The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-09-27
CHILDREN
ARE SOLD.
Salvation Army RunsAn
Auction.
CHRISTIANITY THE BUYER
Pleasure, Fashion, Learning and
Money Bid in Vain for
Wee Tots.

unusual, but that is what happened |
last evening right here in Honolulu. 1t
was at the Salvation Army barracks
that the sale took place. and Christian |
ity was the buyer. outbidding Pleasure. !
Fashion, Learning and Money.
The news of the coming sale had
spread through the city and there were
crowds. The little elow-roofed barrack
room was filled TO the doors. and peo-
pie even stood in the aisles and on
chairs at the back to see and hear the
sale, Numbers of soldiers in Khaki
from the Thomas, summoned by the
singing and following the crowds help
ed fill the room and took an active In
terest in the proceedings. They listen
ed attentively to II all and applauded
vigorously those sentiments that pleas
ed them. and were as quiet and orderly
as could be wished.
Up on the platform was a double row
of bright-faced little ones all in white,
and all full of giggles and laughter.
They were the children who were to be
sold at auction, and they thought 1t
the best fun they had had for long
time. There was one little Chinese
damsel who sat wide-eyed and uncom-I
pretending for the most part, but she
knew all the songs, and when II came
time to sing she joined in with shrili
little pipe, finding no difficulty at all in
singing the English words. Next her
sat a poor little barefooted waif, wan
and thin from recent illness, who fol-
lowed it all with an interest that was,
pathetic She was not so we'll clad as
the other little ones, but that fnattered
not at all TO their democratic little
hearts. and they shared their hymn
books with her ana made her at home
on the stage before she had fairly seat
/ ed herself.
! First there was a junior prayer meet
I ing during which several of the chill
dren told how they had been saved and
sang little songs in chorus. or got up
/ braVely before the crowd to sing solos
/ in piping voices encouraged by Captain
Mills, whom they al seemed TO idolize-
And then four of the little girls were
sworn in as members of the junior
army with flags draped behind them,
and Captain Mills at their sides to read
the Junior Articles of War;" wherein
they pledged themselves to fight
against sin as long as they lived.
/ Then came the auction. Major Wood
had shed his Uniform and appeared on
the platform in hong coat and gavel
in his hand open the sale.
LAS an outsider" he said, Il have
watched the work of the Salvation
Army with much interest, and 1 Believe
that it is doing good work. So when
l heard that the Army proposed to hold
a sale of children / offered 10 come
AID conduct it.
They look like a pretty good healthy
lot. these children" ne went on, turning
10 the little ones and looking them
over, and they ought 10 bring pretty
good price, don't you think SO? Bat
before 1 ask for bids / want il under
stood that they must all be bought b.
the same bidder: We are not going to
I
resign himself to have an entire orphan
asylum on his hands. Now with this
warning, what am l offered for this lot
of smiling-faced little people. Wouldn'
you all like TO have u batch ike that
to greet you when you came home at
night? What am L offered? Who's go
ing TO make the first bid?''
At this there came voice frcm the
back Of the house and up the crowded
aisle came a man in a red sweater and
bicycle trousers. pushing his wheel be-
fore him through the crowd. 1t proved
to be Captain BamDerry of Maui.
Il am Mr.. Sport" said he. and my
bid for these children is pleasure. /
offer them a good time through life. I'll
give them rides on the merry go-round
and they shall have all the peanuts
and candy and good things to eat that
they want. They shall ride on my BIZ
cycle and spend their time enjoying the
pleasures which life affords them"
The auctioneer looked puzzled and the
eyes of the children snapped as the re-
cital of the good things offered then
went on. But there were other bidder;
for new came floating up the aisle
Lieutenant Alderman. Of Hilo, all dress
ed i'm the height of fashion with big be
, lowered hat and flowing gown of figur-
ed crepe.
Il am Miss Fashion" she announced
and 1 offer these children a place IL
the social swim. They shall be dressed
as / am, in fine clothing, and they shall
go to the play and to balls and partie!
and spend their summers at the water
ing places, and their winters travelling
abroad. Could anyone offer them more
They shall have position and considera.
ton from the world, and enjoy theil
? lives doing as they please"
? Again the auctioneer was in doubt
) and the children looked with admira-
{ tion at the pretty lady, and then the!
I looked at the bicycle and thought o.
. the good times that had been promiseC
: them by Mr.. Sport, and hesitated. AnC
= meanwhile up the aisle came stumpinE
{ a pompous figure, followed by a mar
' bending under the weight of two heavy
) sacks. He was all In black, and HI
Y carried cane and a silk hat. His at
I tendant dumped the two bags upon tn
table and they seemed to be filled will
eAAA0 were tdOGirQ tdSn SlOsvOv.
II am Mr.. Moneybags," said the pom
pous individual, who was Captain Lew
!. is Of Kauai. "and I offer the childrel
money. Think what they can do witt
that-anything that can be done Will
= money They can travel, they can hay
good times, they can do all that thes
two bidders have offered them. None.
does IL all in this world"
2 But then there swept up the aisle
. sedate little figure in gown and morta
j board, Ensign Alderman CT Hilo.
Miss Bluestocking is my name" sh
o said, 'and I offer the children educa
9 ton. What is better than that? Wit
education you can get all that is de
sirable out Of life. You can learn Z
= appreciate life. you can make yoursel
honored and looked UP tor That is tn
most desirable OF all. What is gol
and what is pleasure. and what is tn
: use Of being in the social swim Il yo
4 have not education2 To me belong tn
a children. They would rather Gene wit
u me than with any Of the others, l.
/, warrant" and the children nodded an
p said they would
But now came q vision in white