Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-11-13
BOB INGERsOLL's CORNER IN
GODS.
What Is He Going To Do With Them7

parts of the globe.
One of the most constant attend
ants at the sale Is portly, we'll
favored old gentleman, dressed in
black, who comes early, chooses ,
seat near the auctioneer, and re-
mains to the end of the Days pro
oeedings, watching everythins
with nervous and slightly quizzi.
cal interest.
This old gentleman is evidently
not habitusl frequenter of auctior
rooms. For the first two or three
days his manners, though hearty,
were little shy and self-conscious,
and he shrank from the general at
tention which he drew upon him.
self by the sipgularity of his az.
tions. After he had become better
acquainted with the surroundings.
he gained courage, spoke up louder
when he made u bid, and on one or
two occasions even ventured to
handy jokes with the nimble.
tongued auctioneer.
The gentlemen in black is Col.
Robert G. Ingersoll, of Peoria, III.
His presence in this city is due to
lecture engagements Ia the neigh.
borhood, and has no connection
with the sessions of the Miilenial
Conference.
Col. Bob IngersOll attends the
auction at the Old Curiosity Shop
with a we'll defined purpose. He
is not engaged in stocking pri-
vate museum, nor is he particular
ly interested in bric-a- brio or pot
terry. So long as the auctioneer
vends Nankeen china, or AZTEC
Jugs, or Tunisian tobacco pipes, or
alleged Satsuma ware, Col. Inger-
soil either settles back in his chair
with an air of indifference or i'm.
patiently scans his catalogue. But
as soon as god Is put UP to be bid
for, his whole manner changes. He
10 alert and eager. He leans for
ward in his chair, his face slightly
flushed with excitement, and caps
bid with bid in rapid succession.
Everything in the shape of god
that is offered for sale Bob Inger-
soil bids for without regard to cost.
AS there are several other regu.
lar attendants with n taste for del.
ties, Col. Ingersoll's reckless bid
ding sometimes meets with lively
competition. Napoleon Sarony,
the photographer, is also buying
gods; but he selects them on u ,
thetic principles and for artistic
purposes. He bids for only sym.
metrlcal gods. Colonel Ingersoll's
appetite, on the other hand, Is om-
niverous. The ru'test HIndoo idol
of baked red clay and the most
handsomely carved Japanese deity,
splendid in paint and gold leaf,
seem to have equal value in his
eyes. His theology is purely DEM
ocratic, comprehensive and impair
tial. "a gods a god for a. that,u
he whispered, as dingy, stupid.
faced and thoroughly disreputabla
Hottentot idol was knocked down
to him for thirty-seven aud a half
cents.
Under the stimulus Of Colonel
lngersollss wholesale purchases,
Sarony's competition and the ea-
gerness of an occasional Wall street
man who stops in on his way up
town to buy q god short for the
adornnsnt Of his mantel-piece, the
market price of divinlties has been
greatly enhanced since the Begin
ming OF the sale. Styles that
brought only seven shiliings or
dollar on the first day now easily
run up to 50 so or So 70 at five.
cent jumps. The shrewd auctioneer
takes advantage Of this unexpected
vogue and dwells eloquently upon
the good points of the gods he of.
fers, while Col. Ingersoll mods &C.
| Quiescence TO all that Is said in
their praise, and never -elinquish q
the battle until the prize is his,
"Here now," said the apctioneer
on Thursday afternoon, as his as
sistant held up TO the light hide.
Gus, chooOlate-colored Bnddha from
Thibet, about two feet high and
apparently 200 years old. "Now
here's something worth having.
| "Hew much AM l offered for the
god?"
"Forty cents" ventured BASH
fal gentleman in the rear of the
room.
"Forty centsW repeated the auo.
tloneer with withering scorn. "For-
ty cents for fine Oriental deity
like that! That god has been wor-
shipped by hundreds of thousands
of ingenious and devout heathens.
Forty cents. Why, he's worth
more than that to put in your hall
way to frighten off burglars.n
"Forty-fve," said the abashed
gentleman, bidding against HIM
self.
"Well, Tll take it for a starter y
said the auctioneer, "though its a
shame to mention forty-five cents
In connection with suoh a god. See
how he bushes himself! Forty
five, tee-flve, tee-five, seven.half,
sev-naf, sev-naf-u
FIFTY cents" said the original
bidder.
The auctioneer's face wore an in-
Ijured and almost disgusted look.
"Its very plain" said he, in a coL-
fidential but perfectly andible tone
aside to Col. Ingersoll, "that these
gentlemen don't understand the
value of q really authentic god"
"Pll give seventy-five cents for
the god," said Col. Ingersoll,
firmly.
"Col. Ingersoll bids seventy
fve," said the auctioneer. Now
he knows what god is. Seventy
five, tee-five, tee-five, eighty by
half dozen gentlemen in the back
of the room-tee-eight, tee-eight,
tee-eight-"
The chocolate eolored Buddha
ran UP to 81 50, and stopped there.
"Gone!' said the auctioneer, at.