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THE MANDARIN’S TEA SERVICE.

By

Michael Crombie.

(Copyright.—For the Otago Witness.) I. The advertisement said:— . “ Semi-detached villa. Four rooms and kitchen, h. and c. Garden. Pleasant new neighbourhood. Convenient for trains. Unrivalled opp. £6O per annum.” Sheila’s mother said:—

“ Miles and miles from everywhere darling—forty minutes from town—you’ll be buried alive. Such poky little* bedrooms—and the dining room hopeless for more than four. What are you and Robert thinking of? Really, Sheila, 1 don’t want to be a spoil-sport, but don’t you think it would be much better to wait until Robert can afford to do things properly ? After all, there’s no hurry. Perhaps a year or two ” Sheila’s father said:—

“ You’ll never raise anything but blisters in that strip of brick and mud—they have their nerve, calling it a garden. Of course, its a bit far from us, but frankly, Bob, old chap, that isn’t so much of a disadvantage as it seems. From my experience its just as well not to live too close to the old folks the first year or two of married life. You’ll have to cut down your smokes now, though! ” Bob said:

“ Perhaps I shouldn’t ask you to put up with such a tiny little place—but we’ve waited so long already, and another year seems like ages. Do you think you can be happy in it, dear? ” Sheila said:—

“ Don’t be a goose, Bob, darling. We’ll be so happy together that it will seem like a corner of heaven. Let’s take it! ” So the newly married Mr and Mrs Robert Dalrymple moved into Laburnum Villa, wedding presents, and all. “ Let’s be practical,” became their slogan. It was always on their lips. There was so much to be practical about. First of all, Robert’s salary was only three hunderd a year. That meant economy. Fortunately, they started clear of debt, though without any reserve capital. It had taken the two hundred pounds Bob had saved during their engagement to furnish the little house, and although they would have preferred a better quality of furniture, well—the little house was “ home.”

By careful management Bob’s six pounds a week satisfied the butcher and the baker, and the gas company and the hundred and one demands which dismay young married couples. They planned, when they got into their stride, to save something, as well, each week. Later, of course, Bob would get his rise. At the time of the wedding, the firm had been unable to do anything in that direction, but with his marital happiness to spur him on, Bob wmuld soon show that he was worthy of far more than they were paying him. One day they would be—well, perhaps not rich, but at least well-to-do, and able to afford the beautiful things they both wanted. Sheila’s mother might say: “Such a poky little house; and such positive sticks of furniture,” but Sheila and Bob didn’t mind. They realised that their house was tiny, and their furniture cheap, even shoddy; but the house and everything in it was theirs. And it was such wonderful fun being married that nothing else mattered in the least. When they had been married for six months, they were still as much in love as ever, and just as pleased with their little home. True the blue drawing room curtains which had seemed such a bargain had faded badly, and the “ something ” which was to* have been put aside each week had somehow not materialised. Still, they were happy—and clear of debt.

Then Sheila’s Uncle George same home from China for a visit.

He knew, of course, that they were married, and he bought a wedding present. It was a beautiful tea service, which had once belonged to a mandarin. Uncle George had paid what seemed a fabulous price for it in Shanghai. “It isn’t something you want to use every day, child,” he ‘ said to Sheila, “but don’t hide it away. Put it out, and let people look at it. It’s worth showing. Worth anything up to five hundred pounds that service, is! ” Sheila gasped. “ Oh, I couldn’t! What if I broke one of these lovely pieces ? ”

Uncle George laughed complacently. “Don't worry about that!” he replied. “If you’re careful you’ll hand on that service intact to a daughter, one of these days.” Then with a glance round at the cheaply furnished drawing room, he added, “ it’ll brighten up the room if you keep it in here.” At first they were afraid of the “ mandarin’s tea service ” as they nicknamed it. It seemed such a wonderful, impossible thing to have in a little house like theirs. But gradually it took hold of their imagination, and to a great extent their affections. It was their share of beauty.

The local cabinetmaker was called in to take measurements for a cabinet to display their new treasure. Naturally, it must be worthy, and good woods * and plate glass are expensive. When the cabinet was delivered, it was a thin« of beauty, and well fitted for its purpose —but the bill, which made Bob scratch his head ruefully, came to £2O.

However, the cabinetmaker probably impressed by their treasure, would wait

a month of two for his money, and how different the drawing room looked! Different—in more than one way! When the cabinet and its beautiful contents were placed in the sunniest corner of the room, Mr and Mrs Robert Dalrymple suddenly realised how really cheap-looking the rest of the furniture was.

The curtains were hopeless; the chairs and side tables looked somehow, like matchwood. Sheila took down their three prints, because they simply “ wouldn’t do.” The carpet, the clock, and the “ three-piece suite ” seemed to scream: “Cheap! cheap! cheap! ” Beauty had come into the room—and had revealed ugliness.

Sheila’s mother came to see the mandarin s tea service and said: “ Perfect! Exquisite! You lucky child! ” Then, with a pained glance round the room added: “Terrible! Really, Sheila you must get rid of these awful sticks of furniture. The contrast will drive you mad in a month.”

“ Don’t be ridiculous, mother,” Sheila replied. “ Wherever- would we get the money to refurnish? ”

Her mother flushed, and patted her cheek with a smile.

“ Not from your father and I—at the moment, at least,” she replied. “ We’re having to cut down expenditure ourselves just now. But there are ways and means. Why don’t you see some of the credit people?” “ Bobbie would never agree,” replied Sheila promptly. “We’ve made a rule never to get into debt. I couldn’t ask him.” 11. One evening, when Robert came home, there was a subtle difference in the atmosphere of the drawing room. A woman would have discovered the reason on opening the door, but Robert, being a mere man, had to have it explained to him.

“New curtains! ” said Sheila proudly (and more than a little nervously) with a wave of her hand towards the windows. “ They were a little expensive but the material is of exceptional quality. I just couldn’t bear the look of those horrid, old, faded ones any longer! ” Bobbie sighed, and placing his hands on Sheila’s shoulders turned her round to face him.

“ Exactly how' much did they cost ? ” he asked.

“ Oh, they were really awfully cheap for the wonderful quality,” evaded Sheila, finding a difficulty in looking him in the eye.

“How much?” “ Five pounds,” replied Sheila, crestfallen.

“ And where in the world did you get the money? ” gasped Bob.

“ I—l saved it—out of the housekeeping money—this month.” “ Don’t be silly, Sheila,” urged Bob. “ You couldn’t. have saved as much as that in a month. Did you forget anv bills?”

“ Well, just one or two. The baker, and I think the milkman, but I can make it all up next month, really I can! ” What could a loving young husband do but sigh a little ruefully, and scold a little, and forgive? Out of curiosity they went to an auction sale in a big old house in Richmond. People who find difficulty in living within their incomes should restrain their curiosity, but, as Sheila said, there were ever so many things in the old house that it would be a pleasure to see, and of course they simply wouldn’t dream of buying anything, because in their circumstances that would be silly, wouldn’t it?

To this day Robert cannot imagine why he bought the two blue enamel vases. He remembers Sheila clutching his arm excitedly when they were produced. He can recall the catch in her throat when she said “ Oh! ” at the sight of them, then her rueful little sigh; “Well, they are lovely, aren’t they ? ” The bidding was closing at three pounds when the auctioneer said: “Won’t that tall gentleman with the pretty lady make it guineas ? ” and Robert must have nodded. Then he remembers paying fifteen shillings as a deposit, and wondering desperately how he was going to pay the rest. Well, he reflected, someone would have to wait. His reward came when the vases were sent home, and Sheila, sweeping the rest of the ornaments from the mantelpiece, placed them like twin sentinels in solitary state. Then she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, and said:

“You darling! Just What the room needed! ”

The room needed many things. The mandarin’s tea service became their household god. Somehow, the domestic scheme of things was planned around it; their home was merely a shrine for it—and the shrine was unworthy.

Friends who came to tea went into raptures over their treasure and were tactfully silent about the room’s deficiencies, but both Sheila and Bob could see that they were making inward comparisons between the perfection of the service, and the cheapness of the furniture.

One evening Bob was reading his paper, Sheila perched on the arm of the chair beside him. She was silent for a few moments, running her fingers through his hair. °

“We could do it by instalments,” she said at last.

.“Do what?” asked Bob,” wrapt in his paper. “ Refurnish the room,” murmured Sheila, her face averted.

Robert threw down his paper and looked at her in surprise. “Who’s put this idea into vour head?” •

“ Oh, no one. But after all, we could, you know,” she told him. “And we wouldn’t, have to get very much. Just a few pieces of furniture, and perhaps a really good Chinese carpet.” “Are you mad?” asked Robert in exasperation. Do you realise how much we owe already—including the bill for the very cabinet the service is displayed in—and how little we have to do things with? ” “ We-e-ell,” began Sheila, hesitantly, “There wouldn’t be any harm in just looking at things, would there?” “ We’re going to be satisfied with what we’ve got,” said Bob firmly. “We can’t afford to spend an unnecessary penny. Now, that’s final! ” Bob had said: “That’s final! ” so of course they didn’t go the following evening to “ look at things ” as Sheila had planned.

But they went three evenings later. The salesman was persuasive; Sheila was spellbound; but Bob was adamant —at first. There were a multitude of reasons why they should leave the shop without buying anything. Once outside Bob might have been able to show Sheila the unreasonableness of the whole thing, but the spell of the beautiful furniture and the persuasive salesman were upon them, and they left the shop bound to pay £8 a month for the things they had chosen, which were to be delivered at once.

They spent two tragic hours that night arranging the series of economies which were to make the payments possible—and facing the fact that it would take wholesale reductions in expenditure to manage it, and to meet the obligations they had already made. But they were young and when the furniture was in its place they w’ere delighted. The effect was just right. Their drawing room was perfect. They had done justice to the mandarin’s tea service.

The second-hand dealer who bought the original drawing room furniture assured Sheila that he was doing her a kindness in giving her ten pounds for the lot. He seemed to doubt that anyone would have the poor taste to buy it from him in turn. Sheila took the money, glad to see the last of the shoddy suite. At least the ten pounds would pay the first instalment, and leave a little over for the milkman, who was becoming decidedly unpleasant. Not only the milkman, but the butcher and the baker, the grocer, and the gas company became unpleasant, as one by one they had the experience of waiting for their money. Somehow the promised economies did not materialise — what is the use of having the most perfect drawing room in the world unless you invite people to see it? —and the bills steadily mounted. The cabinetmaker, tired of waiting for his twenty pounds, became insistent. If Bob were granted a substantial rise, everything would come all right. It only needed a little more than what they had to satisfy everyone. So Bob approached his employer. That worthy looked at him severely over his gold-rimmed spectacles.

“ Frankly, Dalrymple,” he said, “ You’re not worth more than we pay you. In fact, I am by no means satisfied with your work as it is. Some months ago you were doing splendidly —just after your marriage in fact—but since then your heart hasn’t been in your work.” Then gravely, he added: “As a matter of fact, it may be necessary to reduce our staff considerably. I should be sorry to see you go, but unless your work improves ” “ Mean old stick ” Sheila pronounced, when he told her that evening. “Of course all that about your work falling off is just to make you feel afraid to press for more money. But darling, I’m so happy to-night! Mrs Edwards was over, and she was positively rhapsodised over our lovely room.” Dancing to the cabinet, Sheila looked in at the mandarin’s tea service. “ Beautiful things! ” she cried, “are you happy with us? As happy as you were in the mandarin’s palace? Do you like the beautiful home we’ve given you ? ” One morning a month or so later while Sheila was busy with her housework, the bell rang. Going to the door, she found a grubby little man on the step. “Mrs Dalrymple?” he inquired. Something in his tone terrified Sheila, and she closed the door in his face before he could give her a blue paper that was in his hand. He rang the bell repeatedly after that, but she was still too frightened to answer, and after a period she saw him go down the front path, mumbling to himself. That evening Robert came home looking very white and worried.

“ We’re in the soup,” he replied to her anxious queries. “The cabinet maker has got out a summons, and because they couldn’t deliver it here they brought it to me at the office. There was a terrible row over it. The boss was in the front office when the summons server came in, and I’ve got the sack! ” “ Bob! ” she gasped in horror, “ what are we going to do? ” “ We’re going to get back to earth! ” Bob replied grimly. 111. “ The first thing to do,” he said after tea, a silent, and unhappy meal, was over, “ is to find out just where we are. How much do you owe the tradespeople? ” Sheila brought out a sheaf of accounts. There was one from the butcher, and two “ accounts rendered ” from the

baker. There were bills from two milk-, men, the first having discontinued supplies six weeks before, and a final notice Horn the gas company. The grocer’s account was the largest; it seemed impossible that they could have eaten so. muc i. In the post that morning had come a letter from the furniture company, which Bob saw now for the first time reminding them that the second' instalment was now overdue. „ “ We owe exactly seventy-eight pounds, fifteen shillings and fourpence,” he said' dismally at last, “ and we’ve got two weeks salary to pay it with.” “I’ve got exactly twenty-three shillings Fessly SIXPenCe ’” res P° nded Sheila hope-.’

And there’s what’s left of my pocket money—eight bob, to be precise..” He uid a mental calculation. “ Thirteen pounds, eleven shillings and sixpence! And weve forgotten this quarter’s rent, it s due, too! ”

“ And the electric light bill! ” added oneila.

« the rates ’” responded Bob sadlv. Well, there’s only one course. I’ll have to find a job at once, no matter what it is. Ihe new furniture will have to go backto the instalment people; we’ll sell the stuff in the dining room and bedrooms. Then we’ll give up this house and find furnished apartments somewhere. It’s tough, but it has got to be! ” Simultaneously a thought struck them. Sheila expressed it. “Bob! The man-' darin s tea service! Suppose we sell it?”

“Do you think we could? A wedding present? Could you bear to part with it ? ” K

“ It’ll be a wrench,” she said ruefully “ but what else can we do ? Uncle George said it was worth anything up to five hundred pounds. If we got even a couple of hundred for it -”

That night they framed an advertise-: ment, and in the morning Bob inserted it in the Daily Advertiser when he went down town. Then they waited patiently for a buyer.

A collector of curios, a funny litlc man with gold-rimmed pince-nez and a shabbyold top-coat, came one afternoon wheq Bob was out looking for a job. Sheila could hardly keep the eagerness out of her voice when she greeted him. “ Beautiful! ” he exclaimed when she showed him the service. “Magnificent! How can you bring yourself to part -with such a treasure ? ”

“It is very difficult,” Sheila said.. “ We’ve been so attached to it. But you see, we have no choice.”

“ Exactly. May I see the pieces closer ? Will you please open the cabinet?” With fingers that trembled Sheila fumbled with the latch of the glass door. It was a little stiff, and she tugged at it harder than she intended. There was a warning cry—“ Look out!”—from the little man behind her, then the cabinet toppled forward with a crash.

The floor was littered with a thousand pieces of china. Sheila stood for a moment dazed, then she felt the little man’s hand on her arm, “ I am sorry,” he said simply. “ Thank you. It—it is all—all right,” she answered. “ Excuse me, but would you mind? I am upset ” Discreetly, the collector withdrew, and Sheila threw herself upon the sof'- and sobbed bitterly.

When Bob came home he found his wife looking very white and with telltale tear-stains on her face. The cabinet with its shattered glass door stood in the corner, empty. She took him into the kitchen and pointed tragically to the. newspaper in which she had wrapped the smashed china. “ Well, that’s that,” said Bob, taking her into his arms. Now perhaps we’ll be able to see clearly. Darling, we’ve been blind. That confounded tea service cast some sort of spell over us. Confound it! we worshipped the thing. We’ve been a pair of fools! ” The world does not come to an end because two young people are in debt up to the ears. Somehow, if you say “ Let’s be practical ” often, and* look for the fun in being hard up in a couple of dingy rooms, and count the pennies, you muddle through. Bob found a job, at a pound a week less than his previous salary, and somehow they managed to make ends meet on it, and pay off gradually the bill® they owed. They rented a couple of rooms in Brixton Hill, with a gas stove in the sitting room and a collapsible table that folded to almost nothing when their simple meals were finished.

“Darling! ” Sheila would say, “isn’t life fun?” (Sheila was always a sport). One evening Bob came home very tired, but very happy. When he opened the door he noticed a subtle difference in the little sittingroom. The room was brighter somehow, more colourful. On the mantelpiece, he noticed a single piece of bright-coloured china, a teapot of beautiful design. He looked at Sheila with a puzzled expression.

“ Don’t be angry, darling,” she said, “ that was the only piece of the mandarin’s tea service that wasn’t smashed. I put it away when I cleaned up the mess. Doesn’t it brighten up the room ? ” Her husband strode to the mantelpiece and picked up the teapot. “ Bob! ” screamed Sheila, “ what are you going to do? ” “This! ” he replied grimly, and threw the mandarin’s teapot on the floor in the corner of the room, where it smashed into a, thousand pieces.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW19301014.2.302

Bibliographic details

Otago Witness, Issue 3996, 14 October 1930, Page 78

Word Count
3,445

THE MANDARIN’S TEA SERVICE. Otago Witness, Issue 3996, 14 October 1930, Page 78

THE MANDARIN’S TEA SERVICE. Otago Witness, Issue 3996, 14 October 1930, Page 78

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