Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-17

Mrs. TOodles was In her glory this morning.
She fairly revelled in the mysteries Of the dead
letter Office sale which was started at 10 o'clock
this morning at Bowling auction house. Long
before the hour appointed several samples Of
the lady in question were on hand and secured
front seats. A temporary platform had been
erected on the west side of the main room and
beyond were placed the various packages that
were to be sold to the highest bidders.
Great bundles Of catalogues lay on the plat
form and were greedily taken by the early
habitues, however, had secured copies in ad-
vance, and their well-thumbed pages, adorned
here and there with check marks, showed a
careful perusal.
By 10 O'Clock the room held about fifty PEG,
pie, and Mr.. Latimer began the sale with q silk
handkerchief, which brought s5cents. The next
package, containing couple Of lady's aprons,
cost the purchaser 40 cents.
When the highest point was reached in the
bidding the auctioneer gave the bundle a twist
the lucky bidder, at whom the cash
iers immediately began to thrust a
cigar-box nailed to long handle.
The articles were invariably started at q
quarter, from which jump would usually
be Immediately made. Number was bundle
claimed Mr.. Latimer, but the bundle went sail
out in the air, sold for quarter.
AN HONEST CATALOGUE.
The catalogue was severe in its frankness in
describing the contents of the various bundles.
If an article was 'cheap" it was SO stated in the
list; il it was damaged" the relentless indexer
had not CLOSED the fact. Number forty
four, for instance, was announced as ''boys
u ,s SS2G, lady's old damaged collars,
old towel" The sum Of IS cents
proclaimed as ''men's old damaged shirt. COL
lars, and cuffs" and yet, in spite of this honest
declaration, 40 cents iingled merrily in the
cashiers tin box. By 1880 the room was
crowded and the doorway blocked.
AN INsATIABLE BUYER.
It was a miracle how some Of the buyers dis
posed Of their bundles. One man near the
platform seemed Unsuitable. Again and again
he raised his catalogue to show a, desire to
sosssa 'n at Sim Thsy passage dsappeared
somewhere, and he kept on buying,
The high-water mark was reached at No. 6S, a
bundle containing "a lady's pocket-book, pair
scissors, ball crochet cord, samples embroidery
Higher and higher mounted the figures until
Mrs. ToOdles secured the prize for e1.20. A
collection: Spanish playing card, pocket-knife,
fshing-cork, small ink-pad, cheap finger
rings" brought IS cents. A box Of twenty-five
cigars, which Mr.. Latimer declared "you could
another box of twenty-five brought Is cents;
one Of thirty-nine cigars cost some one 81 80;
while box of fifty sold for $1.15.
THE NUMBER.
One hundred and sixty-six bundles were sold
in just one hour, and still the auctioneer's
voice was strong and his eye was bright as
ever. A bundle that held dozen
undertaker's screw-drivers and fifteen brass
corner plates brought GO cents. The next
package was the flower of the lot, holding
q boys overcoat and q pair of boys gloves.
Fathers We'd with each other for the prize and
the figure GAS was touched before the bundle
was shot out at q mans head. A case of surgi-
cal instruments stirred the bidders, and the
figures few fast until the box was sold for
cleo.
Number $50 was sold in Just an hour and
half from the time Of starting. These packages
brought @15640 an average of 60 cents pack
age; "The figures are running very
high and the bundles are going
Of faster than ever knew" said an old
lady to TIE STAR reporter, who had been lean
ing against the wall watching the sale. 81
have been to great many dead letter sales, but
! never saw such one as this" and she raised
her parasol and her voice and bid 80 cents for
package containing an infants knit worsted
cape and valentine.
The miscellaneous list comprises Also bum
dies, the book list 1884 packages, and the
tewelry schedule 166 bundles. The sale will
be contiu ned until ALI thu articloa are sold