The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-25

entire apartment Inclosed in handsome wooden
railing are q large number OF easv chars for the
accommodation OF the members Of the Board, VINO
are the only ones admitted inside; the lobby be-
tween the walls and the railing being for the conVe
A raised platform runs along the back part of the
ROOM ana seated at desk in the centre OF this lie
the Clerk Of the Board who othciates In the capa-
city ofan auc'ioncer. immediately below this staDd
there round PIT in the floor, the bottom of wbic
contains round table, which IS reached by several
regularly descending steps, giving the whole affair
an amphitheatrical appearance OF miniature cha"
Tacter In Lhe hs business d OF ne ;ens STOCK az a1cton is
rounded by hedge OF eager bidders and sellers,
while a BIRDS eye view, Il attainable, would show
the round liable in the bottom of the hole occupied
by number OF men, also busily making notes in
little memorandum books.
All of the men are we'll dressed, and most Of them
younR-that is, less than fortv yeaIs OF age pre-
VanR Hebraism of countenance at first strikes the
spectator, who finos himself wondering whether this
long association with business with which the sons
OF Moses have so identified themselves throughout
the world. But without pausing to conjecture If
pawnbrokerage would indeed thckeu tue saxon
tongue to the fawnnR cultural of the Scion OF the
ould really occasion a gradual hookening OF tho
nose TO tue true Jewish aquiline, you are next at
loss to know how anv sales can be effected in such
The scene of confusion absolutely makes the head
of the novice SWIM, and inspires a prayer for a
sudden earthquake, or the opening artillery of a
great battlefield as pleasant and peaceful change.
The auctoneer-a well.dressed GOOD looking young
manis calling the stock the top of his lungs; at
least he is Supposed to be doing so, but he might
well be sounding an alarm OF fire, or invoking the
vengeance OF the Almighty upon sinful world, for
hubbub and the din.
Chatham street mOck.auc'i0n is a vista of
heavenly peace, and the old Cheap Jack who sells
lazor'stiops at the street corner with windy ele-
uuence Is prattling child in comparison with this
crazy kcene. The men all CRY out at once. They
signal each other at a distance with extended
fingers, crooked up in q peculiar way, as though
containing secret meaning. They grasp each
others coatcolaIs, shake each other by the shoul-
ders, cry and yell and babbe and lau0h and moan
EHao Of mad anda md oll oska
serene auctioneer, croaking and croning away ike
the master maniac of the scene; while under all,
wooden pit, stand those grim scribbers in note
books, like so many demented newspaper reporters,
duly recording Convention of the Bedlamites for
the next issue OF the Daily Idotic Gazette.
Some of the bidders quietly stand on the edge of
the hole murmuring. blandly, with mOnotonOus
gestcuiaiion or equalization of the right hand, as
though they had been IN the asylum long time,
and were quite harmless. Others scowl wildly and
jackets and lone dungeons. Others hop about In q
harm lessly violent way, with periodical squeaEs
a perpetual threatening to mount the shoulders
of those immediately in front of them, q per-
petual shaking of the cenched fist or exten1od two
fingers at some mag nary demon in the air, and an
everlasting raving about certain fgures and uncer
tain fractions while in the heat of the tumut, you
see two wel-dressed maniacs run from opposite
directions the PLATFORM and back of the clerks
desk. The idea of their meeting inspires YOU with
horror 1ou c.ose our ewes, and shudoer to think
| of the two representatives of the Highland feud
meeting on the precipiIous pathway of Ben Nevis,
with sheer punge into the blue lake thousands of
| fee, below.
But your alarm Is altopether unnecessary. The
two manIacs meet, poke each other in the ribs
raj times pull each others hair babble into each
others ears in wild and seDseess glbberish, and
| then, suddenly separating, plunge again INTO the
crowd below with many an antic leap.
Occasionally you distinguish through the confu.
| sion something about "Erie," Hudson RIVER"
"Chicago and North western," etc accompanied by
| wild murmuring respecting figures and fractions
OF figures, which alone appuses that these poor
maniacs are In reality interested IN something of
| worldly importance.
| The antics and gambols of some Of the poor crea-
| lures quite amusing One little fellow, for in
stance now and then expresses his triumph by fut-
terDg the leaves of his notebook aud dancing about
out In strangely shril little voice something which
| sounds like OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 600! Tittl-
| tttl-titti-taro o o-oP Another crows like gam0.
| cock, tapping his hips with his hands, like wings
ana vet another leaps a chair by fits and arts,
cheering most dismaly, indication that he has
The inmates of this strange asy um having
wrested with imaginary bulls and bears for nearly
an hour, the good-ookng auctioneer suddenly puts
on his hat and takes uD his overcoat AS he does 80
his eyes become beautifully luminous with the light
| OF returning reason; and at the same time won
derful change for the better takes possession of
| the crowd IN and around the wooden pit They
stop Yelling, and content themselves with rational
| speech.
They joke and laugh little but in pleasant way,
| sensible fellows We suspect that the young auc.
toneer: has a shrewd power over these men, he 30
turns their heads and pelverts their instincts when
he takes his seat at that high desk there and com
mences to croak about "Erie" f" Chicago and North
Western" "Mariposa," etc. but, be that ii may,
little of the modern mode of money. getting II he has
| never visited the Stock Exchange.