Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-06-05

gke CO70ne: lavcsts Heavily in Ncn-
sken Divinit!ss.-His Pockets
Full Of Images.

| San honest God is the noblest work Of
man." wrote that now famous intidel. Col.
Robert G. Ingersoll AS if to perpetuate
this belief by his patronage of other peo-
pics works, the Colonel lately attended an
auction sale of heather diyinties in New
York. Tie scene presented at that sale is
thus described by the S,.n of that city:
Col. Bob. lngevsoll attends the auction
at the Old Curiosity Shop with well-de-
fined purpose. lie is not engaged in
stocking private museum, nor is he par
ticularly interested in bric-a-brac or pot
terry. SO long rs the auctioneer vends
Nonlleen china, or Aztec jugs. or Tunisian
tobacco pipes. or alleged Satsuma ware.
Col. In@ersoll either settles back in his seat
with an mir OF Indifference or impa.iently
scans his catalogue. But as soon as Il god
is put up to be bid for, his whole manner
changes. lie is alert and eager. He leans
forward III 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 Ingersoll bids for. without regard to
cost. His appetite is omniverous. The
rudest Hindo idol Of baked red clay and
the most handsomely carved Japanese del
ty, splendid in paint and gold leaf, seem
to have equal value in his eyes. His the
olosy is purely Democratic, comprehensive
and impartial. "A Gods a God for a
that" he whispered, as a dingy, stupid
faced. and thoroughly disreptuable Hot
tentot idol was knocked down to him for
thirty-seyen and half cents.
Here, now" said the auctioneer on
Thursday afternoon, as his assistant held
up to the light hideous, chocolate-col-
ored Bnddah from Ehibet, about two feet
high, and apparently two hundred years
old. Now. here is something worth hav
ing. How much am | offered for this
Got?'
Forty cents ventured bashful gentle
man in the rear of the room.
Forty cents ~ repeated the auctioneer,
with whitening scorn. ''Forty cents for
Oriental deity like that! That god has been
worsl,ipped by hundreds of thousands OF
ingenious and devout heathen. Forty
cents, Why. he's worth more than that
to put in your hallway to ftighten Off bur-
glars"
"Forty-five,'' said the abashed gentle
man. bidding against himself,
sWell, I'll take it for starter" said the
auctioneer, Though it's shame to men
ton foyty-fve cents in connection with
such god. See how he bushes himself
Forty-fiye, tee-five, tee-tiye, seven-half, sew
raf, sev-naf-"
s'Fifty cents" said the original bidder.
The auctioneer's taca wore an injured
and almost disgusted look. ''lt's very
plain" said he, in confidential but per-
fectly audible aside to Col. Ingersoll, ''that
these gentlemen don't understand the val |
ue OF really authentic god.''
''I'll give seventy-five cents for the god," !
said Col. Ingersoll. firmly.
sCol. lngersoll bids seyenty-five,' said
the auctioneer Now, Ia knows what
god is. Seventy five, -tee-tiye,- tee-five,
eighty by half dozen gentlemen in the
back of the room-tee-eight, teeeight. tee
eight" 4 t4
The chocolate-colored Buddha ran mp to
sl.35. and stopped there.
.Gone - said the auctioneer, after /
lriet pause ..gone to Ingersoll for one
i.s aas i
The next exciting episode was over a
rery ls,se Japanese idoi rel wood, I