Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-09-04
THE BARGAIN.

spouse, as the latter paused in the open door,
to give some directions to a couple of por-
tiers who had Just set something upon the
pavement in front of the house.
Just wait moment, and III tell you
Here Henry John bring it in hcre,' and
the two porters entered with beautiful sofa,
nearly new.
why, that is a beauty, husband! How
kind you are!'
It's secondhand, you perceive but it's
hardly soiled no one would know the diff
erence.'
It's just as good as new. What did you
give for it,
Sixty dollars?'
Guess again.
'Forty-fve!'
mo. Try again
But what did you give for it, dearl'
why, only twenty dollars!'
well, now, that is a bargin.'
Amt it, thought 1t takes me to get things
cheap continued the prudent Mr.. Cortland
chucklng with delight.
why, how in the world did it 20 Off so low 2
Il managed that. 1t amt every one that
understands these things
But how did you manage it dear7 1 should
like to know
why, you see, there were great many
other things there, and among the rest some
dirty carpets.-Before the sale pulled over
these carpets and threw them upon the sofa !;
a good deal Of dust fell from them, and made
the sofa look fifty per cent worse than it real
ly was. When the sale commenced there
happened to be but few persons there, and
asked the auctioneer to sell the sofa first, as
l wanted to go, and would bid for it if it
were sold then. Few persons bid freely at
the opening of a sale'
whats bid orthis splendid sofa,' he began.
'Ill give you fifteen dollars for it, said l,
it's not worth more than that, for it's dread
fully abused.'
Fifteen dollars fifteen dollars! only if-
teen dollars for this beautiful sofa!' he went
on; and man next to me bid seventeen dol
lars. let the auctioneer cry the last bid for
few minutes, until saw he was likely to
knock it down.
Twenty dollars said I, and that's as
much as I'll 60 for it,
The other bidder was deceived by this as
to the real value Of the sofa, for it did look
dreadfully disfigured by the dust and dirt
and consequently the sofa was knocked of
to me-
That was admirably done, indeed = said
Mrs. Cortland, with bland smile of salts
faction at having obtained the elegant piece
of furniture at so cheap a rate. And it's
so near match, too, for the sofa in our front
parlour.'
This seen occurred at the residence of a
merchant in this city, who was beginning to
count his fifty thousands. Let us look at the
other side of the picture.
On the day previous to this sale, a widow
lady, with one daughter, beautiful and in
tercsling girl about II, were seated on sofa
in a neat furnished parlor in Hudson street.
| The mother held in her hand small piece
of paper, on which her eyes were intently
fixed; but it could be readily perceived that
| she saw not the characters that were written
upon it.
what's to be done, mama p at length
asked the daughter.
Indeed, my child, 1 cannot tell. The
bill is fifty dollars, and has been due, you
know, for several days. havn't got five
dollars, and your bill for teaching the Miss.
Leonards cannot be presented for two weeks,
and then it will not amount to this sum-
Can't we sell something MORE suggest
ed the daughter.
I'VE have sold all our plate and jewellery,
and now Pm sure don't know what we can
dispose of unless it be something that we re-
ally need
what do you say to selling the sofa, mamaT
GWoll I 1npf tpou, Eloropco Jo,s.
seem right to part with it. But, perhaps we
can do without it,
Il, will readily bring fifty dollars sup
pose
Certainly. Its Of the best wood and
workmanship, and cost one hundred and for
ty dollars. Your father bought it short
time before he died, and that is less than two
years past, you know
Il should think it would bring nearly a
hundred dollars said Florence, who knew
nothing of auction sacrifices; and that would
give us enough, beside paying the quarters
rent, to keep us comfortably until some of
my bills come due
That afternoon the sofa was sent, and on
the next afternoon Florence went to the auc-
tionccr's to receive the money for it.
Have you sold that sofa yet sir = asked
the timid girl, in low, hesitating voice.
'What sofa, miss asked the clerk, look
ing steadily in her face with bold stare.
'The sofa sent by Mis-, sir
when was it to have been sold =
Yesterday, SIR
ooh, we haven't got the bill made out yet
You can call day after Tomorrow, and we'll
settle it for you
Cant you settle it to-day, sir?' We
want the money particularly
Without reply to the timid girls request,
the clerk commenced throwing over the
leaves of a large account book, and in few
moments had taken off the bill of the sofa.
Hero it is, eighteen dollars and sixty
cents. See If it's right, and then sign this
receipt
ANT you mistaken, sir Its a beautiful
sofa, and cost one hundred and forty dollars
That's all it brought miss, assure you.
Furniture sells very badly now
Florence rolled up the bills that were Civ
en- her and returned home wtha heavy heart.