The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1882-01-19
an action at law, on which his whole

Assizes, and Baron Stock was one of
the two Judges appointed to hold the
! said Assizes. On the day when this
fact. was published in the papers, Mr..
Twistey invited the Judge to dinner,
and the Baron, who knew nothing of
the action that was pending, came with
out suspicion.
The pair dined well and tete-a-tete.
Mr.. Twistey preached some bottles of
delicious Burgundy and claret, for
which, as he managed to hint, he had
paid twelve guineas the dozen; and
when the Judge had well drunk thereof
for he was no despiser of good things
his host waxed sentimental and told
him, with tears in his eyes, that he
wished to make him a present. He
walked to the wall and unlocked the
Correggio, upon which Baron Stock had
gazed ecsta:ically all through the din
ner. it.a l*i -. '# s'.'-+'1 'Efs
my dear Stock" faltered he, +" this
is the anniversary of the day when we
became acquainted, two years ago, and
your friendship has been very precious
to me. want you to accept this pict-
ure, which You fancy, as a memento of
it" ''.s% '@ ''
- my dear Twistey,n murmured the
Judge, taken aback and coloring from
excitement, ell can't take such a
present as this I'll buy it, if you like"
"You would accept it if bequeathed
it to you by will, would you not? So
you may as well take it while l am
alive rejoined the banker, plausibly.
4" If, however, you wish to be quits with
me, I'll tell you how, you can render me
a small service. An action is going to
be tried at Manchester
"Ah, seer' exclaimed the Judge,
rising, and quite sobered at once.
Since you have known me two years,
Twistey, you ought to be aware that I
never mix up business with my pleas
ure.'
"Well, but hear me to the end" in
sisted the banker. "You are running
away with wrong impression" 49,,
| mo, no; / have heard enough"
calculated the Judge. "Good-nightr'
And he walked out of the house
straightway.
Mr.. Baron Stock went to the Manches-
ter Circuit, and, as ill luck would haveit,
an indisposition of his brother Judge
obliged him to preside in the Civil Court
on the day when the action of Wriggle
VS.. Twistey came on for trial. As the
suit was being placed before him it sud-,
denly occurred to the Judge that if the
banker were ruined, his gallery, and the
Correggio with it, would go to the ham,
mer, so that he might be able to buy the
picture after all. This thought filled
him with agitation. He dreaded that
he might not be impartial enough, and
in summing up he found so many points
for the defendant that old solicitors
shook their heads in amazement, mar
Yelling to hear casuistry proceed from
Baron Stocks lips instead of sound law.
However, the jury were not to de shak-
en-, and, deciding the case on its merits,
they found for the plaintiff. So Mr.
Twistey was ruined, and Baron Stock,
as he dotted his wig and gown in the
robing-room, could not repress secret
chuckle over this consummation, which
had been brought about through no as
sistance of his
A month later the newspapers an
nounced the impending sale by auction
of Mr.. Twisteys picture-gallery, and
the Correggio was included in the list.
From the day when he saw this an
nouncement until that of the sale, Baron
Stock was like "a man in fever. He
could think of nothing but the Correg-
gio. He feared to avail himself of the
ticket he received to attend the private
view of the gallery, lest his feelings
should overpower him and betray to
some cunning looker-on (who might aft
EDWARDS try to outbid him) how much
value he attached to the picture; but he
sold out a quantity of scrip, so as to
have funds available for the purchase of
his heroine. He resolved to have it if it
cost him $4,000.
The day of the sale came, and the
auction room was crowded. Baron
Stock had arrived early and obtained a
seat at the table where the Hebrew
dealers were. These gentlemen, who
have often their reasons for being civil
to Judge, were particularly so to the
Baron, and made way respectfully for
him, divining that he must have come
for the Correggio, the only real gem in
the collection. The Baron, leaning
back in his chair. assumed an air of in
difference, and scarcely glanced at the
picture, though he stole sidelong looks
at it through the corners of his eyes.
1t was little thin -not much more
than twenty inches square-the head of
a golden-haired, blue-eyed girl, moth
ing more. But what head, and what
eyes! Our poor Baron was in love with
them. that is the plain truth.
A few ordinary lots were disposed of
first, then dead silence fell upon the
room while the Correggio was passed
round the table. The Baron, who felt
himself being watched by the Hebrews,
let it pass without notice, ard pretend
ed to be amorously admiring an arrange
ment in indigo and orange by some ge-
MUS of the contemporary school. The
auctioneer began:s.A beautiful and gem
uine Correggio, said he, .'.two thousand
pounds. r. 49,
1.-TWO thousand five hundredr' cried
somebody at the back of the room.
"Three thousandr' said Baron Stock,
quietly. i 4 = 4
'Going for three thousand!'
Three thousand five!'' -Four thou
sandr' -Four thousand fiver' These
bids came in quick succession.
''Fiye thousandr' said the Judge,
with slight culver in his voice. =
Five thousand fver' ''Six thou
sandt' ''Six thousand fiver' arr
"Seven thousand!' bawled Hebrew
seated opposited the Baron. .l
Going for seven fve!'' cried the
auctiOneer. gAFt q AN .e.
Eight thousandp' muttered the
Baron almost gasping. ID ..
Eight fve!' retorted the Hebrew,
like man who means to go on. Il
Baron Stock was livid. He cast at
the Hebrew glance that would have
melte d stone. The auctioneer raised
his hammer! "Going for eight five!
Going! Going'--'s s'a2a0
The Baron could not afford to give q
penny more than he offered, but he
was seized with sudden rage at the
thought that yonder Jew, who looked as
if ~ his .. pouches were bursting with
rascally gold, had determined to beat
him, and he resolved that his adversary
should at least win his Victory dearly.