The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-03-04
THE AUOTI0NEER'S STORY.

This is strange world. Aud vet
never thought so until my attention was
called 10 the fact by "A little incident that
happened TO me. | don't know as it
made me any wiser, but il made me
more thoughtful about the joys and sor-
rows Of my fellow beings
| had cried dozen of pawnbrokers'
sales in my time, but had never
thought Of the story connected with my
article of sale. 1t was but joke to me-
but as said before, something made me
think, and ever since | haven had the
same heart TO cry away thegoods of the
poor creatures that want and misery
have d Old Two TO Ones
clutches.
The city Of BIS splendid market
for our business, and the pawhbrokers
give us some of our biggest sales An
odd lot came into the wareroom one day,
consigned to us by Clutchen Il Keep.
As il fell to my duty to assert and label
the goods, ii also fell to me TO have a
part in the following story:
The consignment consisted MALAY of
glass and silyerware, but in the lot
came across few pieces of furniture,
which attracted my attention from the
fact of our having an order from a
Western house TO pick up all the antiq-
uities atloat for bric-a-brac firm.
Here were about a dozen specimens
of uncomfortable chairs, some glasses
and cabinets, and Lat once labeled them
sold, that they might be forwarded at
once to'our Western house. One article
alone noticed with attention enough TO
remember aiterward, and then only be.
cause struck my hand against it, and
the pain made me stare hard ut the
cause of it. II was an old cedar cabi.
net, clamped aud brass-bound, but for.
lorn-looking enough in its changed for.
tunes labeled II as thought for the
next DAYS sale, as there were two
others to 90 West, but subsequent
events discovered my mistake. Oui
Saturday sale was II big one, and by
noon every article put up was bid of
lively and quick The crowd had begun
to thin, and was mopping my wet face
when II lady came 10 the back store
where was and approached me eager.
".
"Are you the proprietor, sir?' she
asked with nervous haste, and | saw
she was trembling.
81 am the auctionecr madam, Twill
call the firm if you wish
She looked aroundti midly but eagerly.
perhaps you can attend to my bust
ness. Lido not understand these
matters very well, " she faltcrcd.
! drew a chair into the corner and
asked her to sit down, poor little thing,
took good look At her. She was still
young and pretty.
The store was now empty, and the
light was leavening it, for the sun was
creeping up to the roof as if he had only
waited for the sale to be over
The lady had face that touched me
at once; she was pale and timid; but
there was that in her face that made me
take off my hat to her. don't know
how to express It. bat II was Ms If stood
in the presence of death, and the natural
reverence for that mystery commanded
my respect
"What can | DO for you madam" /
asked.
She had been looking all around hcr
as If seeking something.
"You sell the goods, doyou notP" she
asked, eagerly.
Eyes, madam
"You would know the articles which
have been sent hcrep"
"Probably."
She looked about her again, and the
color came and went in her face.
81 have just come from Clutchcm Il
Keep, They had some things was.
forced to part with" Here she paused
for a moment, then looked up at me
with faint smile. "You hear this said
80 often II must weary YOU
Somehow IL seemed TO me | had only
then understood the possibility Of q
heart story being attached to the ex-
change Of goods snch as ! had that day
so