[Illustration:  Old Earthenware Dish]

“Yes, dear, they all belonged to either John’s mother or mine.  All except this one large, blue plate, which is greatly valued by me, as it was given me many years ago by a dear old friend, Mary Butler, a descendant of one of the oldest families in Wyoming Valley, whose, forefathers date back to the time of the ‘Wyoming Massacre,’ about which so much has been written in song and story.

“The very oddest plates in your collection are those two large earthenware dishes, especially that large circular dish, with sloping sides and flat base, decorated with tulips.”

[Illustration:  SGRAFFITO PLATE Manufactured by One of the Oldest Pennsylvania German Potterers in 1786]

“Yes, Mary, and it is the one I value most highly.  It is called sgraffito ware.  A tulip decoration surrounds a large red star in the centre of the plate.  This belonged to my mother, who said it came from the Headman pottery at Rockhill Township, about the year 1808.  I know of only two others in existence at the present time; one is in a museum in the city of Philadelphia and the other one is in the Bucks County Historical Society at Doylestown, Pa.  The other earthenware plate you admire, containing marginal inscription in German which when translated is ’This plate is made of earth, when it breaks the potter laughs,’ is the very oldest in my collection, the date on it, you see, is 1786.  Those curved, shallow earthenware pie plates, or ’Poi Schissel,’ as they are frequently called in this part of Bucks County, I value, even if they are quite plain and without decoration, as they were always used by my mother when baking pies, and I never thought pies baked in any other shaped dish tasted equally as good as hers.  These pie plates were manufactured at one of the old potteries near her home.  All the old potters have passed away, and the buildings have crumbled to the ground.  Years ago, your mother and I, when visiting the old farm where the earlier years of our childhood were passed, stopped with one of our old-time friends, who lived directly opposite the old Herstine pottery, which was then in a very dilapidated condition; it had formerly been operated by Cornelius Herstine (we always called him ‘Neal’ Herstine).”

[Illustration:  OLD PLATES FOUND IN AUNT SARAH’S CORNER CUPBOARD]

“Together we crossed the road, forced our way through tangled vines and underbrush, and, peering through windows guiltless of glass, we saw partly-finished work of the old potters crumbling on the ground.  The sight was a sad one.  We realized the hand of time had crumbled to dust both the potter and his clay.  Still nearer my old home was the McEntee pottery.  From earliest childhood our families were friends.  We all attended the ‘Crossroads’ School, where years later a more modern brick structure was built, under the hill; not far distant from ’The Narrows’ and the ‘Ringing Rocks.’  Yes, Mary, my memory goes back to the time when the McEntee pottery was a flourishing industry, operated by three brothers, John, Patrick and Michael.  When last I visited them but few landmarks remained.”