Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-09
Daily eagle
THE LOVE FOR PASSIONS.
r. GETS WOMEN INTO BAD PREoIcA-
MENTS SOMETIMES.
Auction Sales Are Very Enticing, but They
Are Not Always Reliable-The Tribula-
lions of Mrs. Brown and How She Didn't
Get Her Fine Purchases.

"a. lions of Mrs. Brown and How She Didn',
Get Her Fine Purchases.
The woman who will not waste four hour,
of valuable time and twenty-five cents in cal
fare to swell the crowd at the bargain coun
ter of dry gooGs store to save four cents a
yard in purchase of five yards of useles:
trimming is feminine freak well worth the
attention Of any enterprising museum man
ager.
This love of bargains is not confined to dry
goods stores alone. 1t finds its chief graft
ficetion in auction rooms. There are auc-
tons and auctions
THE AUCTION ROOMS.
The crowded auction rooms are those which
advertise every day household furniture.
There is the enterprising boarding house
keeper who wants to get hold Of a cheap fold
ing bed, side by side with the newly married
wife who would like to get holp of some mex
pensive articles of furniture to fill her rather
empty fat. The poorly dressed woman with
the pale faced baby on her arms wants some
pans and kettles for her kitchen, and the pro-
fessional shopper and sightseer does not
know herself what she wants.
A few days ago story came to the knowl-
edge of a News reporter that bears out the
CDScI IL WIS ABOUT u lnTS. Brown
who lived in an uptown fat She read the
advertisement Of large auction sale in a
street off the Bowery. She had never been
to any of these sales, but her friends had told
her such tales of the many useful articles
that can be bought there for less than half
their value that she felt bent on trying the
experiment for herself. By strict economy
she had saved $50 from her weekly allow
ances, and that money should buy two sets of
curtains. They Were advertised for less than
one-fourth of their real value, and Mrs
Brown wanted curtains very badly. Hers
had been washed and darned so often that
they refused to hold out any longer. So one
fine morning Mrs. Brown set out for the auc-
ton sale, little timid but full of anticipa-
ton.
The room was SO crowded that she could
not examine any of the articles for sale and
hardly could she collect her thoughts. The
cumming Of the hundreds of voices, the shrill
calls of the auctiCneer and the answers of the
bidders bewildered her thoroughly. But she
was smart woman and able to take care Of
herself. The curtains had not been sold yet
and would not be for some time to come, but
there was a desk-such beautiful, old fash
toned one, just one Of those that are all the
rage now. Her husband had wished for a
good big desk with extension and drawers
for ever so long, and next week was his birth
day. Such a chance would never occur
again-a desk worth from $50 to 500. Mrs.
Brown could not resist and after several eff
forts the desk was hers for $25.
She would not go home yet; she just began
10 feel interested in the thing when q folding
bed was brought. How much more room
would there be i,r their little sleeping room
if, instead of the big standing bedstead, she
would buy this beautiful folding bed The
room would look quite different, and any
how everybody had folding beds nowadays,
soliloQuized Mrs. Brown, and looked with
longing eyes toward the envied object.
''Why don't you bid?" asked woman be-
side her.
Il am sorry cannot, have not money
enough with me, replied Mrs Brown, dole
fully.
IF it is only that, they will give credit as
long as you like, and if they do not, will
take the folding bed off your hands. L want
- it anyhow and do not care for bidding my
SELF
MRS. BRowN'S BARGAINS.
And thus encouraged Mrs. Brown bought
the beautiful folding bed for $50 1t was
real bargain, she was told everywhere, and
she felt very happy.
AT last there came the curtains. They
were Just what she wanted, and she had no
more money. But her newly found friend
encouraged her again and promised to take
the curtains also off her hands if necessary.
Curtains are always useful, she added, and
soon Mrs. Brown was the happy owner Of
two sets of real lace curtains for SIS; worth
$50, according to the auctioneer.
At last the sale was over, and people paid
and removed their purchases. Mrs. Brown
was asked to settle her bill, amounting to
SO, and take her bargains away.
Tmidly she approached the auctioneer to
explain matters and ask for credit but he
looked angrily at her and insisted on immedi-
ate payment Mrs Brown went to look for
her friend but that person was not to be
found anywhere, and Mrs. Brown stood help
lessly with the red of shame and confusion on
her face.
An elderly gentleman, who had evidently
observed the scene, came forward to settle
matters between Mrs. Brown and the angry
auctioneer After several efforts he succeeded
in pacifying the latter and settle the affair to
the great delight of poor Mrs. Brown. She de-
posted the money she had with her, $780, left
her address and promised to pay the rest the
following day, when she should be permitted
TO remove her purchases
Never any bargain hunter felt more CRATE
ful than Mrs. Brown felt toward the dear
old gentleman But her troubles were not
at an end yet. Mr. Brown was a sworn en-
envy of all auction sales and very preiudiced
man generally. He must never know any
thing of the business. But who would give
her money to get all her bargains homes
She went 70 several friends and at last
struck a kind soul The next morning. at
the hour appointed, she rushed down town,
the money firmly in her hand and aglow with
the idea that she would redeem her character
In the eyes of the auctioneer. She hurried
70 the place but could not find the auction
rooms. She rubbed her eyes, but the rooms
were not there. She must have mistaken
the street, and applied for information to the
policeman at the corner.
Yes, she was all right, replied the officer.
The auction rooms were there yesterday, but
they moved away last night, and nobody
knew where they went or who the auctioneer
was
There stood poor Mrs. Brown, without her
$50, but richer in experience. Her story may
save others from doing what she dld-New
York News.
Had Plenty of Time.
Not long ago, while about half a dozen
farmers were returning home by train from
the Perth weekly markets, they talked about