The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-11
STORY OF A BAsWs BLANKET.
- Sad Scene Recalled by an Auctionser q
He Sold the Coverlid.


He Sold the Coverlid.
II had been busy day at the exchange,
and the auctioneer had grown a trifle
weary over the repeated trials which had
beset and worried even this Trojan SON OF
fhc stump. The continual refrain of
"Going. going, gomez echoed in his
brain until he sighed for respite from his
1nborA
The esgcr crowd had come and gone for
several hours, and as he stood on one of
Che velvet chairs that had come from no.
body but himself knew where he gazed
upon tho upturned faces Of the people
waiting for chance TO bid For many
pears had hs been . prominent figure In
the auction mart, and under his hammer
hnd gone often the fruits Of lifetime Of
acknowledgements for a song treasures
over which the miser had orooncd, the
lover sighed, tho mother wept--all gone,
and with them the associations Of . tender
past, carrying with them the scent Of tho
fnded rose leaves or the sounds Of bitter
weeping over woes that had wrung the
ooul
"Going, g-o-n-ei' had echoed above the
oushions into which the tears of happiness
baA dropped and over the velvets which
had marked the impress Of tiny feet, long
ednce tripping In tho aisles Of she un-
known
"How much am I offercds' had sent TO
me four corners of the earth 80 many
tkjnGs that day that the auctfonecr hoped
there was nothing left, but there was. His
)ndefatigable assistant had raked from a
oornsr bundle Of bedding and handed 1t
- his employer
Skuyy>.< -. - - .tss,,
rolled the small bundle some one bid $50
ocnts."
Then not another voice broke tho stiffness
which settled over the crowd as a child's
blanket hung before their gaze whyi
Did the sight OF that small wooden cover
al to them. the callous crowd, a pitiful
etoryi
The busy man forgot to cry bis refrain
- no dropped his eyes upon the little
square Here and there upon its surface
small stains, as IL tears had fallen, met
his eye, and his mind went back n few
years before that day to q scene he never
would forget.
The bedchamber was darkened About
NO blinds the gleam Of sunlight crept into
tho room and fell like golden shafts upon
the little cot over which his wife hung In
~ okony Vi DitUer pain. lfc saw again
tbe little white hands-hands that had
crcpt so often about his neck at night as
ahe lay by his side--pick faltoring at jnst
such n cover as he now held in his grasp.
He saw the little head with It's mass OF
tangled curis move restlessly on the pill
low, and no felt again the hot touch OF
che red lips upon which he had pressed
his own in loving carcsses, eager TO soften
Che pain and 10 WOO back into health the
loved little form slowly drifting, drifting
away.
Tho crowd was gone. This busy man
onv nothing but tho child who had grown
% his very being and then loosed his little
grasp on the world and had gone drifting.
driiIing out 70 sea, which promised ind.
mite love. but left bitter desolation and
dcspair for those left behind. The tears
fcii down upon his bearded cheeks, and az.
~ felt ths hot drops he awoke from his
dream.
"Gons for 80 cents 70 the only and last
f16dcr."
The ouct'oncrr sighed heavily ne he got
oown from his stand and watched the
crovd depart, and then no went TO his
wife. his heart f,led with sorrow nc the
thought Of HE own dear little one aud the
empty cradle packed away In the esrret
New Orleans Picayune