Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-06-03
The Sturp Teller.
THE AUCTIONEER'S STORY.

IhlS IS strange WOrld! ana yet never
thought so until my attention was called
to the fact by little incident that befell me
one day, and set me to 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. 1 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 something, l
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 pretty penny, even
with ten per cent. commission taken off.
But had never thought of the story con-
nected with any one article of the sale-of
the heartaches, of despair, and woman's
tears. It was but a joke to me, who had
known the time when to ''spout" a watch,
or pistol, or some light trinket, in order to
carry on frolic, or help poorer chap than
I 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 l haven't
the same heart to cry away the goods OF
the poor creatures that want and misery
have driven into old Two to Ones clutches.
The city of B. is splendid market for
our business. The trade done there by one
house alone would discount any 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 odd lot came into the wareroom one
day, consigned to us by Clutchem & Keep,
a shrewd firm of new beginners, and as it
fell to my duty to assort and label the goods,
it thus also fell to my fate to have a 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 I came
across few pieces of furniture which at
tracted my attention from the fact of our
having an order from a Western house to
pick up all the antiques and oddities afioat,
for bric-a- brac firm.
Here were about dozen specimens of
claw-legs, stick-backs, and otherwise un-
comfortable household articles, in the way
of chairs, dressing glasses and cabinets, and
at once labeled them sold, that they might
not get into the next days sale, but be
forwarded at once to our Western house.
One article alone I noticed with attention
enough to remember afterward and then
only because I struck my hand roughly
against it, and the pain made me stare hard
at the cause of it. 1t was an old cedar cabi-
net, brass bound and clamped, but rusty
and forlorn looking enough in its changed
fortunes. 1 labeled it, as thought, for our
next days sale, as there were two others to
90 West, and the home market was then
going as crazy for everything old, but par
ents and friends, as either the West or
North.
But subsequent events discovered my
mistake. Our Saturday sale was abig one
the rival house across on the corner hadn't
chance against US that day-and by noon
every article put up was bid off lively and
quick.
The crowd had begun to thin, and 1 was
busily mopping my wet face with fresh
handkerchief-for it was warm work, can
tell you, to cry such sales from ten to one
o'clock-when lady came back in the
store where I was standing and approached
me eagerly.
care you the proprietor, sir?" she asked,
with nervous haste, and l saw she was
trembling.
II am the auctioneer, madam" I said,
wondering what was wrong. 81 will call
the firm, if you wish"
"Perhaps you can attend to my business.
I-I-do-not-ulde d-these-matters
very WE'LL" she faltered and then saw
she was poorly clad, although we'll bred and
timid.
1 drew an old chair up into the corner,
and asked her to sit down, and as she did
so gratefully-poor little woman II took
a good look her. She was still young and
pretty.
Behind her hung long mirror. 1t had
grown dim hanging there, and had misty
shadow over it, and in the two angles of
the corner stood a faded old japanese screen
and tall chest of drawers.
The store was now empty, and the light
was leaving it, as the sun was creeping
away from the door-sill and mounting up
to the roof, as if he had only waited for the
sale to be over.
The lady had a 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 while 1 talked to her. don't know
how to express it but it was as if I stood
in the presence of death, and the natural
reverence of that great mystery command
ed my respect.
"What can I do for you, madame" I
asked.
She had been looking all around her, as
if seeking something.
"You sell the goods, do you not?" she
said eagerly.
"Yes, madam"
"You would know the articles sent
here?"
"Probably."
She looked about her again and the COL
or came and went in her face nervously.
81 have just come from Clutchem &
Keep" she began in hurried tones, as if
ashamed of admitting her knowledge of
those gentlemen. "They-had some things
WAS forced to-partEwith-" Here she
paused for moment; then looked up at
me with faint smile. "You hear this said
50 often that will only weary you."
Somehow or other, it seemd to me | had
only then understood the possibility of