Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-12-20
BEN'S BID.

ludIh6U1 HNSSNHION lIllhALA 4''iooSONI WV
village stOrckecper to Ben Singer.
Ben was IA years old. His mother had
died q short time before. His father was
carpenter by trade, but had been crippled
by rheumatism so that he could not work.
Ben started a chicken farm at once.
Slowly the flock Of chickens grew. The
first days of summer saw Elm with 70
young chickens, some of them able to
scratch for themselves.
Only a few of them were lost. A prOwl
ing 'possum got several before Ben trapped
the marauder. Cold and rains killed off
few more. But the 1st of September
came, and more than GO chickens were the
boys.
Ben planned to sell 80 or 40 in the carly
autumn and to keep the remainder till the
next summer to stock his farm with afresh.
He intended to &C into it then on bigger
SCALE and he hoped to realize enough from
his sales to keep him through the winter
with the part of his flock he reclaimed.
Then ono day in September as he and
his father sat in the doorway of the cot
tage Ben noticed a couple of tears trickle
down his fathers face. He jumped up
and threw his arms around his fathers
neck.
Presently Mr.. Singer unclasped the boys
ilttllNto anu lOOhNNI NM III
he said, "I'm afraid we're in for hard
times yet"
"What do you mean, dad?" asked Ben.
"The house is only rented, " said Mr.
Singer slowly. "They can't take that,
but they can take all our furniture and ev
orything elso"
"Why, they belong to u.s." exclaimed
Ben.
$50 they do, Ben, but the law gives an
bther man the right to sell them and take
he money they bring if we owe him mon
y and can pay it. There is some one to
:, whom L owe money, man l borrowed
rom when your mother was sick l owe
i'm $780,
CHE was here to see me about it the 9TH
day, and | tried to get him to wait.
ut he says he's tired of waiting, and the
heriff'll come and sell us out"
Ben worried over what he had heard all
light long, but he could find no way out
their difficulty.
The next day he took ten of his biggest
lickens to the village store. He had al
ady arranged with Mr.. Bassett to have
EN- sent to commission merchant mt
aynesboro and sold.
After he had delivered the chickens and
r. Bassett had promised to get him the
pa struck the boy of asking the store
eper about u sheriff's sale. "Mr. Bas-
t."
Ben asked several questions before ne
t. Then he walked slowly home, and
the while in his mind he was turning
pr a dinly defined project which had
IN suggested to him by what he had
lrd.
A week later Ben received the money for
chickens, So So He was a proud boy,
he would have shown his satisfaction
re if it had not been for the impending
uble which made his father SO misora-
that he could not leave his bed.
Pm Monday in the early part of the
t month the sheriff. in pursuance of
nal notice, arrived at the house to
sc sale to satisfy Mr.. Singers credit
Quite n crowd had gathered about the
age and there was not one Of those
sent who did not sympathize with the
penter and his son. The sheriff mount
box in the yard and began a descrip-
of the goods to be sold.
was pitiful array, after all. A few
5, "a miscellaneous assortment of cheap
iture, kitchen stove, with some cook
utensils and china and some linen and
kets.
ut one item in the lot-the chickens
heriff counted on as his drawing card.
a hundred of fine hens and market
chickens were cooped in near by pen,
upon the value of these the county
II dwelt at length. Then, when he
ght he had the crowd sufficiently
Fed, he named starting figure in de-
of an actual bid.
ixty dollars for this choice lot of chick
nd household goods?" he cried.
ere was no response. He repeated the
uncement, then dropped the figures
D. Still no one spoke.
i the crowd was dumb. No one felt
led to buy out the crippled carpenter
is son.
sheriff tried again and again, drop
the figure lower and lower. He did
)ecially like the job, for he had been
bout the case by some Of the village
:, but he had duty to perform, and
ew he must get as much out of the
he could.
Singers creditor evidently had no
entatiye on the ground, and even the
ices were not taken up with.
sheriff dropped his offer now 81 at
but apparently in vain 1t looked
he sale would come to nothing.
B, eight seven, six, five, fourl Not
bnse came from those about.
be dollarsl The sheriff was smiling
ridiculous offer and was just about
q So and 81 in quick succession,
for no reply when a boyish voice
hand answered:
id 81"
officer looked down on the speaker
Ben The boy held up three 81
n his hand. The sheriff smiled.
nan one man in the crowd felt like
g the bidder. But the officer knew
could not accept the offer at once.
zee dollars am bidl" he announced.
ids four?"
one was silent, and SO was the
offered and after one expostulation
'iff took the offer.
Dhicken farm was saved, and tbs
farm proved success. A year
yhen Mr.. Singer was once more
steadily and his rheumatism was
creditor was paid in full the
borrowed from him, and the pro-
pm Ben's chicken farm did not
make up the sum required. -Ex-