The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-30
THE WIDOW BOUGHT HERSELF.
AN AUCTION IN WHICH INMATES OF
TIE ALMSHOUsE ARE SOLD
TO LOWEST BIDDER.


Unfortunatcs for the Least Money
Monthly l. Given the Contract.
This Is a True story OF "A Case That
Would at First Appear Impossible
in Free Country-Nrs. Graham
bid in Herself and HIade For
tune Thereby.
Philadelphia, July ga few days after
the New Year has come in. and the rich
people Of Lackawanua township. Pike
county, Pennsylvania, and the wol-to-do
VINO earn enough 10 keep them comfor.a-
be have enjoyed the festivities OF the hol-
iday, the overseors of the poor begin 10
devise ways and means for the care Of the
homeless. penniless. fricudless creatures
whom sickness, hard times. or iu-apacity
have thrown upon their hands. All over
the township they post a nouce-"A Wo-
man For Sale"-and in smaller type tel
when and where the bargain hunters can
get their moneys worth. The sale is by
auction, and human beings are put up and
bid for and sold just as cattle or houses
are sold. But there is this difference: The
successful competitor is not the highest Dut
the lowest bidder, nor does he pay the
amount of his bid. 1t is paid TO him
monthly for the board lodging and Goth
ing Of the fellow creature he has bought.
and for such medical attendance as the
poor chattel may require during the twelve
month Of his or her scrvitude
on the 18th of January of a year not long
since the sale had been duly advertised 10
be held a Warren X Rutans hotel. Row
lands station, and at the hour fixed :he
auctioneer. and overseer of the poor, in the
presence of a large assemblage offered the
first lot" a withered old man with nard-
ly strength enough 20 walk. There was
no bid for him, for nothing could be ox-
pected from him as a laborer. lie could
only eat and sleep and be iu the way and
take up room. and get sick, and then die.
SO nobody wanted the old man. aud he hal
to return 10 the poorhouse, there to end
his days.
The Widow Is Put Up.
The next lot" said the auctioneer. with
grin that required the whole expanse
of an extremely broad and homtly counte-
nance in which to be fully developed, lis
the Wilder Crane, who some of you is
no doubt acquainted with. She kin sew,
hez good eyesght, talks sensible, reads
fine print writes a good hand. an likes
folks to call her Graham What shell we
we give you to take kecr Of the widder2"
'How's her temper" asked a tall. an
eular woman with voice that Creaked
like cordage in a calm sea
From fair TO middlin'," said the auc-
tioneer shes not coutankerous 'thout
you poster her. She's fond O. music, loves
children, and hez an opinion of her own.
But she bothers nobody, and is able TO
arm her board five times over"
I'm take her for s. month";" said the
woman whose voice creaked
Il so seven" said a quiet man in the
throng.
AN I'll take the wilder fer six" yelled
q full-bodied man on the outskirts
The auctioneer temporiZed for a while
but no lower bid was made until, as he
was about TO knock down lot No. 2 TO the
S. bidder, a thin. tremulous voice. but
strong and forceful wthai, awoke the
echoes.
I'm take her for $50 a MONTH" said
the voice, which seemed to come from no.
where.
And what might you be?" asked the
auctioneer, looking about to right and
left.
Il might be Moses but I amt" said a
wee bit of a woman as she got up from a
bench in the back row. I'm the Widow
Graham, at your service and ready to buy
myself.
IF you think l can't live on lessn TWEEN
ty cents day, you're woefully mistaken.
I've starved on more, but then l was not
provdin' for myself an was slavn' for
others, an maxim money for EN-, too
Wilder Crane" said the auctioneer,
now with the magisterial voice of an over
seer of the poor what security kin you
give that you kin provide for yourself with
the five dollars an a half paid every month
TO you by the township of Lackawan
county OF Pike, state of Pennsylvania"
My security is George William Baker"
said the widow. Hes here TO speak for
himself"
And a fat little man arose in the throng
and placed himself in evidence. Everybody
knew him one of the wealthiest resi-
dents Of the county, a citizen of probity as
well as of property.
I'm go bail for the Wilder Graham"
said George William Baker. She'll occupy
that little cottage o mine down the Huck-
leberry road close by Meacham's mill an
IF she can't make out with the township
money III advance what's lackin ."
round of applause was the fat little
mans first reward for his seeming big
heartedness Then Parson Dooittle came
up and shook him by the hand and said
heartily. God bless you brother" and
Deacon Grimes who keeps the big store
Fidled along. Brother Baker" said he
with JUNCTION. I've alters knowed you to
be a philantrofst, an now I'm certain sure
tibet 1 was right"
The Cause of Bakers Generosity.
A short time after the widow had enter
ed upon her new life in the cottage by the
mill, il became known to everybody that
George William Baker had bought in the
adjoining township the homestead of the
Grahams. The last owner, Eli. after m
successful attempts 10 dispose of the prop
erty, had removed to the West. Here for
tune had favored him. At the time when
the widow bought herself from the over
eeers of the poor, Ell was a man of means.
and as he had always been, a mean man,
who gave little thought to anything but
self For several years he had kept IN a
desultory correspondence with his slstcr-in-
law-because she was near his home farm
but had extended her no aid i'm her time
of trouble He had been so long a dweNer