The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-03-20
NJ | S C E L L A N Y
From the Portland Tribune.
THE OLD BUREAU.
BY D, C, CoLEswoRTHY.
CHAPTER l.
Where'er single human breast
Is crushed by pain and grief,
There l would ever be guest,

AS We were passing down Exchange
street several years ago, we stopped in
front of an auction room, 10 examine the
various articles which were exposed 10 be
sold under the hammer. We had been
there but few moments, when we heard
female voice enqurng, "is this old bu-
reau 10 be sold ,o-day?" On looking up,
we perceived the question had been adj.
dressed to US, by a young lady whose
pleasing but sad countenance struck us at
once. We replied that all the articles
spread on the side walk would be dispos.
ed otto the highest bidder.
Il should like this bureau, if it goes
low enough, she said, pointing to an old
fashioned article that was Standing among
the other furniture, 'but | never bought
any thing at auction in my life, and as
see no women here, l don't know as it
would be proper for me to Did,
1t would be perfectly proper we re-.
marked, but if you wish it, / will bid off
the bureau
you will sir, i shall be greatlyIoblig,
ed to you
'How high are you willing should
gor
4 don't know exactly how much it is
worth; but if it sells for three or four dol.
lars, you may buy it,
Shall | charge it 10 your accounlP
No sir, | will call at noon, and settle
for it, and have it taken away. am 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 it-took
out the drawers-but saw nothing re-.
markabIe about it. At eleven o'clock,
when the auction commenced, we were
present, and after waiting nearly an hour,
the auctoneer remarked "we will now
sell the bureau. What will you give gen.
temen I! one man offered two dollars, an.
other three, and we bid half more. -Four
and half, and five dollars. We were as.
tonished that the old thing should bring
so high price. What could we do -
See it sold and disappoin; the lady! The
thought struck US, that it might have be-
longed TO some friend and she wished to
purchase 1t on that account, and rather
than disappoint her, we resolved 10 bid
again. Six dollars were offered By an
oher 10 our utter establishment; but when
our hand is in, and we wish for an article
we seldom let another out bid US, and SO
we offered, until the old bureau was run
up 10 ten dollars-and we purchased it for
half more Certainly we would not
have given five dollars for it, to use our.
self However we bought it. and had ii
sent TO our room telling the auctioneer, il
a lady should call for it to inform her
where 1t might be found. We examined
again and again and began to regret our
purchase. feeling almost certain that The
woman would not thank US for what we
had done; but we never mourn over. bad
bargain. Our philosophy will not permit
US TO do so.
A little after dusk, as we were sitting in
our sanctum, the young lady came in with
an apology for inlrudng, and remarked,
you Dough. the bureau--so the auction
Ger informs me-
yes, bought il, but at an extravng ant
price / assure YOU
'What did you giveP
Ten dollars and half
You aslonish me2 What can do !
had no idea That it would bring over