The Lamar register., 1892-03-12

Printed circulars relating the east
ern treasure were tackled up on all
the corner stores and upon the trees
IN front ofthe school houses, churches
and toll gates. and when at last the
all important day arrived, there was
n crowd almost equal to that which
was wont to assemble on the occa-
sion of camp meetings end circuses.
Squire Samuel Gripps had author
ized Bella Smith to bid on his behalf.
Mr.. Ostrom, unwilling to be identi-
fed by his wife, engaged little Miss
Peck, the dressmaker, to represent
his interests.
| Other householders, maidens and
matrons, were there assembled, each
and all determined to possess them
selves of the scented Oriental treas-
ure. which they then beheld for the
first time.
A visible thrill passed through the
throng ais Jethro Dumbleby, the vii
lage auctioneer, held up the richly
hued fabric.
Come, genelmen an ladies'" bawl-
ed Jethro, "here's n shawl worn by
the lady of the president o. them
I
in goldl Here's the Begun Radiee's
shawl Look at it-feel it. Come,
genelmen an ladies, who'll start the
begum's shawl as it orter be start
ed"
"Fifty dollars" bawled DR.. Drum
mond, who was supposed to have
made n fortune in natural gas in
Pennsylvania.
"Sixtyr' hoarsely shouted Mr..
Nudge, the dry goods man.
Seventy" piped Miss Peck.
"Eightyw yelled Bella Smith.
From this the bidding ranup, after
most spirited fashion, to two
three-four hundred dollars. There
it stood for awhile. until DR.. Drum
mond. with n desperate effort, raised
it TO five hundred
Mr.. Nudge whispered with his wife,
and nodded to theauctioneer to make
il six.
Miss Peck withdrew. in obedience to
u dispirited signal from MIR. Ostrom.
Seven hundred" said the squire IN
bcld defiance of Mrs. Grips mega
tive shakes Of the head.
Seven hundred and fifty, said Mr.
Jenkins of Jenkins Hall.
ne-thou-sandr bawled Nico-
demus Slote, n recently prosperous
resident. who had built rubber fac
tory in the rnvine under the hill.
A dead silence fell on all the crowd
With one accord they stared at Mr.
Slote. who stood there sleek, smooth
shaven and smiling, his hat on the
i,gI. y,r his d NJ bfa hands tbruat in .
TO his pockcts-Midusi in u Nineteenth
century costume.
zone thousand dollars is bid for
this priceless TREASURED" said Jethro
Dumbleby. who'll give me movei
It's given away at one thousand dol
lars. actually given away. I'm
waitin to hear some one say eleven
hundred?'
But no one uttered the magic words.
The begun shawl was knocked down
to Nicodemus Slote ut $1,000. lta
rich dyes and sandal wood scented
folds were eNtinguished in quainS
eastern box, fastened together by
odd ivory rings, and carried off by
Mr.. Slote in n ponderous close car
riage, drawn by two shining horses.
II declare, it is too bad" said
Squire Gripps.
Mr.. Ostrom sighed and turned
away.
"A thousand dollars is n thousan nj
dollars" said he, but would have
admired to see Lucy wearin' OF that
shawl"
Mrs. Slote appeared in church ths
next Sunday wrapped in the historic
garment. Her strut was that OF an
oyerfed turkey hen; her aquiline nose
seemed to pillow the air like the bow
OF some aerial boat.
Mrs. Ostrom had onher faded black
beaver jacket, worn shiny MT the
seams. She was rather low spirited
when she returned home.
"Mrs. Slote did look lovely i'll that
shawl" said she.
"Humphp' remarked Mr.. Ostrom,
II can't fancy Lovisy Slote lookin'
lovely in anything"
Would you like n shawl, Lucy?'
asked Capt. Ezekiel, looking with a
kindly regard Mt his niece.
Mrs. Ostrom admitted that she
would.
The captain went upstairs to his
trunk, and brought down a fat par
eel
well" said he, ''here's the ginoo-
inc begum's shawl for you, Lucy.
T'other shawl was one l got OF a
dealer in the Punjee valley-no great
account, anyway, although | allow
it was cheap Mt a thousand dollars.
This 'ere's wuth five if it's wuth n
cent, and it's the real begun shawl,
Lucy, my gal. And it's yournl"
Mr.. Ostrom put on his spectaeles
to stare at it. Mrs. Ostrom burst
into tears.
why" cried she, cts beautiful
Mrs. Slote's can't hold a candle to It'll
"I guess not" shrewdly spoke the
captain.
And Mrs. Ostrom's shawl so far
outshone Mrs. Slote's, that night at
church, that the latter lady went in
to violent Mysteries as soon as he
reached home.
ITO think o. that Ostrom woman
wearin' handsomer shawl than
minel" said she.
arm bo,, +ba law pf 'emin cried Mic