Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-02-07
The BnrgaiO.

! The two porters entered with a beau,,(nl
sofa, nearly new. ..... ....... ..... ...
| "Why, what beauty, husband!--
How kind you are.''' ..'.....s. af.
eIt's a second hand YOU perceive; but
it's hardly soiled-no one would know
The difference. ..D .... .. ~. :
ut lis just as good as new. Wha,
did you give for il!" ....... ..... .......
"That is the best part of it. I, is a
splendid bargain. 1t did MT cost less than
two hundred dollars. Now what do Won
think got il fort" .r -....s -
"Sixly dollars?" ....a s.........a r.
Guess again."
Fifty" t... ............
Guess again. .............
"Foriy-fre." -. ..... a..-. p.
NO. Try again.
But what did YOU give for it, dear!'
why, only twenty dollars
well, now, that is a bargain ..
'Ain't it thougb! II takes me to get
the things cheap continued the prudent
Courtand chuckling with delight. .... 8
Why, how in the world did it 90 off
so low!' ... ....... I.-.... ~. ..- I....
i managed that. 1t amt every, one
| that understands how to do these things.
But how do you maaage it, dear!'-
should like to know ......
why. you see, there were a great
many olher things there, and among the
rest some dirty carpets. Before the
sale | pulled over these carpets and
threw them upon the sofa; good deal of
dust fell from them, and made the sofa
look fifty per cent worse than il really
was. When the sale commenced there
happened to be but few persons there,
and asked the auctioneer to sell the
sofa first as wanted to 90, and would
bid for it IT, il were sold then. Two
persons bid freely at the opening of a
sale .....
What's bid for this splendid sora!'
he began. .. g ..... ....
I'll give YOU fifteen dollars for it, said
its not worth more than that, for it's
dreadiully abused.' ......, ...
Fifteen dollars! fifteen dollars, only
fifteen dollars for this beautiful sofa!' he
went on; and man next TO me bid seven.
teen dollars. | let the auctioneer cry
the last bid for few moments, until he
was likely to knock it down.
Twenty dollars!' said |, .and that's as
much as I'll 90 for it, .s
The other bidder was deceived bv
this as to the real value of the sofa; for
| ii did look dreadfuly dis6gured by the
dust and dirt, and consequently the soft,
was knocked off to me- ..'...
That was admirably done, indeed
said Mrs. Courtland, with bland smile
of satisfaction at having Obtained The
elegant piece of furniture at so CHEAP a
rate. And it's so near a match. too.
for the sofa in our front parlor.'
This scene occurred at the residence
| of merchant in this city, who was be-
ginning to count his fifty thousands.
Let us look on the other side of lhe pic
ture. J"
On the day of the sale, a widow lady
with one daughter, beautiful and inter
esiing girl about seventeen, was seated
on sofa in neatly furnished parlor in
Hudson street. The mother held in her
hand a small piece of paper, ON which
her eyes were intently fixed; but it could
be readily perceived that she saw no,
the characters that we're written upon il.
what is to be done, mar at length
asked the daughter. -
Indeed. my child, I cannot tell. The
bill is fifty dollars, and has been due.
you know, for several DAYS. haven,
got FIVE dollars, and your bill for teaching
the Miss Leonards cannot be pres en,ed
for two weeks onl tho, !, w;ll no,
mount To this sum-
Cant we sell something more. mar
suggested the daughter.
We've sold all our nIa,e and ;e,yolrr
and now I'm sure | don't know, wha, we
can dispose of unless it be something
that we really want,
.What do YOU saw 10 selling the sofa.
mar
don't seem right to part with it. Bu,
perhaps we can do wiihoutit. a,l ar
1T will readily bring fifty dollars,