An atmosphere of misery pervaded the room, Huddled before an open charcoal stove was an old Chinaman stretching his hands with their dele-ately tapering fingers towards the warmth, The rattling of the window panes startled the man who seemed surprised at his environments. He was Wearing on old-fashioned satin cap surmounted by a coral button and a Tong gown and he had an unmistakfable alr of breeding and refinement.
"The old man rose with dimeulty and went to his cupboard which was amply save for a box which he Yook out with care and opened to reveal a vase of exquisite design. This beautiful piece had a radiance of ils own and in the dismal chamber glowed" with life. and splendour. Holding his vase he nodded again and the smile on his fee spoke of pleasant dreams. He forgot the hardness of his life, the narrowness of his surrounding and felt that he tas existing in the spacious days of the Sung Dynasty when his vise had been fashioned. He could sce the artist, preparing for his great work. He visualized the man seated in his pavilion composing his mind and Calming his spirit before he attempt his task, and not until the thoughts of the artist became pure rud. his soul exalted would he cease meditating and begin to model the clay to the shape of a vase of per-proportions, The old man could feo! the Joy of the artist on behold~ ing his creation "and saw in the Mnished article the reflection of the soul of the maker.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.