The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-03-07
THE OTHER BIDDER.

Uncle Hiram Stokes strobe into
the kitchen where sat his wife, a
sweet, comely woman of middle life,
busily engaged pairing potatoes for
the MONDAY meal.
''See here Manthy," calculated
Hiram. "Old Bill Janes's widder is
going to auction off the old farm and
household goods tomorrow afternoon
at O'Clock. Here is the auction
BILL"
"You don't mean it, Hiram |" ex-
claimed Mrs. Stokes, in the excite
ment of the moment, fumbling in her
dress for her spectacles which were at
that identical time perched high on
her forehead, and finally fixing them
in place and scrutinizing the huge
type with an unusual display of in
terest.
eyes," continued Hiram stroking
his beard meditatively, "Bill Janes's
widder never took much to the fa rm
after Bill died. There was the carry
ing on of that big place and nothin'
but shiftless hired men to depend
upon, she being a kinder weak, timid
woman, always a 1eanin' on Bill.
You couldn't really blame her, too,
for not wanting to bear the response
hilitY, and then she. 7 SUPPOSE. -want-
it being rather lonesome out here,
and Hiram paused and bowed his
head, perhaps thinking of the school
days when he used to eat luncheon
with Bill Janes's widder under the
old pine tree.
eyes p snapped the usually mild
Mrs. Stokes, guessing the bent of her
husbands thought. 81 s'pose you
did used to be sweet on the widder,
but when Symantha Banks was
around 1 guess the widder didn't get
much attention"
Hiram was amused in spite of him
self. A dry smile curled his lips, his
eyes twinkled and he bestowed an af-
fectionate glance on his wife, which,
perhaps, made her ashamed for letting
the green monster appear.
eyes, Symantha," said Hiram, II
guess we had better hitch the mare
tomorrow and jog along to the auc-
ton with the other folks. I presume
there's something in the farmin' tools
I'll want, and maybe something in
household furniture will take your
eye."
Mrs. Stokes gladly assented and
hustled around her work with as
much anticipation as child that goes
to his first circus, for in a country
town an auction is the signal for a
universal holiday, and enough gossip
is CLEANED on that occasion to satisfy
the arduous feminine spirit.
The next day after the chores were
done Stokes and his wife hustled into
the democrat wagon and drove to the
James farm.
wall, 1 swan, glad to see you,
Hiram !" said Abe Pierson, the post
master, shaking hands cordially after
Hiram had helped his wife to alight.
"Tickled to death to see you, Man
thy" simpered the postmaster wife,
Immediately taking possession of
Mrs. Stokes and drawing her over to
some village housewives whose
tongues were flying like electric trip
hammers.
Its fine day for the auction, !"
ventured the postmaster, watching
Hiram draw the halter from the rear
of the wagon and hitch the horse to a
neighboring fence.
"Yes," replied Hiram, "but it's a
mystery to me that Bill James don't
rise from the grave to see his farm go
under the hammer where he has just
put in such hard toll"
"Bill was sartinly hard worker" I"
replied Abe Pierson, "but in many
ways kinder stubborn.
Remember that balky mare, Hi
ram, he owned one haying season not
long ago? Wall, he got purity near
all the hay in but one load from his
northeast meadow lot, near the mill
pond, one day when storm came up,
and, 1 swan, if that hoss would stir
another step, with the clouds a threat
ening and the lightning a faring
through the sky. All persuasion and
force were useless that plaguy horse
wouldn't move an inch.
Finally Bill had an idee. He
pulls some hay off the load and sets
it afre under the mare, and I'll be
licked, if that horse didn't move just
far enough to put the fame under the
load and set it all ablaze. 1t burned
the hay and wagon, and if merciful
Providence hadn't sent down the rain
it would have burned the horse"
maybe ne was a bit stubborn,
assented Hiram, "but Bill always
spoke his mind, and liked him bet.
ter for it."