The morning call., 1893-06-02
PIANOS, TWO BITS.
Monkeys and Parrots
Cheap Also.
An Auction Sale Was Held at the
"Cobweb" Saloon, but the
End Has Not Come.

There was monkey-aDd-a parrot time
at Abe Warmers at North Beach yester-
day morning.
The "Cobweb saloon" disposed of its
bears. coons and badgers some time ago.
but yesterday was the day Dave selected
as the proper time to sell his remaining
ringtail monkeys and debiltated-louking
parrots.
His monkeys, like the Cobweb saloon,
have become somewhat the worse for age,
but there was still life enough left in the I'm
to enter mild protest when the auctioneer
knocked them down to the highest bidder
and tried to remove them from their old
home.
Having disposed of the monkeys to a
eadaverous-leoking individual who looked
as if he might have some little financial
difficulty in keeping his newly acquired
pets supplied with peanuts. Auctioneer
Levy next assured the crowd that they
would have an excellent opportunity In q
few minutes to buy a couple of parrots.
Two green birds, with ruffled fea theirs
and harsh voices, were next held up for
inspection. One of them was Abe's pet
bird, much beloved for its aLtness for
learning adjectives. 1t can outswear any
sailor on the front in two languages
THE older he gets the better he swears,"
said its owner refleeuvely, casting one last
look at the bird as IL was carried away By
a SalvatiOnist who intends to reform 1t.
Monkeys and parrots gone, Abe's fur
niture was next on the list. There was
not much of it, one OF the largest and at
one time one of the handsomest articles
being grand piano.
Yes, 1t was a grand piano In its days.
but years of hard playing have played
havoc with it. Only two KEYS remain IN
broken, and these two are dreadfully out
of tune. That cold-hrarIed creature. the
anctioneer. actually put it up for So.
Abe's eyes shed a few drops of moist
ure, but that was all. When he heard the
auctioneer say "Going, going at So. who
bids So 25?" he looked TRANQUILITY up the
street and tried to remain composed, but
it was a moment of much bitterness with
him.
Going. going at 81; who bids So 25?"
yelled the auctioneer.
Abe's eyes came out like the button 10
an electric bell, but still he said nothing.
and looked like reformed pugilist.
"Gong, going at 81, who will give
81 259" howled the feelingless Mr.. Levy.
There was perceptible trembling Of
Abe's feet as though he contemplated
kicking himself or the man next to him,
but still he looked tranquil and resigned.
But when MIR. Levy N the most cold
Dtooaeo manner imaPlnaDie knocked the
musical instrument down to a juHkman
for % cents, Ape was no longer the calm,
passiOnless person of the minute before.
He jumped right straight up in the air
like man who has stepped on carpet
tack with his bare feet. 1t was more than
he could stand. just to think of it! His
piano sold for two bits-the paItry price of
five beersi The piano which played tunes
for forty-Dipers to dance by sold for
scarcely enough TO purchase a square meal |!
Abe protested and stopped the sale.
Mr. Levy pulled himself together and
departed. The man who bought the piano
had an alteration with an expressman
who wanted rs cen is to remove IL.
Abe shut himself mp in his castle, and
the remains of the cobweb saloon are still
at North Beach and another old landmark
is mt pone