Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-24
uncommunicative as hitching post,
as he afterwards told Abner Stiles.

uncommunicative as hitching post,
as he afterwards told Abner Stiles.
About half-past two Deacon Mason
drove into the square and the Profess
sor went to meet him, and shook hands
with him. In short time his other
hackers, who had agreed to endorse
his notes to the amount of $4,000, ar
rived on the scene, and he took oc-
casion to welcome them in a manner
that could not escape the attention of
| the crowd. 1t was now ten minutes
of three, and the auctioneer stepped
| upon the temporary platform that had
been erected for him, and bringing his
| hammer down upon the head of bar
rel that had been placed in front of
him, he read in loud voice, which
reached every portion of the square,
the printed notice that for several
weeks had hung upon the fences,
sheds, and trees of Mason's Corner,
marlborough Centre, West Eastbor-
ough and Montrose.
1t was now o'clock for that hour
was rung out by the bell on the Rev.
| Caleb Howe's church. The auction
Ger prefaced his inquiry for bids by
| the usual grandiloquence in use by
members of that fraternity, closing his
Grafton with that often heard remark,
How much am offered?"
The Professor who was standing by
the side of Deacon Mason's team, call
| ed out in loud voice, Fifteen hun
dred!"
| "Well. I'll take that just for start
err" said the auctioneer, "but of course
no sane man not fitted to be an inmate
of an idiotic asylum thinks that this
fine piece of ground, this long-built
and long established grocery store,
filled to overlooking with all the ne
cessities and delicacies of the season,
store which has been in successful
operation for nearly forty years, and
Of which the good will is worth good
deal more than the sum just bid, will
be sold for any preposterous figure!
Gentlemen, am listening"
Suddenly voice from the rear of
the crowd called out, "T-o-o-to to to-
| oo-thousand."
/ AS if by magic, every head was turn
ed, for the majority Of those in the
crowd recognized the voice at once.
| There was but one man in Mason's
Corner who stammered, and that man
was Hiram Maxwell.
They turned, and all saw seated in
the Pettengill team Hiram Maxwell,
and beside him sat Mr.. Sawyer from
Boston.
i ooh, that's more like it." said the
auctioneer. Competition is the life
Of trade, and is particularly pleasing
to an auctioneer. The first gentleman
who bid now sees that there is anoth.
err gentleman who has better knowl-
edge of the value of this fine proper.
ty than he evinced up to the present
moment There is still an opportunity
for him to see the error of his ways
and put himself on record as being an
observing and intelligent person
All eyes were turned upon Strout al
|, these words from the auctioneer; his
face reddencd, and he called on, TWEEN
ty-five hundred"
Still BETTER" said the auctioneer;
| the gentleman, as suppose, has shown
J that he is person Of discernment; he
did not in-agIne that was engaged
to make a present of this fine esta5
: lishment to any one who would off 81
any sum that suited his convenience
for it. He knew as we'll as did thai
there would be sharp contest to Sc
cure this fine property. Now, gentle
men, am offered twenty-five hun
bred, twenty-five hundred am offer
ed, twenty-five hundred"
: Again voice was heard from the
team on the outer limits Of the crowd
twenty-five fifty!"
j, The crowd again turned their gaze
upon Strout; the Professor was not al
extrayagant man. and he had saved {
liytle money. He had iii his pocket a.
the time little over hundred do
lars; he would not put it in the bank
:, for, he argued, If he did everybody IL
. town would know how much none,
,, he had; so he called out, "Twenty-si,
!, hundred"
! All, gentlemen, continued the auc
) | t.ioneer, "let me thank you for thu
? keen appreciation that you show of /;
! good thing. When looked this prop
, erty over said to myself, "the bidders
! will tumble over themselves to secure
j this fine property: and have no
j been disappointed"
ell Again the faces of the crowd wer,
i. turned towards the team in which sa
S Quincy and Hiram. Hiram stood III
a in the team and making horn will
e his hands, shouted at the top of hi
4 voice. Tor the time overcoming the pro
d penslty to stammer, TWenty-sevel
II hrndrea!"
S Better! still better!" cried the auc
S tioneer 1--WE are now approaching tn,
eli figure that I had placed on this prop
i. erty, end my judgment is usually COZ
n rect. am offered twenty-seyen hun
a bred. twenty-seyen hundred; who vii
8 go one hundred better?"
III At this moment Abner Stiles, VII,
D. had heen watching the proceeding
4 with eyes distended and mouth wild
oil open, went up to Strout and whisper
oil ed something in his ear Strout'
IS face frightened, he grasped Abner'