Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-08-18
AN AUCTION SALE.

There was stir and excitement in the
village of Two Hills; Granny Lemons
| mite of possessions was to be put up
AT auction.
Granny Lemons daughter had died
owing money and owning furniture.
1t was only right to the drnd woman
that the slur of debt should be re-
moved from her name
Justice was bound to be hard on
Granny and the baby. There was not
Il doubt in the mind of the villagers
to be dispatched to the county poor
house.
One by one the effects of the late
Mary Ann We're knocked down to the
ncighbors. The last article sold was Il
broom which was nearly all handle.
1t was knocked down to Il broad
shouldered man, who had put upon it
the tremendous bid of twenty cents"
MARY Ann Lemon was his gal
once" said an old inhabitant of Two
| Hills.
"She'd best heap a took him." said
some one else. He'd akept her COM
| Portable behind the blacksmith's
shop
The auctioneer had entered the cot
| tagc to make sure that all the furni-
| turc had been put up at the sale.
Everything was gone. Only for granny
and the baby the little room was
empty.
The old woman sat upon the steps
leading to the door above; she was
holding the baby iii her arms.
an odd man. but he was Il man of i'm
pulse big and bold when the impulse
took hold of him. He hesitated IA mo-
mrnt. looking at the old woman and
the baby: then he went forward sud
denly and picked the baby out of the
old woman'S arms.
"I'vc got an idee. granny" The auc-
tioncer stepped to the door after ut
tcring these cOnSOlatory words and
mounted the table, which had already
been sold with the baby clinging fast
to his neck.
"Now here's a fine piece o ware
he called out loudly This baby's a.
Sunno save its old granny from the
poor's house. that's what it's aSunno
do. Who'll put Il big bid on rosy
checked hearty baby? Say, whatl
you bid?"
The people did not comprehend;
there was silence in the crowd.
I'm not in fer accepting a little
bid roarcd the auctioneer. II don't
want no offcrin of dollars or cents.
want hundreds O dollars. som" peo-
pie would hand out a power o money
for Il baby lik this'n. Amt there no
body in Two Hills what's hungerin'
for ii baby?''
"Five hundred dollars" called Il
voice in the crowd.
The villagers turned with one ac-
cord and stared at the blacksmith.
What did Sam Winters want with Il
baby? He hadn't any wife to look
after it.
The groccr's wife pulled her hus-
band by the arm and whispercd:
''Whatd we give fer baby like that
john"
'Makc it $7O0," said the grocer.
"Scven hundred dollars shouted
the auctioncer. "Seven hundred dol
lars for to pervide fer ohl nanny all
her life. No wonder she's a-laughin'
ut YOU. The Lemons as rule is long
lived. Make it a thousand. Come,
who'll make it a thouSand!'
some thousand dollars,'' said the
blacksmith.
"One thousand dollars. Coin. goin.
goin' for $1,000. She's worth more'n
$1,000. She'll give Il body more'n
$1,000 wuth of satisfaction. Look ut
her now. You've skeered her. She's
us pretty when she cries as when she
laughs
The little maid was puckcring up her
face. the tears We're filling her great
dark eyes. She put up her little fat
fists and hid her eyes as the auctioneer
again turned her to the crowd.
At this moment carriage that was
about to pass came to Il standstill. II
livcricd footman sprang to the door
and the great people of Two Hills
came pling out
"Ycs. it is true" cried the young
lady with a pretty face. they are
actually selling baby. Tom. look mt
the baby"
Coin, goin', goin' for $1,000. the
prcttest baby in Two Hills. The
money to keep its old grandmothcr
from the poor house."
Eleven hundred" cried the young
lady waving her black-glowed hand
frantically.
The blacksmith bid as high as S1.500
the rich lady made it $1,000. and the
man turned and walked away
Gone to Mrs. Eustice at $1,000.
said the auctioneer making fine
bow. but looking as If he didn't know
what to do with the baby.
But the great lady ran up to the
auctioneer and received her property
in her arms.
G'anny's baby went through won
derful transformation during the fol
lowing week, and the people in Two
Hills talked about the "luck" that had
befallen Mary AIMS offspring and
Granny Lemon.
But Granny Lemons spirits had not
risen with the knowledge that she
was not to go to the poOrhOusc; indeed
it was suspected that Granny Lemon
hardly realized the blessing that had
befallen her; since the day of the sale
she had been growing apathetic and
| feeble.
One day when granny's baby point
cd at him from the carriage window
the blacksmith left his job of shOeinl