The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-08-26
DIPLOMATIC AUCTIONS.
Brio-a- Brac Bargains in Washing
ton Eagerly Sought
The belongings OF Retiring Foretwu
Omcials Are Put Up at Pub
lie sale-Imposition Often
Practiced.

A graceful custom among foreign
diplomats at Washington is the auction
sale which frequently befalls on the oc-
easion of the recall of one of our alien
ambassadors or ministers.
They don always come off, of course
Sometimes, as was the case when Fava
he's back here MOVEMENT home,
there was no auction of legation effects
to mark the great event, as there was
in that eminent Italians case no lega-
tion effects. Nor was it true when the
recent Turk set sail. But he, poor Mus
sulman, was so threatened in his per-
turbed mind with immolation so soon
as he should arrive at Constantinople,
so sure that il was case of the bow
string and the BoSporus in his bust.
ness, that he had no heart for com
merce.
But, aside from these. the other three
diplomats" who have lately returned
from here hung out the red flag of trade
hired some local chanter to cry the
wares and had "a sale" The Austrian
was the last to do this. This is the
system;
For two weeks before their excel
lencies decamp the local papers revel in
a long and lurid ''ad., recounting the
| recall of the ambassador or minister,
! and declaring how on certain day all
| people so minded are invited to appear
| and contest at public vendue for a
dazzling list of plumber in said ''ad." set
| forth
Prime among the properties for sale
| you will notice wines and many thing
besides that are as articles of com
nerce highly tariffed. But in these
| cases courtesy has held the tal.l 1t
hay. All of a legations wines and
cigars and furniture-in fact, every
thing of personal sort of that lega.
tion causes to be brought to America
lis passed scot free at our customs.
! Oe win readily discern that ripe
| profit might be made to roll piesisngly
| up AT one of these untariffed legation
sales. Cur town tradespeople must,
'owever, pay the fiddler in each noble
- tInce.
~ these sales snobdom turns stoutly
ut The bidding is not and fast and
igh. There is nothing to be lusted for
By certain sort of American, cringing.
ly numerous hereabouts. as a wine
| which has been justified by an ambas
adorial taste, or piece of furniture OF
.:e-s-brac which has been soiled by
noble and titled contact. And therefore
hese legation auctions furnish thu
most heated oombats. And many foo
feeced.
It is also to be remarked that these
sales string out in endless fashion, day.
following day, as fools flock to be bun
,oed. The stock, whether of wine o
furniture or cast-off noble garments
never runs low The widows store o
oil showed no better staying powers
As long as custom hangs about tn
chanters shout, the red flag floats AM
the stock of goods to be disposed o
flows by with current unabated.
For, mark you, rather than disar
point or send any full-hearted allie
chaser away from this sale with achin
heart and empty hands, the auctionee
each night moves in a new stock to re
place the disappearance of the day be
. fore llach rn;ng the legation room
are &c unstripped, the cabinets as flu
of bric-a-l rae, the bins as renlete wit
+ rare old wines as at the beginning.
Thus it runs forward until no moi
sheep appear to be shorn and even II
: toadies have enough. Then the fla
q comes down and the legation sale is
an end.-N. Y. Journal