The Worthington advance., 1878-11-14

democratic, comprehensive and impartial.
"a gods god for a. that he whispered, as
a dingy, stupid-faced and thoroughly dis
reputable Hottentot idol was knocked down
to him for 371I cents.
Under the stimulus of COL Ingersoll's
wholesale purchases, Sarony's competition,
and the eagerness of an occasional Wall
street man who drops in on his way up
town, hoping to buy good short for the
adornment of his mantelpiece, the market
price of divinities has been greatly enhanced
since the beginning of the sale. Styles that
brought only seven shillings or dollar on
the first day now easily run up to So. so or
1915 at five cent jumps. The shrewd auc-
tioneer takes advantage of this unexpected
vog ! and dwells eloquently upon the good
points of the gods he offers, while Col. In
gersoll mods acquiesence in all that is said in
their praise, and never rel1nquishes the bat
tie until the pr1ze is his.
"Here, now," said the auctioneer on
Thursday afternoon as his assistant held up
to the light a hideous, chocolate colored
Buddha from Thibet, about two feet high
and apparently 200 years old. "Now here's
something worth having. How much am I
offered for the god?''
"Forty cents" ventured bashful gentle.
man in the rear of the room.
''Forty cents!" repeated the auctioneer,
with whitening scorn. "Forty cents for q
fine oriental deity like that That god has
been worshiped by hundreds of thousands
of ingenious and devout heather. Forty
cents Why, he's worth more than that to
put IN your hallway to frighten off burglars -
"Forty-fve,'' said the abashed gentleman,
bidding against himself.
"Weu, I'll take it for starter,'' said the
auctioneer, "though it's shame to mention
As cents in connection with such god. See
how he bushes himself! Forty-fve, tee-fve,
tee-fve, seven-half, sev-naf, sev-naf-.''
"Fifty cents!'' said the original bidder.
The auotioneer's face wore an injured and
almost disgusted look. s'1t's very plain,'
said he, in confidential but perfectly
audible aside to Col. Ingersoll, 'that these
gentlemen don't understand the value of a
really authentic god"
''pll give Is cents for the god,'' said Col.
Ingersoll, firmly.
sCol. InRersoll bids seventy-fve," said the
auctioneer. Now he knows what god is.
Seventy five, tee-dve, tee five. eighty" by
half dozen gentlemen in the back of the
room. 'Tee-eight, tee-eight, tee-eight--''
The chocolate -colored Buddha ran up to
$1.35, and stopped there.
"Gone!' said the auctioneer, after brief
pause; 'gone to Ingersol for $780,
The next exciting episode was over very
large Japanese idol of carved wood, in a sit
ting posture, with hands raised in the atti-
tude of benediction. The deity wore hand
some red cloak trimmed with gold. He was
carefully hoisted up into the glare of the
gaslight, and auctioneer and audience gazed
upon it in silent admiration for fully min
ute.
"Look at him we'll, ladies and gentlemen, -
said the auctioneer, lowering his voice to the
tone of reverence. "Observe all his points
before you begin to bid. Now there's rare
treasure for some. household. There's god
that the most fastidious purchaser needn't
be ashamed of. In all my experience in this
| line of business it has never been my priv
| ilege to offer finer article. What d'ye say,
gentlemen? Speak up lively. Who's 60
ing to secure the god? How much for the
god?
After resolute and protracted struggle
between Col. Ingersol and the captain of the
Hudson river steamboat Drew, the Japanese
god in the red cloak trimmed with gold wae
knocked down to Ingersoll for 1896.
| A small copper idol, from Bombay, green
with rust, went to Col. Ingersoll for thret
shillings. After examining it in every par
with peaceful expression on his face, h.
wrapped it up carefully in newspaper ant
put it into his pocket. The little copper got
evidently was bargain.
A crackleware Chinese god of uncoutE
shape was sold to Col. 1ngersall for So. I
was probably worth thrice that sum at private
sale.
A gaudily decorated porcelain idol from
Kioto went to Col. 1ngersoll at 1915. HI
also secured a lot of four smaller divinitle1
of the same manufacture for SO.
Among his other purchases were primi
tive Mexican idol from Yucatan, hug
wooden god with six arms, from upper In
dia, several rudely carved deities from tn
Marquesas and Friendly islands, and va
riety of African fetiches.
During three days of the sale, Col. Ipger
soil bought between forty and fifty gods
The smaller specimens he carried ava!
from the auction room in his pockets, leav
ing the bulky and unwieldly divinities to
delivered by express.