Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-01
THE LOVE FOR PASSIONS.
IT GETS WOMEN INTO BAD PReDlcA-
MENTs SOMETIMES.

Auction Sales Are NerS EnticinS. but They
Are Not Always ReIisble-The Tribuis-
lions of Mrs brown and How She Didn't
Get Her Fine Purchases.
The woman who will not waste four hours
OF valuable time and twenty-five cents In car
fare 10 swell the crowd at the bargain coun
ter OF dry goods store 20 ~nve four cents a
yard in purchase Of five yards of useless
trimming is feminine freak well worth the
attention Of any enterprlsing museum man
ager
This love Of bargains Is not confined TO dry
goods stores alone IL finds its chief graft
fication 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 10 get hold of IA cheap fold
ing bel, side 10y side with the newly married
wife who would like 10 get holp Of some mex
pensive articles Of furniture 90 I'll her rather
empty nat. 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 70 the knowl
edge OF News reporter that bears out the
observations. Il was about a Mrs Brown
who lived In an uptown fiat. She read tue
advertisement OF large auction sale IN IA
street of the Bowcry. 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
the had saved so 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 Ms.
Brown wanted curtains very badly. Hers
had been washed and darned so often that
they refused 10 hold out any longer. So one
fine morning Mrs. Brown set out for the auc-
ton sale n little timd 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
| humming Of the hundreds Of voices, the shrill
| calls Of the auctonecr and the answers Of the
bidders bewildered her thoroughly. But she
was a smart woman and able to take care Of
| herself The curtains had not been sold yet
| and would not be for some time 70 come, but
| there was a desk-such a 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
| dav. Such a chance would never occur
| again desk worth from SEQ 20 500. Mrs
| Brown could not resist and after several Of
forts the desk was hers for SIS
She would not 20 home yet; she just begar
| 20 feel interested in the thing when a folding
bed was brought How much more room
/ 10 in
If, instead Of the big standing hedstead, sh,
would buy this beautiful folding bed. Tn,
room would look quite different, and any
how everybody had folding beds nowadays
soliloquized Mrs Brown, and looked will
longing eyes toward the euvied object.
why don't you bid r asked a woman be
side her.
II am sorry cannot, have not none,
enough with me, replied Mrs Brown, dole
fully
Ii il Is only that, they will give credit a
long as you like and u they do not, l Wi
take the folding bed of your hands. / wan
Il anyhow and do not care for bidding my
self"
MRS BROWNS BARGAINS
And thus encouraged Mrs Brown bough
the beautiful folding bed for $50 Il was
real bargain, She was told everywhere, ans
sire felt very happy.
At last there came the curtains They
we're Just what she wanted, and she had n,
more money But her newly found frienC
encouraged her again and promised TO TAX
the curtains also off her hands u Necessary
Curtains are always useful, she added, ant
aoon Mrs Brown was the happy owner o
two sets Of real lace curtains for els; WORT
$50, according 20 the auctioneer.
At last the sale was over, and people pal,
and removed their purchases Mrs Brow
was asked TO settle her bill, amounting {,
$40. and take her bargains away.
Timidly she approached the auctioneer Z
explain matters and ask for credit but h
looked angrily at her and insisted on immedi
ate payment Mrs. Brown went to look 20
her friend but that person was not 20 u
found anywhere. and Mrs. Brown stood help
lessly with the red OF shame and confusion Of
her face
An elderly gentleman, who had eyidentl,
observed the scene, came forward 20 settl
matters between Mrs Brown and the angr,
auctioueer. After several efforts he succeede,
In pacifyiug the latter and settle ths affair q
ths great delight OF poor Mrs. Brown. She de
pOsited the money she had with her, $50 lef
her address aud PROMISED 60 pay the rest tn
following day, when she should bo permitte,
20 remove her purchase
Never any bargain hunter felt more CRATE
ful than Mrs. Brown felt toward the dea
old gentleman But her troubles we're no
at an end yet Mr. Brown was a sworn On
envy Of all auction sales and very prejudicsC
man generally lie must never know any
thing % the business. But who would Civ,
her money % get all her bargains bomei
She went 90 several friends and at las
struck ~ kind sodl. The next morning, a
\ the hour apPotutesi sho rushed down town
tha money firmly in her hand aud aglovv viii
the idea that she would redeem her characts
In the eyes u the auctioneer. She hurrie
20 the place, but could not find the auctio
rooms She rubbed her eyes but the room
we're not there. She must have mistake
. the street, and applied for information 10 Il
| policeman at the corner.
, Yes she was all right, replied ths Office
The auction rooms were there yesterday, bl
, they moved away last night, and nobod
knew where they went or who the auctione.
was
There stood poor Mrs. Brown, without b,
$50, but richer in experience. Her story ma
, save others from doing what she did. Ne
York News
J Had Ilentv ~ Tina