THEY FOLLOWED COPY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 11, 12 March 1892, Page 263

THEY FOLLOWED COPY.

In the days when merchant vessels came home redolent of ■spices and loaded to the brim with silksand china, a certain family, described by Miss Leslie in her ‘ Pencil Sketches,’ determined to send beyond seas for a dinner service which should outshine in beauty everything thus far seen on this side of the Atlantic. Original designs of fruit and flowers, arranged in the form of a wreath, had been made for it by a skilful artist, and the sea-captain who undertook the commission was charged to spare no money or pains in having it properly carried out. Spring returned, and there was much watching of the vanes by this particular family, and the ship-news furnished the most interesting column of the daily papers. At length the long-expected vessel arrived, and when she had cast anchor, the ladies of the family could scarcely refrain from walking down to the wharf to see the ship that held the box that held the china. Invitations were at once sent out for a long-projected dinner-party, at which the new porcelain could be displayed. The box was landed, and conveyed to the house. The whole family were present at the opening, which was performed by Mr A himself, while the servants peeped in at the door. As soon as a part of the lid was split off, and a handful of straw removed, a pile of plates appeared wrapped carefully in paper. Each of the family snatched up a plate, and hastily tore off the covering. There were the flowers, glowing in beautiful colours, the gold star and golden A, admirably executed. But under the gold star, on every plate, dish and tureen, were the words, * This in the middle !’ The literal and exact Chinese workmen had copied this ■direction minutely from a very crooked line which Mr A—had hastily scrawled on the pattern with a very bad pen, of course, without the slightest thought of finding it inserted verbatim beneath the central ornament. Mr A laughed, his wife cried, the servants giggled, and the daughter cried first and laughed afterward. The only silver lining to the cloud was the fact that thereafter Mr A—— always had something amusing to tell ■his guests at a dinner party.