The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-27
TINE GAMBLING McROBE.
IL DevOurs n WOman's Soul when
She Il Once Attacked.

She Is Once Attacked.
From the Philadelphia Record.
To woman who has never known the
sorrow-I say sorrow advisedly-of attend
ing an auction I offer one word of advice
don't! That way madness lies.
The bargaining spirit that distinguishes
the ever-to-be-lamented Mrs. TOodles lies
in many of her sex. but if you value your
peace of mind let it continue to lie latent
do nothing to rouse it!
a recent sale of antiquities in the city
has proved to be the undoing of a mod
ern Mrs. Toodles
Her tale of woe may deter fellow suf-
ferer.
Passing the window where the goods
of the coming sale were displayed Mrs.
Toodles, Jr.. espied pair of silver can
delabra-veritable antiques. She gazed for
moment longingly. passed on, hesitated
and returned, reviving the old maxim
that she who hesitates is lost.
The coveted articles seemed even more
lrresistlble OIL closer examination. The
day and hour of sale were noted and
Mrs. I'oodles, Jr.. passed on her way
The day and hour came, and so did Mrs.
Ioodles, Jr.! In spite of various domestic
complications IN the shape of a dress
was there.
only. for minute" she explained to
friend whom she had inveigled into the
warerooms in a surprisingly impromptu
manner
The candelabra we're far down on the
catalogue, and she really couldn't wait.
| She had much to do
This was at 10 a. m. Four D. m found
| her still there and the candelabra number
almost reached Slowly the sale went on
1.-The next number was the all-absorDins
one, when suddenly the bland auctioneer
announced the sale over for the day.
ha AawH
Mrs Toodes, Jr., at the expense of
hurried toilette. hasty breakfast and an
unsatisfactory interview with the cook
and dressmaker, was there to the min
ute.
The fateful number was reduced. IS was
bld-;:S5.O, said Mrs. Toodles. Jr., all
'seventy-fifty," from Mrs. Toodles, Jr.
Ten" said that resolute somebody
Eleven" Mrs. Toodles, Jr:, boldly. Eff
| Mrs. Toodles angrily. Twenty-Five had
| been her mental limit, and to her sur
prise and Joy, after minute of breathless
! suspense the coveted treasures were
| knocked down to her and the ruin Of Mrs
| Toodles, Jr., beganl
Had the bidding gone higher she would
| nave gone home disappointed and dis
| gusted, and would doubtless have fore
! sworn auctions forever.
But success was fatal Mrs Toodles
| Jr., has forsaken her former haunts her
| place knows her no more; her children
| seldom see her, her servants even less
husband
| IS at best but fragmentary. Instead of
| their former chat over the breakfast table
! Mrs. Toodles Jr, is absorbed in ticking
| off articles on a sale catalogue and an
| sently puts two Jumps of sugar i'm her
| lords cup instead of one and so sends
| him off TO business in bad humor for the
| day.
| Her house, formerly tasteful and pretty
| is now grotesquely ugly and ridicuiousiy
| overcrowded. She bores her guests with
| her experiences at auction sales and thrill
| anecdotes he
! rival in the field for this hideous dragon
or that rickety chair. And there is no
help for her; nor, alas, for Mr.. Toodles,
Another little woman in this town can
| TESTIFY that the spirit of gambling grows
with what 1t feeds upon With the full
! consent of her husband she bid for love-
| iy silver tray at a sale of antiques She
was successful-the tray was hers That
was enough-the mischief was begun!
Strollins into the auction rooms a day
or two later two lovely antique chairs
caught her eye. She must bid for them
and bid she did half hoping they would
finally, for the sum of $40 they were hers
Tremblngly, but triumphantly, that
night she told her husband of her sue
Did you pay for them?' he calmly in
CURED. Why, no." she faltered. why
nS Sb. P} 0dttfSr.nt, hadn't the money"
coaxingly Il knew you would give it to
me-they are so lovely"
But give her the money he did not So,
after polite notices from the bland auc-
| tioneer that her goods were ready for
removal she had the modification to be
obliged to ask that autocrat to resell the
| lovely chairs, which he obligingly did as
she was willing to forfeit the original de-
post of IS. And now milady avoids an
auction as she would plague AS for
her husband, he is thinking of adding Sol
omon' to his name.
Two Washington women had an expert
ence at an auction which they are not
he IL lei
hold effects of the historian. Bancroft.
one of his warmest admirers desired to
become the possessor of his desk-a shah
by worn affair of no intrinsic value. On
the day of the sale the would-be pur-
chaser was i'll, and sent word to her
daughter TO go in her place, authorizing
ner TO pay as much as 800 for the desk
The young lady went early and took
a front seat. When the desk was put up
she was very nervous, but, determined!
In low voice she offered a bid of five
dollars-some one bid six, and the price
soon reached fifteen. Then everybody
dropped out, except the young lady and
an unknown bidder at the door, AS Of
ten as the young lady advanced her bid
the unknown rival advanced his, till at
last her limit of one hundred dollars was
reached. But her blood was up, and she
offered another ten. To her horror her
opponent offered one hundred and fif-
teen.
The young lady gave it up at this, and
the desk was knocked down to her I'M
known and spiteful rival. Some horrid
man., murmured the young lady, as she
made her way to the door.
There she met her mother, little pale,
but triumphant
An awful fear seized the two women.
Mother was it you that was bidding
They gazed in horror at each other
They had been bidding against each other
until they had run up to one hundred and
fifteen dollars a desk which they might
philosophers. these two. and consoied
themselves that. at least, nobody else got