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."