Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-10-30
A FAMOUS AUCrroNEER. The most eff

Q7l7t1kDl.
A FAMOUS AUorroNEER.- most efficient
auctioneer that ever lived proba bly,, was Geo.
Robins, of London who fourished about thirty
or forty years ago His advertisements were
marvellous pieces Of composition, which none
of his successors in the same business have
ever succeeded in Initiating. He was very
'.Admiralle Crichton," man OF universal
knowledge, never at loss and with power
Of magnifying the good qualities of the wares
he was selling such as no auctlOneer, before or
since his day, has ever possessed. 1t was
literary treat to sec and hear him sell library;
but the place best fitted to his abilities was the
sale Of Il 6re country house.
In 1920, the magnificent FonthIl Abbey,
owned by the brilliant Beckford, came to the
hammer. That it would be knocked down Tor
a quarter of its real value seemed inevitable;
tut Robins was equal to the emergency: Taking
advantage of the great fame of Beckford, and the
r1rmors which described the house as surprising
the grandest palaces of the Fast in Sumptuous
clcrauce, he announced that no one would be ad-
mitted to view the house who did not purchaser
rutalogne-pricc one guinea. The fashionable
world Iet bound to see these wonderful sights,
and rushed in crowds to buy catalogues. Eight
thousand of them were sod and people Jour
uevcd from all parts of the Kingdom to least
their ewes Oh the marvellous Fonthill. In the
height of the fttrnre the sale began, aud lasted
thirty. three days The Abbey was Knocked
down for $3.50, UtO-a third more than It's worth.
Pictures. furniture, &c. hrough fabulous sums
Ruph;el's Saint Catherine sold Tor e5,25o;
and the contents ofthe house realized tho enor-
nous sum of 81 100000 Once Roblus had to
sell among the effects OF Il deceased merchant
silver ware amounting to over SIX hWn9red
ounces. Duplicates of the pieces had been
made in Sheffield ware, for daily usc and by
some accident the real silver ON the first day
of the sale was knocked down As plated. The
next day, the Sheffield ware being put up, its
real character was at once discovered. The
purchasers of the silver disappeared, ,and Robins
promptly paid the loss out Of his own pocket
Boston Record -.-..".
\ WORD TO HUSBANDS. Make allowances
tor your wiiu' share Of the great inheritance
of human nature. DO not expect her to smile
in unmovcd serenity when children are ungov.
cruablc, servants are in high rebellion, and
husband comes home cross and hungry. 1t
she is little petulant, do not bang doors by
way of soothing her temper. just rcmemher
that pleasant word or two, the touch OF
kindly hand, or the light of a pitying eye will
act like oil on the troubled waters. Even
men are known to get out Of patience some
times, therefore be not astonlshed ut woman =
occasional lapse Of sell.control!
DO not suppose it ut all derogatory to your
dignity to remember the small, sweet courte-
sizes of lif;, where your wife is isconcerned. why
should man be ashamed of politeness to his
own wife, when he would step forward in an
insant to render like service to any other
lady?
Because Il man l.as married woman does 1t
necessarily follow that thencetorward he ls ex-
oncrated from the duties of ordinary clvlhty
toward her? By all the wedding rugs IN
Christendon,, no!
fyour wife pin a fresh rosebud in your
bottom hole when you go forth to business 10
the morning, be careful to present her with
heart-oase on your return at ulght. some
mon grow suddenly ashamed Of an unassumlng
DOT of fragrant mignonette, ifa wealthy friend
happens to present them with a few lowers
from his conservatory, and hide 1t away II! IN
some obscure corner to make room TOR the Drill
liant but scentless exotics. Wives are not un.
trenuently treated aftersa similar fashion and
perhaps it would be we'll for their fastidoEs
'lords and masters to jot down the following
lines upon the tablets Of their memories:
"As the myrtle, whose perfume enriches the
bower.
Is priced far beyond cen the gaudlest flower !;
So q wife, who i household can skilltully rule,
Is level Of price to all men-save q fool.
The "AIRE "A writer in tho Overland
Monthly gives the following interesting descrp.
ton of what the people of Buenos Ayres call
the aire:-He was sitting with the American
proprietor of quiuta ono warm noontlmc, with
the doors and windows all open and slipping a
glass of wine, when he experienced sudden
but not unpleasant sensation, like quick, light
chill, which lasted not longer tliana quarter OF
a second At the same time, sharp click pro
oeeded from the bottle and wine glasses, as it
they had bes1 ghg raped H{ sGmf bs sna
asked the guest. IF you attempt to lift that
bottle, said the host, you will find it cut in two
and YOU will also discover that the glasses have
shared the same fate" This was found to be
true. No satisfactory explanation can be given
of this phenomenon, but it IS thought to be en-,
tirely electrical. IF dog or other animal
should happen to be heated at the time it comes
in contact with the aire, it is instantly fixed 10
it's then position. If dog is about to scratch
his ear, his hind leg would be held rigidly as If
in the act for several successive days. Man
kind are not wholly exempt from its influences,
and people who have been caught in that posi-
,ion by the aire are frequently seen with their
heads turned half round, as if looking over
their shoulders. The effects arc c,readiy redu,,
ced by pouticng, and have never occasoued
serious results. " ~; .'"
Gour.-Relative to goet, a clever and ANUS
ing writer says. "a man goes to bed happy,
and is awakened after Il few hours sleep usual
w between one and four in the morning. with
nain in the ball Of one great toe, Wnien IN
creases with sense of burning ana throppus'
and be finds next morning that MS toe Is sWol-
leu, with deep red shining sklu: M?reoyIr, ',h
it is eTqustey tender thas ha dI[S tIo WSsivIt vIt
Of the bedcotLes, or the shaking oflthe bed by
faotsten ns in the room, There are series OF
such t attacks. Then the swelling abates: In
few days the skin itches and pecls off. and there
is in the Joint only some little remaining tender.
ness That is tha form Of brisk first attack