The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-06-23
THE AUCTIONEER'S STORY.

LIE AUCIIUNEEh>S SlURIs
This is strange world! And vet |
never thought so until my attention was
called to the fact by a little incident
that befell me one day, and set me off
thinking so hard that seemed to grow
out of my own head and reach great
height, and then look down on my other
self with compassion. l don't know
that it made me any wiser, but at least
it made me more attentive to my fellow
beings-more thoughtful of their Joys
and sorrows-and that counts for some
thing, reckon.
| had cried dozens of pawnbrokers'
sales in my time and never thought
anything about them, unless it was that
old Two to One or Give and Take were
doubling their money and making a
pretty penny, even with ten per cent.
commission taken off.
But | had never thought of the story
connected with any one article of the
sale-of the heartaches, and despair
and woman's tears. 1t was but a Joke
to me, who had known the time when
to ''spout watch, or pistol, or some
light trinket, in order to carry on a
frolic. or help apoorer chap than 1 was,
was but the impulse of the moment, and
carried no further weight than the re-
lief from empty pockets at the moment.
But, as | have said before, something
made me think, and ever since haven't
tne Ss4ne hear0 TO cry away the goods
OF the poor creatures that want and
misery had driven into old Two to
Ones clutches.
The city of B is splendid market
Tor our business. The trade done there
by one house alone would discount anv
banking, commission, or other business
IN the place, and, by the same token,
the paWnbrokers equal us in power and
profit, and give us some of our biggest
sales.
An old lot came into the wareroom
one day, consigned to us by Clutchem
d Keep, a shrewd firm of new becin-
ners, and, as it fell to my duty to assert
and label the goods, it thus also fell to
my fate to have part in the following
story:
The consignment consisted mainly of
glass and silverware, pictures and
bronzes, as Clutchem & Keep were
rather first class in their business and
did not yet cOndescend to family Bibles;
but in the lot came across a few pieces
of furniture which attracted my atten-
ton from the fact of our having an
order from western house to pick up
all the antiques and oddities afloat for a
brick-a-brack firm.
Here were about a dozen specimens
of claw legs, stick backs, and otherwise
uncomfortable household articles in
the shape OF chairs, dressing glasses,
and cabinets, and / at once labeled
them sold, that they might not get into
next days sale, but be forwarded at
once to our western house.
One article alone | noticed with At
tentlon enough to remember afterward.
and then only because ! struck my hand
roughly against it, and the pain made
me stare hard at the cause of it. 1t
was an old cedar cabinet, brass bound
and clamped, but rusty and forlorn-
looking enough in its changed fortunes.
labeled it, as | thought, for our next
day sale, as there We're two others TO
go west, and the home market was then
going as crazy for everything old. but
parents and friends, as either the west
or north. @
But subsequent events discovered nv
mistal Ie. Our Saturday sale was a bio
one-the rival house across on the
corner hadn't a chance against us that
day-and by noon every article put I'D
was bid off lively and quick.
The crowd had begun to thin, and I
was busily hopping my wet face with a
fresh handkerchief it is warm
work, can tell you, to cry such sales
from ten to one 'clock-when a lady
came back in the store where was stand
ing and approached me eagerly.
''Are you the proprietor, sir?" she
asked, with nervous haste, and 1 saw
she was trembling.
II am the auctioneer, madam"
said, wondering what was wrong. 81
will call the firm, if you wish
She looked around timidly but eager
ly.
perhaps you can attend to my bust
ness, I-I-do-not- understandable
matters WE'LL" she answered;
and then saw she was poorly clad,
although well bred and timid
l drew an old chair up into the corner
and asked her to sit down, and as she did
so gratefully-poor little woman!-I
took good look at her. She was still
young and pretty.
Behind her hung a long mirror. 1t