THE CHARLOTTE MESSENGER. VOL. IV. NO. 41. Charlotte Messenger IB PUBLISHER! Every Saturday, AT CHARLOTTE, N. C. In the Interest* of the Colored People ' #f the Country. Able and well-known writers will eontrib ute to its columns from different parts of the country, and it will contain thachy dermstous entity which composed her husband. The barrister communicated with the famous firm of auctioneeis. They asked (or » description of the CHARLOTTE, N. C„ SATURDAY, MAY 5, 1888. china, which was given. Ultimately, by their advice, the vases were sent up to King street, St. James's Square, to be inspected, and sold for what they would fetch. “Let us have a little jaunt up to town, my dear,” remarked Mr. James Fitzroy to .his wife; “if the china is all they say, the vases ought to fetch a ten pound note each, and that will pay our expenses. We have not had a holiday for a long time.” Like John Gilpin, when proposing a similar excursion, Mr. Fitzroy was unaware that the future was big with fate. There the simile breaks down. Accordingly, to town they went, pnt ting up at the Bedford Hotel, in Covent Garden. After a few days spent in en joyment Mr. Fitzroy received a notice from Christie & Manson that his vases would be sold on a certain day the fol lowing week at the end of the sale of Count Mirabcau’s china. Count Mira beau was a name dear to connoisseurs, and even celebrated outside the charmed circle. He was, in fact, a hierophant of the china fetish. “1 should like to see this collection of Count Mirabeau's they talk so much about in the papers,” said Mr. James Fitzroy. “I think we will go to the sale.” With this view, when the day arrived, they went, prepared to swallow quietly their own (and the vases’) comparative insignificance. On their arrival in King street they found the rooms, of course, crowded with gentlemen and dealers. The time fixed for the sale had not yet some. Making their way with difficulty through the room, Mr. and Mrs. Fitzroy met an acquaintance from the Midland shire in which they lived. “Hallo, Fitzroy! what are you doing here? I never knew you were a maniac. What brings you to Christie's on a china day?” “I don’t go in for this sort of a thiog as a rule, but I thought I should like to see Count Mirabcau’s collection. They talk so much about it. Besides, I have a little thing in the sale myself.” The friend did not heed the last part of the remark, but answered the first. “Oh, Count Mirabeau! Yes, that is fine enough, I confess ; but it is nothing com pared to some china at the further end of the room. Y'ou come this way and I will show you.” The trio threaded their way to a remote corner of the sale-room, passing as rapidly as might be a great quantity of very handsome china which was arranged and ticketed ready for sale. At the end, remote from the door and near the rostrum, under two glass molds, en a table stood their own two vases. “Tlere, look at that,” remarks the friend complacently, with the gentle patronage of auperior knowledge. “That is china if you like—worth any other ten pieces in the room. Quite uniquel” “Hangit!” said Mr. Fitzroy. “I need not have come all this way to see those vases. Why, they are mine!” “i’ours, Fitzroy! I like that! Y T ou have turned humorist in your old age. Don’t you wish they were, by Jove! You must take care of your husband, Mrs. Fitzroy. He works too hard.” “Thank you for the insinuation, Somerset. lam sane enough to know my own property when I see it. I tell you those vases that you think such a lot of are mine. I sent them to Christie.” The tone and the words were too earnest to be mistaken. By this time the bystanders had heard the colloquy, and had gathered the im port of what was passing. The dealers 6warmed around Mr. Fitzroy like vul tures upon carrion. They took the facts and the “greenness” in at a glance. “I will give you five ’undred pound for those vases.” “I will give you six ’undred pound for those vases.” “I will give you eight ’undred pound for those vases.” “I will give you more than any man in England for those vases on the table, sir.” Such were the cries which resounded on all hands. Mr. Fitzroy was perfectly bewildered, and ran considerable risk of being re duccd to the condition Somerset baa sug gested previously. The latter, who was an old hand, came to his rescue. “Don’t be a fool, Fitzroy. If they really are yours, keep a cool head on your shoulders. They tell me telegrams iiave been on the go all over Europe about those vases' to-day. They are worth a mint of money. Don’t part ta my of these sharks. ” On the steps of the hall the barrister would have taken twenty pounds for his ihances from that day’s sale with cheer ful alacrity.. Mrs. Fitzroy was looking very white. The sudden turn affairs had taken was almost too much for her. “Don’t faint, my dear,” remarked her auaband. The advice was needed. She felt very like it. But woman's buttress, curiosity to see the end, sustained her. If a woman were not curious, she would die more often than she does. The sale began. Count Mirnbeau’a collection was sold first. The junior partner was the auctioneer. The Count's china was indeed magnificent, and duly appreciated. The bidding was active and tho prices adequste. Nevertheless, throughout there was a restless feeling jf impatience. More wna coming. The lid-bit was kept to the last. There waaa pause. Then, amidst loud applause and great excitement, to which it may be imagined the Eitzroys were jot wholly insensible, the two vases were plncod before Mr. Woods the auc tioneer, in full view of the audience. When ailence supervened, Mr. Woods laid: “ Gentlemen, we know next to nothing about this china which stands tiefore you. and of which you hare just testified your approval. We cannot give you its detailed history. All we know it that these vaaes have been hidden away in a country rectory in the Midlands for forty yeflri and more. Anything further back Men* to bo obtolutofy uncertain. On* thing, however, we do know absolutely: The tinting is the real Rose du Barri. We thought there were only five vaaes in Europe, the finest existing examples of this beautiful ware. -We now know there are seven. The sixth and seventh stand before you, gentlemen.” Another round of applause greeted the conclusion of this short speech. The bidding began. Mr. and Mrs. James Fitzroy stood in the corner unnoticed, breathless with suppressed excitement. No one heeded them. They again played second fiddle to their own property. Five hundred pounds was the first bid for the pair. A cheer emphasized the spirited start. A cool thousand was, however, soon reached. Then there was a pause, amid silence which could be felt and almost heard. Only three bid ers were left in. Every one understood that they were gathering up their forces for the final conflict. “ It is against you, my lord,” the auc tioneer remarked quietly. The hint was taken, and the bidding began again. “Fifteen hundred guin eas.” An unanswerable argument. The hammer falls. The crowd cheers. The welthiest nobleman in England is the purchaser. Mr. James Fitzroy is the wealthier by one thousand five hundred pounds. Mrs. Fitzroy marks her ap preciation of the gravity of the situation and her own good luck in true feminine fashion, by promptly fainting. It reads like a romance, yet happens to be perfectly true. ****** About the same time a girl chances to die of starvation. One of the weekly papers saw fit to couple the episode of the vases and the death of the girl to gether, although the two things were quite distinct. The effort was lyrical, and the last couplet ran: "But she was only common clay. And these were Rose du Barri.” **** * * \ A puff of smoke rises up into the air and curls in graceful spiral curves to the ceiling, where it hovers until its identity is lost, owing to the fact of its being joined by other unsubstantial emanations from the same source. R“But you are Robert Fitzroy?” queries the listener, who has been silent for five minutes after the narrator of the story had finished. “Yes,” with another and more vigor ous puff of smoke, which may or may not have been expressive of internal emotion. “I gave those vases to my brother." — London World. Frlepdshlp Swerved Him Not Henry Bergh, the groat friend ot dumb animals, never beat around the bush. He never spared the rich to prosecute the poor. One of the bitterest enemies he ever made was a man who had been a near neighbor of his and even exceeded him in wealth. This man was a banker and owned a palatial residence on Fifth avenue. New York, not far from Mr. Bcrgh’s home. One night the great phi lanthropist saw a pair of mettlesome horses chafing their bits in front of a fashionable theatre. Walking to the curbstone he saw that they were in tor ture. Their heads were held aloft by means of a barbarous burr bit—one of tbe most frightful species of equina punishment ever invented. “Take these bits out,” he commanded the coachman. The latter paid no attention to the or der. Throwing back the lapel of his coat and exhibiting his badge of office, Mr. Bergb repeated the command. “Take them out or I’ll have you ar rested.” Just then the owner came out, greeted Mr. Bergh cordially, and asked the cause of the disturbance. “1 am surprised Mr. ,” exclaimep Mr. Bergh, “that you should allow such brutality. Those bits must be removed at once.” In vain the banker pleaded, stormed and threatened. The bits were removed, and from that day to his death, a half dozen years ago, he never spoke ta Mr. Bergh.— Washington Pott. Reminiscences of “Old Hickory.” One of the greatest characteristics of General Andrew Jackson was his oppo sition to anything English; he imbibed this feeling, no doubt, from being so often brought to confront the British troops and the intrigues of English states men. From the very beginning of the revo lutionary war, Jackson wns more or less in fighting harness. When only fourteen he volunteered to meet the British, who were then committing depredations upon the defenceless people of South Caro lina. He once remarked: "Ilike Balti more. because the footprint of a British soldier has never been seon there.” It is somewhat singular that this great warrior aud stubborn statesman once studied for the ministry in the Presbyte rian Church. It was his firmness of purpose, more than skill, which made him so uniformly successful in dealing with the savages in the southern territory, as well as the invincibles of Wellington at Orleans.— Baltimore American. A House of lee. A house constructed entirely of ice has just been set up at the Aquarium at St. Petersburg, Russia. It Is built afler the style of the historical house of 1740. The building, formed of dressed blocks of ice, comprises three spacious .rooms. Bed, washstand, and all the furniture are of ice. The fireplace in the drawing room contains ice blocks imitating logs of wood, while a petroleum atove burns behind; the smoke from the stova escapas through an ice chimney. Gut aide a balustrade of icn surrounds tha houaa, and thu facade li ornamented by two larga statues bawn out of ic«. The total coot ot tho itniotura WM 4000 ruble*. TELEGRAPHIC TICKS. NORTH CAROLINA. A consultation was held in Raleigh by gentlemen of that city and other points, and it was the unanimous opinion that the breeding of fine horaea in North Carolina has assumed proportions which justifies and demands the formation of a State Breeders’ Association. A call is therefore issued for a meeting to lie held in Raleigh on the 15th of May for the purpose of forming such association. SOUTH CAROLINA. Florence hopes to have the Southern shops of the Pullman Palace Car Com pany built there. John Hawkins, who robbed the post office at Newberry a month ago, was brought here from New Orleans, carried before United States Commissioner J. 8. Reid and admitted to bail in the sum of $2,000. He gave the bond without trouble. NORTH. EAST AND WEST Earthquake shocks were felt in Cali fornia a few days ago. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston has become an honorary member of the G. A. R. Near Wilkesbarre, Pa., two men were killed by a gas expldsion in a mine. The rice plantations on the lower Mis sissippi have been badly damaged by an overflow from the Gulf. A dispatch from Valentine, Neb., says a severe blizzard is now raging there, making travel almost impossible. The South End Bank, of Columbus, Ohio, has suspended for two or three days. The dashier had overdrawn his account. On Lee’s creek, near Fort Smith, Ark., two desperate characters were killed while resisting arrest. Near Olean, N. Y., a train was wrecked, four persons were killed and thirty-five injured. The New York banks now hold $16,- 196,525 in reserve in excess of legal re quirement. Manuel Santalla and Miguel Gonzalez, convicted kidnappers, were executed ’at Matanzas, Cuba, on Saturday. Reports from all sections of the Pied mont, Va., region agree that the fruit crop has been ruined by the late cold spell. An American flag made by the Nuns of Cashel was formally presented, by Governor Hill on behalf of Archbishop Croke, to the 69th New York regiment. Near Rochester, N. Y., a train wsb thrown from a twenty foot embankment and Beven persons were dangerously and thirteen persons less seriously hurt. The largest dry goods store in Brook lyn, E. D., (Edward R. Storer’e) was burned. Loss on building, $40,000; stock, SIOO,OOO. Adjoining buildings damaged, $75,000. The following crimes and accidents were reported on Saturday: At Belle Fontaine, Ohio, the floor of a public hall gave way and many women and children were killed. At Portland, Oregon, a man and three young women were drowned by a boat capsizing. At Salt Lake City a boat, with two men and two children, was swept over a dam. One man and the children were drowned. Over In Georgia. The people of Acworth have resolved to build a hotel costing from $25,000 to $40,000. The melon acreage of Mitchell county is aboi.t double what it was last year, in round numbers 3,000 acres. The convention of the colored school teachers of Georgia will convene in Athens the first week in May. William B. Jones, of Dublin, caught two young rabbits in his garden a few days ago. He had an old Maltese cat which had a family ol kittens, and from some cause the kittens died. The old cat has adopted the rabbits, and happi ness reigns throughout tho household. The cat cares for the rabbits as tenderly as she did for her own offspring. The announcement that Col. W. L. Scniggs woujd accept the editorship of the prohibition weekly at Atlanta seems to have premature. It is now said that Col. John William Jones, the historian, will lie selected to fill the position. Col. Scruggs is a regular contributor to the North American Review, but on account of his being a Republican it was thought best not to select hip. Tbe first issue of the paper is expected to appear on May Bth. The Land of Flowers. The old Slave Market at St. Augustine has been repainted, a new roof laid, and this famous old building will soon be neat as a pin. It is reported at Key West that Cubans arc actively preparing to send a series of small squads of filibustcrers to Cuba, but are cautious about committing them selves. B. D. Hart, of Adamsville, Sumter county, has just netted $250 on one fourth of an acre in atrawberriea, and there was SSO worth he never gatnered. Tbe orange-growers in and around Or lando arc making extensive inquiries for piping, pumping engines,