The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-07-19
EIlS0l@ILlhAN Nl@0U'So
THE OLD BUREA U.
Where'er angle humtn breast
Ia crush'd by pain aid grief,
There | would ever be a guest,
And sweelIy give reIiei.
CHAPTER I

Ia ciush'd by pain aid grlel,
There | would ever be guest,
| And sweesly give reliei
/ As we were passing down-----street,
several years ogo,we stopped in front OF an
auction room, to examine the various arIl
lcIcs tina, were exposed to be sold under the
hammer. We had been there but few mo-
menls, when we heard female voice in
quiring Is this old bureau 10 be solo TO-
lday' On looking up, we perceived the
lqueslion had been addressed 10 Us by a
young lady. whose peasan! but sad coun
lenance struck Us at once. We replied
that all the articles spread on the side
walks would be disposed Of 10 the highesI
bidder.
i should like this bureau, il ii goes low
enough she said, pointing to an old-fash-
Ioned article iha. was standing among the
other furniture; but never bough. any
thing a. auction in my life, and as | see no
women here, dom, know that it would be
proper for me 10 bid
1T would be perfectly proper, we re.
marked, 'bus if you wish it | will bid off
The bureau
If you will. sir, l'shal be greatly oblig
ed to YOU
'Ilow high are you willing should
got
Il don, know exactly how much il is
worth; ;bui if i, sells for three or four dollars
you may buy it,
Shall speak to handcarIman 10 leave
u at your house'
No sir, will call at noon a. settle for
H. and have it taken away. lam very much
Obliged to you for your kindness
So saying the young lady went away,
leaving us to wonder who she was, and OF
what use the old piece of furniture could
be TO her. We examined il-look out the
drawers-5ut saw nothing remarkable about
It, At eleven o'clock, when the auction
commenced, we were present, and after
waiting nearly an honr the saclioneer re-
marked, we will now sell the bureau
What will you give, genIlemen' One man
offered two dollars, another three, and we
Did half dollar more. -Four dollars were
| lold-tour and half, and five dollars. We
were aStonished that the old Thing should
eriny so high price. Wha, could we do!
See II sold and diSappoint the lady! The
thought struck US, that it might have be-
Ionged 10 some friend, and she wished ,C
purchase il on that account, and rather thar
dlsappons her, we resolved to bid again.
Six dollars we're offered by another. 20 ouI
utter asIonishmen,; but when our hand i,
in, and we wish for an article, we seldom
e, another ou, bid US, and so we offered
until the old bureau was run up 10 ten doll
ars-and we purchased it a. half dolIa
more. Certainly we could no, have giver
four dollars for it 10 use oursef. Hcweye
We bought it, and had it sent 10 our room
/. telling the aucloneer if lady sh ould cal
for ii 10 inform her where il might be fount
We examine ed i, again and again: and be
gan 10 regret our purchase, feeling aImos
certain that the young woman would no
thank US for what We had done;bus we nev
er mourn over bad bargain. Our phlloso
ply will not permit US to do so.
A little after dlsk as we were sitting il
our sanclum, the Young lady came in viii
i an apology for intudng, and remarked
You bought the buresu-so The aucllonee
informs me-
Yes | bought ii, but at an exIravsgan
Q price, assure you
= What did yOu give"
" Ten dollars and a half
II You aslOnish me. What can ! do!
10 mad no idea that i, would bring over lAre,
or four dollars, and am not prepared 10 psy
for it tonight
isuPpose it was foolish in me to give :,
much for II, but Rresumad you wanted
very much.
Il did sir, and would not value payin
oIdouble The amount for the bureau, if yer
able, rather Than not 10 have it.