The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-08-25


she moved softly to the window and sat
awhile looking out, and wondering dimly
il any other place would ever wear SO
sweetly familiar an aspect. The clear
morning air revealed things in broad
masses of light and shade; over the bit of
grass the fence cast its semblsnce in long,
distinct linee, and the naked branches
were, every twig of them, half black, half
white.
Very soon after breakfast the neigh
bors began to arrive, for an auction was
not an event to be lightly considered in
80 small place. They we're mostly wo-
men who had come to get piece of fur
niture that might ''go cheap" or some Of
the china dishes which the Hughes girls
were known to have; later on, when the
house itself was to be sold, the men Of
the town would attend.
Mary Bell and Serena, in their best
gowns of thin crinkled black silk, received
the people with the subdued air of
mourners in house Of death. Each OF
them held white starched handkerchief
in her folded hand. They had not spoken
to each other since getting up, but they
stood close together, lest any one should
imagine there was any i'll feeling animal
ing them.
Presently little woman with pale
eyes and light red hair futtered up.
GLOW DE do, Miss Hughes?" she said
shrilly. "Pears like you all are goin' ter
hev pretty day for the sale. 1 sez ter
Ames this mo'nin' - 'Amee,' SEE, I'm
goin' ter pick up an go ter the auction
an I'll buy some OF them jells you set
sech heap by Inever wus raised ter do
sech-all things myself; bein's es our folks
he'd niggere, never es much es turned
my han ter do lick till got married
An'-oh yee! reckon I'll hev ter bid
on that blueish teapot yander; a-course
faint sizsble 'nough for my family, but
my Johnny he don't gi' me no rest a-pest-
ering for ssvin's bsnk-he's likely one
fer four year-ap' tole him this mo'nin',
You, John, if you'll hesn that mouth
o'yourp, I'll look 'roun' ter the Hughes
fer ole style tea-caddy er somethin'
tibet amt much count, an fetch yer it fer
bank"
Serena swallowed gulp of indigna-
tiop; Mary Bell, with the odd jerking at
her lips, said that it was not likely that a
aI to,r x0% -
Then Squire Tolliver, the auctioneer,
came in, red faced and clustering, and
inclined 10 be very humorous.
"H're ye, Miss Hughes-purty lively
this mo'nin'?" he asked genially.
Serena raised her gray head with a
movement which set the little curls
twitching like coils of fine wire. Folks
don't genully feel over lively at sale, >
she said coldly.
"Law, now, Miss Sereny' didn't go
ter hurt yer feelin's nohow; ies' my way
o'speakin'. Blame 4 1 don't hate ter do
this hyer business-feel middlin like an
ondartaker; you all hev lived right chere
ever sence wuz knee high ter duck, al ,
'spise on the face % the yearth ter sell
yer out; blame'f 1 don't"
Serena received his apologies in chill
ing silence.
He began operations in the kitchen
and the sisters could hear eager voices
bidding on the tinware they had polished
for years. Then Mr.. Tolliver announced
that while he had his hand in he would
put up the dishes, and get "shet O. tibet
business"
"Hyer's now thing tibet you ladies
will 'preciate; rale chiny teapot made
in the celebrated factories o the Heeper-
ides. How much am I bid for this arti-
Gle which cheers but not inebriates, ez the
bard hez it? Twenty cents? no, m; I'm
selling the teapot, not the lid o'ny. Tnir
ty cents am bid-thirty- fve-make it
forty, Mis- Ames. Thet's right; forty
forty-forty-"
In the front room Serena sat listening;
her face seemed older by years since the
sale had begun. When the teapot be-
came the object of barter, she pressed
closed hand against her lips and stole
cautious glance at her sister. The stiff
handkerchief had fallen from Mary Bells
hands, and she sat gazing into the kitch-
en- with strained, vacant eyes.
"Ma'y Bell" said Serene, suddenly,
"shell our maw's teapot go for forty cents
ter be play toy for the Ames young
un's?"
Mary Bells head fell Imply forward
"No, no." she said, TREMENDOUSLY. 1can't
get up-my knees or give way like, bat
you bid it in, Sereny. feel like I'll die
eff these all folks don't go way. SEN EN-
away, Sereny-they's on'y you n me lef'
two pore helpless ole women-an' I'll do
whutever you say, Serepy."
"Goin' fer forty cents ter Mis-"
"Tain't goin' fer tibet, Squire Tolliver,"
said Serena, walking quietly into the
kitchen. 81 don't like the prices things
are brinRin' an we've decided not ter
sell.
"But, my dear Miss Hughes, we can't
do business that g. way"
"I'llpay you for your trouble; a. course
don't want yer ter be nothin' out; but
reckon no one can sell these things with
out the owners say So" 1t was some
time before the surprised throng wholly
withdrew, but at last the sisters were