Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-03-17
A CROSS OF HONOR.

The fourth and last day Of the IIuntley
sale was dragging slowly on. The Incl
dents Of the bidding were as common
place and uncntertaining 10 most Of the
men who sat half wcariIy round the baize
covered table and looked languidly ut
medal after medal as they were to the auc-
tionccr himself. The professional raillcry
which had martcd the earlier hours had
evaporatcd long ago. 1t was 3 o'clock and
a hot day in the latter half of July.
The score or 81 Of buyers were us varied
crowd as any event could well bring
together. Lord Wcntlockg was a well
known collector, who never missed an inn
pOrtant sale. Next To him sat a man with
out cuffs, who bought all the most ex-
pcnSivc lots without apparently looking
at them. Opposite was jew, who made
all his bids by furtive winks, and who
cndcavorcd by amusing sallics to distract
his competitors attention at critical mo
mcntS, and between him and the British
museum representative IA turbancd Parscc,
buying on behalf of Calcutta art gallery
Two Schoolbuys had strHycd in and looked
on silently or compared notes Of admira
ton in apprchensive whispers
AT last the auctioneer pulled himself
together. surely this will rouse you,
gentlemen, If anything will, he said.
"Lot 1884, n Victoria cross presented to
Private Thomas Young for conspicuous
bravery at Magdala. Purchased by Mr..
Huntley from Mcssrs. Link and by them
from the original holder. What shall l
say
1t seemed that the national collection
was not in want Of specimen. Lord
Wentlockc never by any chance opened tho
bidding, and the jew always waited
little to find out who was interested
Some one else started with go. and in
the twinkling of an eye the cross had ad-
vanccd To t20 and then hung moment.
1t was then in the pause marking what
would probably have been the half way
point that the silence was broken by Il Q
poorly clad woman who had sat, nervous
and unobscrved, near the door.
"Oh, sir, " she cried in voice that was
half sob, Il don't understand, but
could only save s2, and-and / am his
mother"
There have been many scenes Of psyche
logical suspense at Wcthebcy's Million
aires have plunged rccklcssly for historical
pictures, relatives and legatccs have car
Scd on their wrunglcs and snarlod across
thC table for the possession of heirlooms,
hut never in the annals of that famous
house has there been SO vivid IA moment as
when the mother of Thomas Young, the
man who had displayed conspicuous valor
at Magdala, stood forth In her neat and
pathetic poverty and timidly held out tho
42 worth of hot silver for which she had
starved and drudgcd in order to redeem
her son medal.
The silence was only for a second Some
one down the table, wocfully out Of touch
with the wave of feeling, gave nm amused
laugh at the nbsurdity Of the thing, and,
| anxious TO scare the exquisite joke with
the auctioncer, looked up with merry
smile rs he called out, Twenty -oner'
The jew was on his feet in an instant.
Shut up, you fool!' he shouted furious
ly. Cant you sce?'
The auctioneer-it was Mr. A, ever the
! most courteous and sympathetic of his pro-
fession-quictly tapped his rostrum once
or twice Gentlemen, he said, this Is
an unusual incident, and think we will
all agree that some way must be found
out of the difficulty. So far the prices have
been very satisfactory, and should 1t hap
pen by any mcans--I cannot make any
! suggestion, gentlcmcn-but should 1t hap
pen that in this one instance the price Is
not maintained l do not think that the
vender will have any cause for complaints.
TO my firm / myself will be responsible.
The bidding when last took it stood at
ego That was Lord Wentlocke. "
Mine, too, said the man without cuffs
readily. surely you heard me? thought
you took mine.
The gentleman is quite right, said
the jew, rubbing his hands dclightedly.
II heard him myself-bcforc Lord Went
locke, if anything" He had never spoken
a more obvious lie or one which passed SO
unquCstioned.
"As the matter Is in dispute, have no
option but TO start the lot again, said the
auctioneer with infinite relief but, to
take you completely into my confidence,
must inform you that l have against it q
reserve, merely nominal, as 1t was thought
at tho time, of 95.
"Guincas, " said Lord Wentlocke quietly,
and when tho hammer fell, as 1t did with
out second S pause, it was amid cnthusi-
asm which rivaled the scene when the ia
nous petition crown created n record of
$500
Lord Wcntlocke never had any hesita-
ton in the matter. You must have no
scruplcs about accepting it from me-, he
said, crossing the room and putting the
medal into the rouf h and toll worn hand.
Your country is heavily in your debt,
and what we are doing is little enough.
How came your son to sell it?''
II was i'll" sho replied, the tears run
ming down her cheeks. "Oh, my lord,
how can l thank your"
Its nothing, said Lord Wentlocke,
the modest English feeling Of awkward
ness in comforting favor gaining the as
cendant, and, to avoid the possibility of n
scene, he opened the swinging doors ~
escorted the mother Of Private Young
down into the street.
There was another ovation awaiting
Lord Wcntlocke ON his return, hut that
chivalrous and ingenious peer, having
sent his brougham to an address in tie
Borough road, decided to walk to Gros-
venor place rather than receive it.-Lon-
don Paper.
Barred Out.
James Lenox, the founder of the famous
Lenox library of New York city, was
man of many attachments and a few &C.
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