The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-08-07
AN AUCTION SALE.

There were sir and excitement in the
village of Two Hills. Granny Lemon 5
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 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 a
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
Mary Ann We're knocked down to the
neighbors. The last article sold was
broom which was nearly all handle 1t
was knocked down to a 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
AOLkA0lt UNA4Atl lLt HIGCASLlllA SUOD.
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 a man of impulse,
big and bold when the impulse took hold
Of him. Ee hesitated a moment, look
ing at the old woman and the baby.
Then he went forward suddenly and
picked the baby OFT 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 fine piece o ware, -
he called ont 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 big bid ON rosy
checked, hearty baby? Say, what'll you
bid:" The people did not comprehend.
There was silence in the crowd.
Pm not in fer acceptin a little
bid, " reared the auctioneer. Il don't
want no offerin of dollars or cents, 1
want hundreds o. dollars Some people
would hand out a power o. money fer
baby like this'n. Amt there nobody
i'll Two Hills what's hungerin fer
baby?''
Five hundred dollars!" called
voice in the crowd.
The villagers turned with one accord
and stared at the blacksmith What
did Sam Winters want with a baby:
lie 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 s7OOr' said the grocer.
''Seven hundred dollars" shouted the
auctioneer. "Seven hundred dollars fer
TO pervide fer old nanny all her life.
No wonder she's a-laughin at you.
The Lemons, as rule, is long lived.
Make it a thousand Come, who'll
make it a thousand:'
lone thousand dollarsr' said the
blacksmith.
zone thousand dollars! Coin, goin,
goin for S1,000 She's worth more'm
81, 600 She'll give a body more'n 81,
600 with of satisfaction. Look at her
now. You've skeered her. She's as
purity when she cries rs when she
laughs -
The little maid was pickering 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 a standstill, a
liveried footman sprang to the door, and |
the great people Of Two Hills came pill
ing OFT.
Yes. il Is true, " cried the young |
lady, with pretty, excited face. They
are actually sallinga babyl Tom, look
at the baby
Coin, goin, goin, for $1,000, the
lLtbl4tSl bADf IL 1 W. 414l4ss tuc AlDlitf /
10 keep its old grandmother from the
poorhousel'
Eleven hundred, - cried the young
lady, waving her black gloved hand
frantically.
The blacksmith bid as high as 81, 500,
the rich lady made it 81, 600, and the
man turned and walked away.
Gone to Mrs Eustice at 81, &C.,"
said the auctioneer, making a fine bow,
but looking as if he didn't know what
70 do with the baby.
But the great lady ran up to the auc-
tioneer and received her property in her
arms
G'anny's baby went through awonder-
fnl transformation during the following
week, and the people in Two Hills talk
ed about the luck that had befallen
both Mary AIMS offspring and Granny
Lemon.
Bat Granny Lemons spirits had not
risen with the knowledge that she was
not to go TO the poorhouse. Indeed It
was suspected that Granny Lemon