Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-02-29
A COUNTRY AUCTION.
A Public Sale of Stock and House.
hold Gooda
A Gathering OF Old Men aud Young.
MatrOns. Maidens and small
BOys..-The Aurttourer
aud His Bidders.
New Work TitneSl


A form of rx .itement that exc.ei, la In
tensity even the wild dissipation Of the circus
IN the farming communities Of the eastern
and central states. is the periodical "aur
ton sale, which occurs whenever some out
of-luck husbandman decides to sell out ans
go west, or is forced by any circumstance u
dispose of his farm stock or household goods
The sale is advertised by posters far and
wide, the farmer occasionally startling tn,
village printer by an order Of som times a,
many as fifty or even 100 bills, an who ha,
ever driven through the country IN the i'll,
seasons without noticing the posters will
TO BE- sold at Public Auction" In wonder
Iull: big letters over n woolcut. usually rep
resenting groom vainly attempting Ia curl
the spirits OF rampant horse, with a
dyspeptic cow, a 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 u
each postoffice; one TO the school house door
to the blacksmith's shop two are allotted, one
Tor each door and one to he hung inside, one
goes to the tavern and wayside saloon; they
are posted on the pillars OF the variou
bridges, and on the more conspicuous tree,
and barns along the country highways And
from the time Of the first auction down 4
the present, no farmer has been known &c
pass q new bill without reading it, and greai
Is the sensation he causes when he brings the
news to his ''women 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 AMI old
OF both sexes from all the country round
The pilgrim chanced upon one Of these inter.
esting events, one day last week, neara sleepy
little village that slumbers among the New
Jersey hills within fifty miles OF this city.
The sale took place from little old fashioned
white house with several veran,,as, that
stood in a grove Of gorgeously colored mn
Piles on pretty rural road People get up 3,
breakfast in the country, and the sale lrgar
early. Before morning had fairly lsgun the
farmers began to drive up with their wive,
and families from miles away, aui before
noon the fences on both sides of the road
were lined with all kinds Of horses NJ. ,het
to all kinds OF vehicl =, an a. crowd uf men
and WON n, chill lren au babies, was gathered
about the auctioneer or strolling through
the house and barn inspecting and crit
1cising and seeking enjoyment generally.
The men and the bigger boys soon go,
together in the barn-yard and discussed
the merits or demerits Of the stock; the
women pulled over the bedding offered 10,
sale or examined the carpets, stoves. and fur
niture; the girls began to coquette with the
smaller boys until their elders should tusu
from the destinations Of the stock yard. and
the children rompsd about In everybody,
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 wa
treated with due Difference and respect by
everybody, and was fairly worshipcd by the
small boys who formed a row outside Of ths
circle Of bidders and admired from afar
How the sturdy little fellows shrieke.i at hi,
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 "vandoo' In the state.
Not one Of those small boys has given
over yet the ambition to he an auctlonecr
wien he grows up. Next to tho auctionees
in importance was the assistant, who
shons with reflected glory. He carried an
immense notebook, and put down the name,
Of the buyers with an air Of awful profund
7,
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 n the eyes Of the small boys wa
the long legged youth who led the horses Out
and put them through their paces on the
roadway. and who pointed out some Of thu
animals good points, and even venturrd e
address the autioneer with familiarity Ths
small boys had previously considered him q
commonplace big brother OF one Of theil
number, but there was gulf between then
now, and they would not 10 at all surprised
after this il he should go to work in Paterson
or some other great, far away city, and com,
back wealthy and buy out the village store
or even become q horse jockey.
A group Of farmers who did the bidding no
sembled the members Of that laborious call
ing who may be seen any day about the cit,
markets or cattle yards The farmer Is al
legged to be the one independent and happ,
man in this universe, AM yet a group o
farmers is picture of cadaverous, tired, anf
discouraged men, who accept the primeva
curse and whose appearance leads one to DO
lieve that thsy have long since despaired o
anything save labor and weariness on thi
side Of the grave. This gathering prusentet
the usual features Of toll and care, with on,
or two exceptions, that typiHed the farmer o.
pastoral-stout, hale, and hearty old fellows
with ruddy cheeks and good digestions
They were most Of them attircd In their Sun
day clothes, and the collection Of ancient sill
hats would have done credit to ST. Patrick
day procession. They conversed concernins
the probable state Of the weather and whe,
snow enough might be expected for get
ting out lumber; or discussed Farme,
Smiths oat crop or the price Farmer Jone,
got fer his wool. The farmers were tn
aristocrats Of the gathering, but thcy receive,
their ''hired men" who, Of course could no
be kept at home from an auction, on terms O
equality, and accepted the numerous negroc
and q few Indians who had likewise hee.
drawn to the sale, on the same social level
The auction and the bidding levelci all ranks
In the afternoon the household goods wer
disposed Of. and il became tho ladies' turn 3
do the bidding. Then the auctionecr was Il
his glory and he showered compli inents upo,
his fair audience ad nauseam, 20 all bu
themselves. For instance:
"How much am offered for this tablet
cried the gentleman Of the hammer. ~
walnut extension table. Ten leaves! Goo.
as new.'
"Do You warrant il to I've walnut r venture,
pretty young housewife.
'Yes, am" promptly and gallantiy re
piled the auctioneer, 'and III warrant yo,
can git rs good meal OF vi,tles as anybo,i,
wants to eat off it, Admiring applause AM
bushes of pretty housewife
An interesting and somewhat pathetic In
cident occuire over the sale of n queer ol.
bureau The article was knocked down;
"Gone. al 1915, to Mr.. Barton
"lIere." cried'a woman's voice sharply
"Tbat was my bid!'
"beggin' yer pardon, ma'am." said tn,
auctioneer. that was Mr.. Barton's bid"
WAS that your bid. neighbor Barton" In
Quired the woman, anxously
II guess twas" repliei Seighbor Barton
somewhat alb ,shed at talking before so many
people.
The woman burst into tears THAT was
my mothers bureau" she sobbed. IAN
come he; on purpose TO buy IL. thought
| that bid the last on it. I'd made up my
mind to have it ever since mother died." and
she turned to leave the house.
NeiShbor Barton, in a state Of great per
plexity, ran after her Here" he criel, Il
don't want the bureau; honest ] only bid
on it fer the sake Of bidding You can take
il off hanle ~ xsb,t \ J.. O.. . ~