o purchase Sevres ware. It was a custom of the
time."

"I think it was a rotten custom!" ejaculated Theo wrathfully.

"Certainly it was not a desirable thing. In our day we should call it
graft. Still at that time there were plenty of people who were only
too anxious to keep their heads on their shoulders, and who would have
been glad to buy almost anything in order to do so. Doubtless they
considered a little porcelain a small price for their lives, and were
glad to win the favor of a capricious monarch by purchasing it. King
Charles was no worse than all the rest. Later, when he became ruler of
Spain, he took many of his Italian workmen there with him, and as a
consequence in 1821 the Naples fabrique was closed; many of the
moulds, as well as much of the outfitting, was sold to the Doccia
works. As a result Capo di Monte was afterward imitated in Doccia hard
and soft paste; but the original ware which is of value to collectors
was that made at Naples. It is very difficult to distinguish this
variety, for the Doccia people even copied the King's trade-mark."

"I suppose people could do that then," ventured Theo.

"Oh, yes. There was nothing to protect an invention as there is now,"
replied Mr. Croyden.

"Did King Charles continue to make porcelain in Spain?"

"Yes, he had a palace called Buen Retiro and here he established
fabriques that continued to thrive even up to the time of King
Ferdinand in 1780, and would probably have prospered much longer had
not the Napoleonic wars come and the French destroyed the factories."

"And what became of the Doccia works in the meantime?" queried Theo.

"I am glad you asked that question," answered Mr. Croyden, "for I had
not finished speaking about the Doccia fabrique. It was unique in its
management. You know in our day how much we hear of proper factory
conditions? Doubtless you have seen mills where there are neatly
graded lawns, flower-beds, and perhaps a recreation ground. We
consider such mill-owners very progressive and speak of them with
keenest approval. Yet in our enlightened times such things are none
too common. Now it is interesting to know that this Ginori family who
founded the Doccia porcelain works were far in advance of anything we
yet have done for our employees. Not only did they have lawns and
gardens for their workmen, but they also had a park; a farm where
vegetables were raised for the common good; a school for the workmen's
children; an academy of