you this," said he.
It was now my time to show surprise; I answered--
"Indeed you won't, then. But I'll tell you what I will do; I'll let you have
the coat for the vases