Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-27
A COUNTRY AUCTION.
a Public Sale Of Stock and House.
hold Goods.
& Gathering OF Old azen AMI Young,
Ifatrons. 1saIGens and Small
E0ys---TEe Aueticneer
and Ills EiI<icrs.
New York Timas.l


dispose of his farm stock or household goods.
The sale is advertised by posters far and
wide, the farmer occasionally startling the
village printer by an order of sometimes as
many as fifty or even 100 bills, and who has
ever driven through the country in the idle
seasons without noticing the posters with
TO be sold at Public Auction in wonder
July big letters over wood-cut, usually rep
resentlng groom vainly attempting to curb
the spirits OF rampant horse, with
dyspeptic cow, consumptive sheep, a for
lorn pig, and several destitute chickens in
the background. These bills the farmer
posts IN all the public places in his own and
the nearest adjacent towns. One goes to
each postoffice; one to the school house door;
TO the blacksmlth's shop two are allotted, one
1or each door and one to be hung inside; one
goes to the tavern and wayside saloon; they
are posted on the pillars of the various
bridges, and on the more conspicuous trees
aud barns along the country highways. And,
from the time of the first auction down to
the present, no farmer has been known to
pass new bill without reading it, and great
is the sensation he causes when he brings the
news to his '!wonen folks" These sales, for
the convenience of all concerned, usually oc-
cur after harvesting time in the fall or early
winter, and are attended by young and old
OF both sexes from all the country round
The pilgrim CHANGED upon one OF these inter
esung events, one day last week, neara sleepy
little village that slunbers among the New
jersey hills within fifty miles OF this city.
The sale took place from little old-fashioned
white house with several verandas, that
stood IN grove Of gorgeously colored ma
pies on pretty rural road. People get up to
breakfast in the country, and the sale began
early. Before morning had fairly begun the
farmers began to drive up with their wives
and families from miles away, and before
noon the fences on both sides of the road
were lined with all kinds of horses attached
to all kinds of vehicles, and a crowd of men
and women, children and babies was gathered
about the auctioneer or strolling through
the house and barn inspecting and crit
icising and seeking enjoyment generally.
The men and the bigger boys soon got
together in the barn-yard and discussed
the merits or dement's OF the stock: the
women pulled over the bedding offered for
sale or examined the carpets, stoves, and fur
niture; the girls began to coquette with the
smaller boys until their elders should turn
from the destinations of the stock-yard, and
the children romped about in everybody's
way, and made nuisances of their dear little
selves, as they do everywhere.
The auctioneer, of course, was the most i'm
portant person on the grounds, and he was
treated with due Difference and respect by
everybody, and was fairly worshiped by ths
small boys, who formed row outside of the
circle of bidders and admired from afar.
How the sturdy little fellows shrieked at his
jokes, and how they marveled at his large
experience and vast wisdom when he in
formed Deacon Closefist that the horse collar
was the best bargain at that price he'd ever
seen made at any ''vandoon in the state.
Not one of those small boys has given
over yet the ambition to be an auctioneer
when he grows up. Next to the auctioneer
in importance was the assistant who
shone with reflected glory. He carried an
immense notebook, and put down the names
OF the buyers with an air of awful profund-
ity, and he only it was who dared interrupt
the deity s fight of rhetoric to ask what that
there last hoe fetched. The small BOYS stood
aghast at his audacity. Another important,
parsonage in the eyes of the small boys was
the long-legged youth who led the horses out
and put them through their PAGES on the
roadway, and who pointed out some of the
animals good points, and even ventured to
address the autioneer with familiarity. The
small boys had previously considered him
commonplace big brother of one of their
number, but there was gulf between them
now, and they would not be at all surprised
after this if he should go to work in Paterson
or some other great, far away city, and come
back wealthy and buy out the village store,
or even become horse jockey.
A group of farmers who did the bidding re.
1la1 - Ll,,%1 IL
ing who may be seen any day about the city
markets or cattle yards The farmer is al
legged to be the one independent and happy
man in this universe, and yet group of
farmers is q picture of cadaverous, tired. and
discouraged men, who accept the primeyal
curse and whose appearance leads one to be-
ieve that they have long since despaired Of
anything save labor and WEAKNESS on this
side Of the grave. This gathering presented
the usual features of toll and care, with ono
or two exceptions, that typifed the farmer of
pasforal-stout, hale, and hearty old fellows,
with ruddy cheeks and good digestiorls.
They were most of them attired in their Sun-
day Clothes and the collection of ancient silk
hats woDld have done credit to St Patrick,s
day procession. They conversed concerning
the probable state Of the weather and when
snow enough might be expected for get
ting ont lumber; or discussed Farmer
Smiths cat crop or the price Farmer Jones
got for his wool. The farmers were the
arissocrats of the gathering but they received
their ''hired men," who, of course could not
be kept at home from an suction, on terms of
equality, and accepted the numerous negroes
and few Indians who had likewise beel
drawn to the sale, on the same social Slevel.
The auction and the bidding leveled all ranks.
In the afternoon the household goods werg
disposed of, and IT became the ladies' t1rn to
do the bidding. Then the auctioneer was in
his glory, and he showeFed compliments upon
his fair audience, ad nacseam, 10 all but
themselves For instance;
allow much am offered for this tabIegr
cried the gentleman of the hammer. "a
walnut extension tablet Ten leavesl Good
as newt"
"Do you warrant il to be walnut?n veatured
pretty young housewife.
Eyes, ma'an," promptly and CALAMITY re-
piled the auctieneer, ''and I'll warrant you
can git as good meal of vitties as anybody
wants TO eat off it." TAdmiring applause and
bushes of pretty housewife.
An interesting and somewhat pathetic in
cident occurred over thessale OF a queer old
bureau The article was Knocked down:
'Gonel at So 70, 10 Mr.. Bartoar7
ssHere" cried woman;s voice sharply.
t'That was my bidr'