The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-06-01
THEHIGHEST BIDDER

/ ana 90 LnOu, IN my DeaPLY. be mine.
Frank Putnam in Chicago Times Herald.
THEHIGHEST BIDDER
1t was at Brussels, in the auction
rooms at the orner of the streets Leo
pold and Wiertz, that the incident hap
pened. My friend was an Englishman,
but he had lived long in the country
and had acquired a taste for the Bel
gian arts that seemed almost native,
and that made him something of a col
lector. The sale at the rooms was to be
very similar to sale at Sotheby's, and
the catalogue referred to original man.
uscripts and first editions and to hun
bred things loved by the curioso My
friend was present in the hope Of secur-
ing some early engravings, and 1 was
with him as part of the idleness of a
holiday. We were early, and while
waiting the time Of the sale we looked
together at the catalogue, and he enter
tanned me with talk of this and that
entry.
''This number should be interesting, ("
he said, pointing to line on the first
page, the love letters of Outline, our
poet of love. Keats letters, you remem
Der, were sold in London not long ago,
and one Of your verse makers wrote a
lamenting sonnet. Outline was not so
great poet as Keats, but his passion
for Jetta Teterol was as wildly spoken
as the others for Fanny Brawne. Your
verse maker was right. It is hard that
because man has given part of his soul
to the world the world should want the
whole. But the curious are innocent Of
modesty, and-yes, the number should
be interesting"
There will be a fight for the letters,
you think?'' 1 said
Yes, probably. Outline has some
thing of vogue just now. The women
are discovering that he wrote as in their
best hours they think And indeed it
was a tender, womanly muse. The lit
tie man standing by the table-him
with the glasses, mean-will, think,
get them. He is a professor at the uni
versity, and doubtless meditates an arti-
Gle in one Of the reviews Himself with
out sentiment, he will critioise their
sentiment Already he has written more
than one unkind thing about the Gui-
tine morals. The letters will give him
yet new text. I"
For moment or two I looked at the
professors hard, thin face and sympa-
thized with the dead poet. then as the
auctioneer mounted to his place and
commenced the days sale l turned my
eyes to one and another in the room.
Mostly the crowd was Of men, dealers
or chance buyers, but here and there
were women with the usual catalogue
and pencil, and among them was one
whose dress and manner interested me
even to curiosity. Near to us she stood,
lmpatiently buttoning and unbuttoning
glove, and l saw that she was pretty, |
but somewhat too well dressed and |
somewhat too freely jeweled.
DO you know l asked my friend,
"who is the girl to our right?''
He looked and slightly shrugged his
shoulders and said: Eyes, she is Marie |
Carbara, one of the actresses at the new
theater. She is only minor actress,
but you see her cloak and the brooch |
clasping it. They are all alive, these
pretty singers and dancers. All love the |
sunshine and the butterfly life. What |
brings Marie here do not know, nor
what makes her so angry with her glove.
The boudoir wants picture, perhaps |
That was very little for the Louis vases. /
All, here are the Outline letters. They
will fetch more -
The auctioneer spoke of the poet and
of his love for Jetta Teterol and of his
writings to her. Again looked around
the room to one and another. Many
seemed little interested in the bundle of |
yellow sheets, but a few seemed likely
bidders. The professor was listening to
the auctioneer's words and smiling as
one amused. Other men, who knew less
than the professor, were listening with
more humility. The girl Marie had
ceased to play with her glove and held
one hand lightly in the other At the
girl / looked longer than at the men.
She had an earnestness Of expression
that was pretty to see, an earnestness
that presently gave me an idea.
1T is not picture that has brought
Mademoiselle Carbara here, )" said to
my friend. 1t is these letters. Look at
her.
She is certainly concerned for them.
Perhaps you are right, " he replied. Gas
l said, the women are beginning to read
and to love Outline, and-yes, perhaps
you are right. Still, my man speaks
first, and he is not likely soon to give
in. -
The professor moved his glasses for
ward little and said, Ten francs"
and the bidding commenced. Given
ty, said the girl Marie. And I noticed
the pleasantness of her voice and was
glad my idea had not been wrong.
Thirty" said a man to my left.
Thirty, - replied the auctioneer.
''Yes, it is fight, " said my friend
as ten by ten the offer rose, but be-
tween our two people only. The other is
an agent and will presently reach his
limit. Indeed, already he seems to have
reached 1t. F"
1.-TWO hundred, - said the girl "And
ten, said the professor 1.-TWO hun
bred and fifty, said the girl, her cheeks
flushing little. 'Three hundred, - said
the professor, his mouth hardening
The third bidder had become silent,
and the fight was now clearly between
the two. At the end of table the girl
stood, looking earnestly to the auctioner
and the bundle of letters before him; at
the other the man, looking angrily at
the girl Within me was a hope that
she, and not he, would be the last to
speak
-Four hundred. "
Five hundred. F"
"Six hundred.
There was movement of interest in
the room. The offers were not large-a
picture had just before been sold for
several thousands, but they seemed
large for the few sheets of faded writing.
They came, too, the one more quickly
following another than in the other
sales. There was no delay of calculation
and doubt. The excitement of those who
watched was very natural
"a thousand. ="
Fifteen hundred -
"Carbara wins" said my friend.
1.-THE professor will go but little high
er. How angry the man looks. -
1.-TWO thousand.
Two thousand FIVE hundred" said
the girl
1.-TWO thousand five hundred, +" said
tho anctionaar and xuaitad fov an cd |