The morning call., 1892-12-17
REAL OWL GREASE.
Pinto Beans Dipped in
Chinese Blood.
A rI0NGoLIAN DRUG AUCTION.
Duck Webs, BulIet-Eioie Needles and
Everything Else That You
Need.

The prevailing war in the retail drug
trade has caused no little excitement in
hypochondriacal circles. Every person
afflicted with an inordinate appetite for
cod liver oil. bronchial troches or skookum
root pills has been attracted by unparalleled
cuts, slashes, sacrifices and rips up the back
in the price Of his fayorite remedy aud i'm
medlately rushed OF to lay in a supply SUI
fcient to insure well regulated and highly
medieated demise.
Those who had consumptive friends
bought cases OF eod liver oil for Christmas
presents. and the business man whose wife
suffered from corns planned pleasurable
little surprise by purchasing at reduced
prices gross of corn plasters to drop in her
stocking
This rush TO the patent medicine counters
was as nothing, however, as compared to
the jam in Hing Yuen TaPs Chinese phar-
macy al S25 Dupont street yesterday after
noon.
The place had been attached by creditors,
and sold by the Sheriff to an auctioneer,
who disposed of the stock at public sale.
Nobody but an expert in the business would
have given SIS for the contents of the whole
store. A teabey filled with dirt which was
not even fit for fertlizing purposes brought
$50. after spirited contest between two
highbinders.
Then the Chinese suctioueer held up a
pillbox full of little pinto beans, and, after
explaining that they had been dipped 10 the
blood Of a brave hatchetman and were
actually guaranteed to cure anything from
Q sore toe to cholera infantum, received a
bid of S12-iust 81 each-and finally knocked
them down regretfully at SIS to the leader
of the Suey 0ng Tong.
A little handful of goose qullls. filed with
spaghetti OF an inferior quality and APP
parently unfit for even Chinese coup, sold
for $40. This. the auctioneer explained,
was sort of Celestial pepsin that would
take the kinks out of disordered stomach
or samshu head quicker than anything
the ordinary druggist could cOncoct.
The next remedy offered for sale was
paper box filed with dry ducks feet, which
had been STEPPED in bears gail. The rheu-
matism has about as much show against
this combination as an Esquimau against
the shell game. Therefore the box contain
ing the webs of a dozen ducks sold readily
for IS. A bears gall. fresh from the noun
tains Of SonOma, brought So.
Real owl grease went rapidly al high
prices. A handful of desiccated water
melon seeds sold for prizes that would buy
carload of melons at Lodi. A small bottle
OF coon grease and pitch. sure and speedy
cure for the earache, was knocked down at
81 80. When bidding tagged the auctioneer
explained that the price of plain coon and
the value of pitch should not be taken into
consideration. The value of the remedy all
lay in knowing how TO mix them.
A single curved surgeons needle was
found in the stock. The Chinese were 10th
10 bid anything for ii. as they had always
done all their sewing with straight needles
and did not care TO experiment. with a
crooked one.
Huh. him no good" muttered pros
finger all time. ST want clooked needle l
ben it"
You heap - fool No sabe. How
doc;a sew up bullet hole stlaight needle?
Mus be lound. like hole. How muchee?"
and broad grin spread over his counte-
nance as highbnder bid 81. TWAS finally
knocked down for 50 90.
Two large tea-boxes filed with lottery
tickets sold for SO; but just as the nur-
chaser was about TO pay for them the police
appeared and carried them off to the Central
station. The aLctioneer raYed and swore
IN Chinese and English, but lie could not
compel the purchaser TO pay for them.
"Ghl Inc ten dOlla." he demanded. saw
agely.
Gin me ticket" responded the buyer,
indiaarently.
VIVA To- you no GIN me money!"
y ma TO you no GIN me tieket?"
p eece take money, too, maybe" re-
sponded the other. That argument was
apparently fnisher, for after muttering
few anathemas upon the police the auc-
honeer exposed can full OF drv mashed
potatoes and called for bid. He volun-
earth that the compound would not cure If
properly applied. A tidy vial containing
poison from the fangs OF some reptile was
sold to another Chinese druggist for $50
1t was to be used for poisoning the blades
Of high binders knives.
All sorts of curious-looking compounds
were sold for what seemed most uncen-
scionable prices. There was what ap-
peared to be extract of dried abaIone, also a
mixture Of bluestone and molasses. which
the Write auctiOheer pronounced 10 be COM
pound pollywog tincture of blue ruin, and
under that name il was sold by his Chinese
colleague for 81 65.
Waters of sliced devil fish for boils, DOW
ders Of dried tarantula legs for fevers and
anything outandish or unique that could
be ccncOcted was produced and sold for
fabulous prices. In fact, half a ton of
Quinine or honest old boneset wouldn't have
sold for 10 cents. To the superstitious Mon
golian mind il was only something out of
the ordinary that would prove eficacious
The auctioDeer realized handsome profit,
however. and the purchasers were happy in
the simple JOY of having secured bargains
at an auction.