Connecticut western news., 1894-09-20
AN AUCTION SALE.

There were stir and excitement in the village of Two Hills. Granny Lemons mite of possessions was to be put up at auction.
 owing money and owning furniture. It was only right to the dead woman that the slur of debt should be removed from her name.
 Justice was bound to be hard on Granny and the baby. There was not Q doubt in the mind of the villagers that Granny and the baby would have to be dispatched to the county poorhouse.
 One by one the effects of the late neighbors. The last article sold was 0 broom which was nearly all handle. It was knocked down to broad shouldered man, who had put upon it the tremen- dous bid of 20 cents.
 Mary Ann Lemon was his gal once, |" said an old inhabitant of Two Hills.
 Shed best heap "a took him." said some one else. He'd "a kept her com fortable behind the blacksmith shop"
 The auctioneer had entered the cot tage to make sure that all the furniture 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 hold ing the baby in her arms.
 The auctioneer was not considered an odd man, but he was man of impulse, big and bold when the impulse took hold of him. He hesitated a moment, look ing at the old woman and the baby. Then he went forward suddenly and picked the baby out of the old woman's arms.
 ''I've got an idee, granny. The auctioneer stepped to the door after ut tering 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-gunno save its old granny from the poor's house, that's what it's a-gunno do. Who'll put a big bid on a rosy checked, hearty baby? Say, what'll you bid?" The people did not comprehend. There was silence in the crowd.
 "I'm not in fer acceptin little want no offerin of dollars or cents, l want hundreds O dollars Some people would hand out a power O money fer a baby like this'n Ain't there nobody in Two Hills what's hungerin fer a baby?"
 "Five hundred dollarsp' called a voice in the crowd.
 The villagers turned with ono accord and stared at the blacksmith. What did Sam Winters want with a baby; He hadn't any wife to look after it.
 The grocer's wife pulled her husband by the arm and whispered, What d we give fer baby like that, John?"
 Make it S700" said the grocer.
 Seven hundred dollars" shouted the auctioneer. "Seven hundred dollars fer to pervide fer old mammy all her life. No wonder she's a-laughin at you. The Lemons, as a rule, is long lived. Make it a thousand. Come, who'll make it thousand?'
 "One thousand dullarsr' said the blacksmith.
 "One thousand dollars! Coin, goin, goin for $l,000. She's worth more'n 'n $1,000. She'll give body more'n $1, 900 wuth of satisfaction. Look ateher now. You've skeered her. She's as purity when she cries as when she laughs. '"
 The little maid was puckering up heI face; the tears were filling her great dark eyes. She put up her little fat fists and hid her eyes us the auctioneel again turned her to the crowd.
 At this moment a carriage that wal about to pass came to standstill, { liveried footman sprang to the door, anG the great people of Two Hills came pil ing out.
 "Yes, it is true,' cried the young lady, with pretty, excited face. ''They are actually selling babyl Tom, lool at the baby
 'Goin, goin, goin, for $1,000, ths prettiest baby in Two Hills, the money to keep its old grandmother from tn, | poorhousep'
 Eleven hundred" cried the youn, lady, waving her black gloved hand frantically.
 The blacksmith bid as high as $1, 500 the rich lady made 1t $1,60O, and tn man turned and walked away. l "Gone to ttrs Eustice at 1,60O, , said the auctioneer, making fine bow | but looking as if he didn't know wha | to do with the baby.
 | But the great lady ran up to the quo tioneer and received her property in he arms
 G'anny's baby went through awonder ful transformation during the following week, and the people in Two Hills talk ed about the "luck' that had befallel both Mary Ann's offspring andsGrann. Lemon.
 But Granny Lemons spirits had no risen with the knowledge that she wa not to go to the poorhouse. Indeed was suspected that Granny Lemo hardly realized the blessing that had be fallen her. Since the day of the sale sh had been growing apathetic and feeble
 One day when g anny's baby pointe at him from the carriage window tn blacksmith left his job of shoeing an retired to the interior of the shop.
 You couldn't "a done fer her as she, be done fer, Sam," said the old ma whose horse he had left half shod. "Yo couldn't "a made fine lady out O her.
 'No, I couldn't "a done that" sai
 Sam.
 During the summer the news sprea
 through the village that g'anny's bal
 was getting kind of cross and peevisl
 and that the great lady had said to u