The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-05
THE AUCTION FAD.
What a New York Idea f. Doing for
Chicago.

from the Chicago Times-Herald.
The auction fad is the latest. and It is
useless to declaim against a fad. Like
the grip, measles, golf. red neckties and
free silver, every fad has its day, runs
Its course and is gathered into the great
tomb Of time.
The warning now written against the
auction fad is probably proclaimed in vain.
but when spring comes with its auc
ton bazaars let II not be said the Times
herald failed to erect a danger signal
against the most virulent fad which ever
swept west from New York
Thus far the auction fad in Gotham has
peen confined TO female victims, but there
are signs that chappie will yet fall In line
; me nrst instinct of New Yorker is to
initiate something which is abnormal, ana
II the auction fad passes all bounds OF
reason and common sense II may be Dre-
sumed that the men will follow suit il is
onIy Ialr 10 state, however, that up TO
the present time 1t is good form in New
YORK Tor man to walk into a shoeshop
and purchase a pair of No. calfskins
without bidding against his fellow beings
al an auction social function
Not so with the New York woman. The
lazy VINO once haunted the dry goods en-
porlums and stores along Broadway, Sixth
avenue, Fourteenth and Twenty-tbiro
streets can now be found in the aticfiot,
marts. The clerk who was wont to haul
GOWN thousands OF yards of dress goods
for her Improbable inspection Is eniovins
much-needed rest.
The shopping fend has evolved into the
auction mend. New York is full of auc-
ton stores, and the fad has assumed
such proportions that private residences
ana mats are turned into auction rooms.
Mrs. Granville de Chumppe announces
IN the morning paper that lowing TO a
prospective permanent departure to Eu-
rope she Will offer at private action her en-
tire stock of furniture, bric-a-brac and a
rare assortment of dresses ana costumes
at public auction at her residence an
iweniy-third avenue, New York-on-the-Is-
land. IL need not be supposed that the De
Chumppes and the aristocracy have been
permitted to embrace this fad to the ex-
eluslon OF the common people. In New
York rad is fad, and IL is democrats
II II is fashionable for a Fifth avenue
dude to suck cane the Bowery tough
Is IN line few days later. Thus ii is with
dhe brownstone front to the brick-faced
nat, and from there to UNEMPLOYED sec
lions OF the east side and the shanties of
Harlem. Mrs. O'Rafity of that section
recently had printed a circular for privata
distribution, which announced that owing
10 the failure of the strike of Hold Car,
tlers Union NO. q, Mrs. James O'Raffity
mas decided TO offer at public auction the
Following property: N-'e
One male goat (Roland), age IL years.
one goat (Birdie), age years
Two pictures of Grover Cleveland.
one picture of George Washington.
One picture of William Tweed.
one picture of Richard Croker
one painting, Exodus of Snakes from,
Ireland" iOiii
ers). NO"i ooN-
Two iron skillets. --.
one stove pipe.
One briar pipe
six clay pipes.
Two pounds AA tobacco.
twelve yards denim.
One milk cart
-Four two-gallon milk cans.
one euchre deck
one fun pack of cards for forty-ave.
one green sash and rosette.
Seven blackthorn sticks
one dress suit.
Three high hats. assorted sizes.
me Iashionable auctlon-room opens IN
p pc !th for feminine hostility compar
81 Win Wnlcn the department store is a
cream or peace. In the department sfora
me issue Is the shopper VS. the clerk and
the clerk is paid TO stand it. In the auction
room 1t Is woman against woman ana II
IS no place for a man. A Reckless naie
wandered into a select auction emporium
me me other day. The auctioneer was Offering
LOT plus one or the modern balloons
coats and was far from CONSERVATIVES in
ms praise of the same. Fifty women and
Two scared-looking men were in attend
Ladies, desire to call your esnecioI
attention to this magnificent coat. The
owner, Mrs. Reginal, has worn 1t but once
ana would not consent to part with IL ex
cept for reasons entirely beyond her CON
troll How much am offered for this splen
olT Tb specimen aIlctIo OF the tailors art?"
temptingly before the assembled ladies
VINO eyed the speaker suspiciouslv and
glared threateningly at each other.
Il wish had a dollar for each time that
coat has been worn" said a little blonde
lady, as she fumbled nervously at her reti
cue.
He said the same thing about that old
black silk dress that that hateful Mrs
Smythe bought for twice what II was
worth, snapped a woman in a well-worn
sealskin s2cque
How much am offered ladies?" chirn-
ed the aucuoneer. Two dollars? Really
that is quite a joke. The lining cost twice
that. 1Wo-hfty-three dollars-who will
make it four-four dollars-four-fiftv -
There was buzz all over the room. The
ladies' crowded and pushed in an effort to
get closer the salesman.
THAT hateful old Mrs Smythe is hid
ding on that coat" said the woman in the
sealskin. She won't get it If l have any
thing to say about it. Five dollars!
six dollars"
'''Six-1fty.'' said an old lady who had
taken no part in the bidding up to this
why, that's mamma" exclaimed the
lady of the sealskin. What under the
sun is she bidding against me for?'' and
she pushed her way toward the elderly
lady, who crowded the price up TO IS be-
fore the daughter reached her. A whis-
pered conference followed, which resulted
in an agreement that the lady in sealskin
should do the bidding. At $lh25 Mrs
Smythe eapitulated, and the ballodf1.
sleeved coat fell into the outstrefcber,
to borrow So from mamma in order to
make the payment. The coat cost $40 \
year ago, but the triumphant smile or
the face of the successful bidder as she
glanced at the hateful Mrs. Smythe'' was
evidence that she was fuzzy satisfied with
the outcome -NN
The shopper of the future, if the auc.
ton fad strikes Chicago-as 1t undoubtec-
~ will-must cultivate the "auetior
voice which Is as destructive as the
bicycIe race. The auction voice is mod
eled after the enunciation of the dry goods
clerk as he raps sharply on the counter
and exclaims, Cash, IS. please" The wo-
men who to-day makes a street car four
ney OF ten miles in order to purchase 2b
cents worth of goods must make wav
for the auction fiend, who stands for
hours, catalougue in hand, waiting for a
chance to bid on a cake Of toilet soap
And will you love me eternally?''
ldeutenant-How can you ask such n
gende Blatter.