The Portland daily press., 1878-11-14
Mr., Bob Ingerson.
A1 Corner In God.-what he is Going 20
Do With Them.

lFrom the New York SUM-
For more than a week past the proprietors of
the Old Curiosity Shop in Broadway, near
bleecker street, have been selling out by auc-
tion their Heterogeneous stock of rubbish and
rarities from all parts of the globe.
| One of the most constant attendants at the
sale is portly, well-favored old gentleman,
dressed in black. who comes early, chooses Q
seat near the auctioneer, and remains to the
end OF the days proceedings, watching every
thing with nervous and slightly quizzical
interest
This old gentleman is evidently not habitu-
al frequenter of auction rooms For the first
two or three days his manners, though hearty.
were little shy and gelf-conscious, and hs
shrank from the general attention which she
drew upon himself by the singularity Of his
actions. After he had become better acquainted
with the surroundings, he gained courage,
spoke up louder when he made o bid, and on
one or two occasions even ventured 10 handy
jokes with the nimbls-tongued auctionser.
The gentleman in black Is Mr.. Robert G,
Ingersoll of Peoria, III. His presence in this
city is due to lecture engagements in the
neighborhood, and has no connection with the
sessions Of the Milenial Conference.
Mr. Ingersoll attends the auction at the Old
Curiosity Shop with a wsll-defined purpose.
| He is not engaged In stocking private mu-
scum, nor is he particularly interested in brio
a-brac or pottery. So long as the auctioneer
| vends Nankeen china or Aztec jugs or Tunis-
ian tobacco pipes or alleged Satsuma ware, Mr..
Ingersoll settles back in his seat with an air of
Indifference or impatiently scans his catalogue.
Bot as soon as god is put up to be bid for, his
whole manner changes. He is alert and eager
He leans forward in his chair, his face slightly
flushed With excitement and caps bid with bid
10 rapid succession. Everything in the shape
OF q god that is offered for sale Bob IngersoIl
bDs for without regard to COST
AS there are several other regular attand ants
with q taste for deties, Mr.. Iugersolps a Reckless
bidding sometimes meets with lively competi-
ton. Napoleon Sarony, the photogra phsr, is
also buyiog gods but he selects them on
aesthetic principles and for artistic purposes.
He bids for only mmetrical gods. Mr. In
g-rsolTs appetite on the other hand is om niyer-
ous. The modest Hndoo idol of baked red
clay and the most handsomely carved Japan
ese deity. splendid in paint aud gold leaf, seem
to have equal value in his eyes, His theology Ia
Democratic comprehe nsive and impartial "A
gods god for a. that" he whispered. al a
d,ney, stupid-faced aod thoroughly dsreputa-
be Hottentos idol was knocked down to him
for 371 cents.
Under the stimulus Of Mr.. Iugersolps whole
sale purchase, Sarony's competition, and the
eagerness of an occasional Wall street man
who drops in on his way up town to
bay god for the adornment Of his man
tel-piece. the market price of divinites has
been greatly enhanced since the beginning of
the sale. Styles that brought only seven shil-
lings or 81 on the frst day, now easily ruu up
to $3.50 to $275 az fve-cent jumps. The
shr1wd auctioneer takes advantage of this uu-
expected vogue and dwells eioq nantly upon the
good pol nts OF the gods he Offers while Mr.
lngersoll mods acquiescence to all that is said
10 their praise. aud never relinquishes the bat
tie until the prize is his.
"Here, now" said the auctoneer ON Tburs-
day afternoon, rs his assistant held IN to the
light hideous, chocolate-colored Buidha from
Thlbet, ABOUT two feet high and apparently 30
years G,d-"now, here's something worth hav-
ing. How much am offered for the god?''
"Forty CENTS" ventured q bashfal gentleman
in the rear of the room.
"Forty centsp' repeated the auctioueer. with
witnering, scorn: Forty cents for a fiae
Oriental deity like that! That god has bsen
worshipped by Hundreds of thousands of in
genuoas and devout heather. Forty csntsi
Why, he's worth more than that to put in
yonr hallway to fr'ghten of burglars"
,"Forty-hve, said the abashed geatleman,
bidding against himself.
swell, Pll take it for starter" said the
auctioneer, "ttfough it's shame to mention As
cents In connection with such god. See how
he bushes himself! Forty-five, tee-five, tee
five, seven-half, sev-nsf sev-nsf-"
Fifty CENTS" said the original bidder.
The auctoneer's face wore an 10 jured and
almost dsgusted look. It's very plsln," said
he in confidential but perfectly audible way
aside to Mr.. lngersoll, shat these gentlemen
tic ..g,5 god." ..7
Ingersoll firmly.
"Mr. Ingersoll bids ssvsuty-ivs," said the
La Lv
Seventy five. tee-fve, tee-ise-elghsy by half .
dozen gentlemen in the back of the room-ree-
eight, tee-sight tee-eight--"
The chocolate-colored Buddha ran up toSl.35,
and stopped there.
"Gone" said the auctionser, after a brief
pause, "gone to Ingersol for 81. 35."
The next exciting episode was over a yery
large Japanese idol Of carved wood, in q sit
ting posture, with hands raised in the attitude
OF bsnedictiou. This deity wore handsome
red cloak trimmed with gold. He was care
fully hsisted up into the glare of the gaslipht.
and auctioueer and audience gazed upon him
in silent ad niratoa for fully minute.
"Look at him we'll, ladies and gentlemen"
said the auctioneer, lowering his yoics to sbs
tone OF reverence. "Ooserve all his points bs-
fore you begin to bid. Now there's rare treas-
ure for some household There's god that the
most fastidious purchaser need not be ashamed
OF. In all my experience in this line Of bust
ness IL has never been my privileges uffsr .
finer article. What dye say, gentlemen?
Speak up lively. Who's going to secure the
god? How much for the god?"
After Q resolute and protracted struggle bs-
tween Mr. Ingersoll and the Captain of the
Hudson River steamboat Drew, the Japanese
god in red cloak trimmed with gold was
Knocked down to Ingersoll for Si95.
A small copper Idol from BOMBAY, green with
rust, went to Mr.. Ingersoll tor three shilliugs.
After examining it in every part with pleased
EXPRESSION on his face, he wrapped it up care
fally in newspaper and put it in his pocket
The little copper god evidently was bargain.
A crackleware Chinese god of uncouth shape
was sold to Mr.. InRersoll for So 1t was proba-
bly, worth thrice that sum at private sale.
A gaudiy decorated poroelaio idol from Kio-
to went to Mr.. Ingersoll for So Is. He also Sc
cured g lot of four smaller divinities of the
same manufacture for SO.
Among his other purchases were primitive
Mexican idol from Yucstan, o huge wooden
god with six arms from upper India, several
rudely-carved deities from the Marquesas sca
Friendly Islands, and variety Of African fe-
tiches
During three days Of the sale Mr. Iugersoll
bought between forty and fifty gods The
smaller specimens he carried away from the
auction room in his pockets, leaving the bulky
and unwieldy divinities to be delivered BY eI-