The Evening critic., 1885-01-26
DEAD LETTER SALE
The Disposition of Unopened Pack
ages and Parcels.
AMUSING SURPRISES.
People who Got Things They Did
Not Want, and People Who
Wanted Things They
Did Not Get

The annual sale under tho direction of
the Dead Letter Office Of the bundles and
packages which have lost their way during
the year and remained unclaimed is about
as near an approach to lottery az the Cap
ital City can come, and the sales always at
tract an interested and curious crowd.
The sale now in progress at Duncanson
Bros auction-rooms Is no exception to this
rule.
Tho announcement that tho sale was TO
commence was sufficient to attract an ex-
pectant and speculative crowd, and long be-
fore the appointed hour the auction rooms
were filled with persons seeking bargains
among the mysterious bundles that were
heaped on the floor and crowded the shelves
around the auction-rooms.
There were persons there both young
and old, male and female, white and black,
business men, boatmen ahd countrymen.
Most of the women present had baskets in
their hands, and had apparently started
from their homes for the market, and
visited the sale as they passed by in pur-
suit of some rare bargain.
ACRITIc reporter forced his way through
the crowd into the auction room.
Have program boss; things isjest being
klNtu tIWdyp was buo uIob RlbbblnBt ana
the reporter was handed q catalogue by an
old darky stationed at the door.
"You sees dem parcels on de Shelves" he
continued. "Dey contain most everything
from n toothpick to q set of false teeth"
The reporter, prompted by the informa-
tion of the darly, gave casual glance to-
ward the shelving around the room, all of
which was packed with bundles, both large
and small, tied up in neat packages, with
the stamp of the Postoffice Department
thereon and numbered so as TO correspond
with the number in the catalogue.
The packages looked very tempting, and
when put up for sale those supposed to
contain articles of a useful character caused
quite splutter among the purchasing
audience. Conspicuous around the room
were stenciled notices, as follows: Cata-
logues supposed to be correct; no guar
antee;" thus insuriDg the auctioneer and
his three assistants from the wrath Of the
disappointed purchasers.
As THE CRITIC man was making these
observations loud laugh broke out among
the crowd in one corner of the room. BE
Immediately elbowed his way through tho
crowd to the corner where young man
had opened tho paper which contained his
speculation.
The article was marked in the catalogue
miscellaneous" and was knocked down to
the purchaser for 60 cents. The package
contained an old damaged waistcoat which
looked as If it had passed through tho rev.
olutionary war, soiled necktie, some worn
out collars and cuffs and tin whistle.
Somebody suggested that the young man
would be well equipped for ceremonies at
tending the dedication of the monument,
but he did not join In the laugh and made
hasty departure.
The next purchase that furnished fun for
the audience was "Article No. 149-Lady's
Cloak" 1t was awarded to an old country
man for $1.15. The old mans hands fairly
trembled as he reached his prize. He in
tended to carry it away unopened, but
curiosity oveIcame him, and off came the
wrapper.
The bundle contained lady's cloak as
the catalogue had declared but it was made
of waterproof goods, and lined with blue
cambria. Jumbo could have easily con-
cealed himself within its folds, with enough
goods left over to furnish canvass for a
sailboat. The countryman seemed to enjoy
the laugh and departed well-pleased with
his circus tent.
NOW we have No. 375," shouted the auc-
tioneer. Twenty -fve-forty -fifty-ffty-
five, and gone to this lady" The package
contained gents smolring-cap (something
on the order of circus clowns cap), pair
Of mems socks, broken-bladed pocket
knife and one fish hook. The lady did not
seem pleased with her assortment, even for
fifty-hve cents.
There were many ludicrous incidents
attending the sale. The purchasers gen.
orally seemed well pleased with their prizes,
whether bargains or not and those who
were not satisfied concealed their disap-
pointment and Joined in the general good
humor and laughter. Persons who had
had previous experience in the Dead Letter
Office sales were little more careful in
their purchases and preferred to open the
lundles at home. Those who had not been
scalped before took what they got aud
opened their bundles and enjoyed the
envious glances or derisive laughter that
followed.
The sale and the fun will be resumed at
z o'clock this evening, and again a large
crowd will undoubtedly assemble to take
their chances in the disposition of bun
dies, and to enjoy the fun at tho OK
pense of the unfortunate purchasers of
useless or inappropriate articles.
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