Middletown transcript., 1895-01-05
HIS WIFE is HAPPY NOW.
Found an Interest In Life in a Fifth
Ayanua AuctiOn Room,

| Found an Interest In Life in Fifth
Avenue Auction Room.
"My wife," said Mr.. Scrymgeour,
'has at last found something with
which to busy herself continuously.
l have long urged upon her the neces-
sity of having something to occupy
her mind beside the mere discharge of
social duties, which are wearisome at
best. The bane of many women is
ennui, which causes them to take up
all sorts of ridiculous fads, as you
know.
"Latterly l have noticed a change in
my wife. Her former listlessness is all
gone, and she seems to take more inter-
est in what is going on about her. l
even saw her reading the paper one
day last week. This change naturally
pleased me, and I questioned her in
order to find out what had brought it
about. Though somewhat reluctant at
uipG oilC uudlil OWuCu up IlCi OOHiCO-
sion ran somewhat as follows:
"You have heard of Smithkin's auc-
tion rooms on Fifth avenue, haven't
you? No? Well, they're just lovely.
They sell the most beautiful things at
absurdly low prices. They all belong
to wealthy people, you know, who have
been unfortunate, and have to let them
60 for a song. The real values are
marked on them in plain figures, so
that you can always tell how high yor
can bid and get bargain.
''The first time l went there was
with Mrs. Ungerman few weeks ago.
She was quite used to it, and bid on
lots of things, but stopped in time for
someone else to get them. It's quite
exciting, assure you. l kept still till
they put up delightful oak bookcase
with little square mirror in the mid
die and the cutest little drawers on
both sides, just above the places where
the books go, you know. l thought it |
would just be the thing for n 5 room
so L bid on it. 1t was started at 81
and | bid $15.25 right away. Do you
think that was too much? Anyway, l
got it for that, and it was really worth
'$41, the auctioneer said. | gave him
SIS for deposit and told him l would
s nd for it the next day. But when l
came to see it nearby was afraid it
wouldn't ct into Ned's room after all
so took piece of string and measured
it.
'When got home l found it was
really too large. and then | tried all
The other rooms. There wasn't place
in the entire 1at large enough except
in he parlor, and it wouldn't match
he furniture in there at ALL Besides,
We couldn't spare the piano, could we,
dear?
''The auciioneer was aWfully nice
about it when | explained it to him,
and said | could have them put it up
again and sell it to some one else. If
hey didn't bid high enough, | could
nuy it in and it would only cost 10 per
cent for The commission.
They had on auction the next Fri
lay, and it was raining hard, but |
rad to &C, because | Was afraid some
me would buy it for less than | paid if
wasn't there. Hardly anybody went
hat day and | bid it in for SO. so. The
commission was 81. 80, and just added
hat to the $15.25 paid and made up
ny mind that l wouldn't let it go for
ess than $l6.75.
~ have been going back ever since
md two or three times they almost !
cached my price. Some days they
lon't get around to the bookcase and :
have to go back the next day. Pm
.oing today. My commissions SO far
lave been Sc 25, and l will have to get
'21. so now, but it's really worth SAL,
10 there's plenty of time yet. Now,
10 call a cab for me, because it's al
most time for the sale to begin"
II have no idea what it costs my
wife for cabs to go to those sales, but l
now it does her a world of good t,
lave an interest in these things. When
Ter investment gets so large that it be-
,ins to worry her shall send my book
,eeper up to bid SAL for that bookcase
nd give it to him for a New Years
resent.
Are You Car-Sicl wben TraveIinoS |