Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1905-10-05
At the Old
Horse Sale
BY Sara
Beaumont Ke-@i1 ady
Copyright. 1905. by sara Beaumont Kennedy


tive command. which. perhaps, was the
reason why she walked directly under
the agctioneer's red flag into the ex-
press Office already thronged with idle,
curious buyers.
Il never was at anything more ex-
citing than dry goods bargain sale.
This will be positively like Monte
Carlo.''
"Our uncle will ,lisapprove"-
"Of course he Will. He disapprovcs
Of most things l do since you took up
the role OF social menSr for the fam
lily. That year abroad spoiled you,
Adolphus You have never been en-
durable since you took to patent up
pers and a monoclc. Now, Nick would
have brought me in here without
word of remonstrance and lent me
every penny out of his pocket if |
needed it to bid with-lent me even his
car fare and walked home uncom-
plainingiy and carried my parcels"
IF he had not happened to see an
old woman or lame cat to help over
the crossing, in which case. very likely,
he would have laid the parcels down
and quite forgotten to pick them up
Perhaps, for Nick is bit absent
minded, but he Is perfectly adorable
when it comes to giving Il girl her own
way"
MY brother is hasey in winning
your good opinion 1t Is my misfor-
tune
NO, it's your fault; you are SO
frightfully conventional. Dear me,
what curious people,
"They are the drift from the street
None of our set ever
There. The auctioneer is beginning
again. 1t will be perfectly delightful
to buy something and not have the
least idea what it is-so weird and
mysterious
Nellie, surely you are not going to
bid out loud in this crowd"
IL certainly am. There is no harm in
it, and | am sick to death Of the right
angle rules by which you and uncle
measure my life Wonder what that
woman found In her parcels? There
goes up bandbox. / shall bid on
that"
"Nellie. don't"' he first commanded,
then entreated vehemently, but she
was ms a deaf adder that stoppeth her
ears.
Fifty cents she called In answer
to the auctioneer's challenge, at the
same time stepping upon an empty box
by the wall so that she was in plain
view of the whole crowd.
''Seveniy-five cents screamed a
feminine voice across the hall
Zone dollar" flashed back Nellie, her
color rising, her eyes shining. for her
cousins voice came mp to her in agi-
tated whispers.
zone fifty" came from her opponent.
1.-TWO dollars" cried Nellie, pushing
Adolphus' hand from her sleeve.
Three dollars" shrieked the other
woman, nervously counting the change
In her purse. No one else was bid
ding. the entire crowd having centered
its attention on the nervous woman
and the "swell" girl and there We're
cheers and counter cheers as the bids
rose dollar by dollar until at last the
coveted box was Knocked down to Mel
lie.
She was still laughing and flushed
with her triumph when they emerged
from the door over which flew the red
lint A1 cnlt IA
compromised, and this feeling was not
abated when he saw the establishment
in the eyes of Miss Curtis. whose lam
dau happened at that moment to pass,
for Miss Curtis was the personifica-
ton Of rigid conventionality. He count
ed the meeting as one more misfortune
in IN unlucky day.
Ncllie's excitement waned as they
walked, and by the time they entered
her uncle's gate she was strangely ST.
lent Adolphus evidently took this for
hopeful sign. for presently he cleared
his throat, adjusted his monocle and
began;
Nellie we must talk seriously The
time has come
NO, IL ndSn come, she SAID, IN
terrupting him good naturedly, $50 stop
right there | don't know whether
this is lecture or n proposal of mar
riage-your private talks with me vi
brate between these two subjects
but | am In no mood for either. For
heavens sake, Adolphus, throw that
glass away. | hate to be spied at like
that"
With reproachful sigh he removed
the offending glass ana said: Mick not
only lectured YOU yesterday; he posi-
lively scolded YOU. and
And ! deserved It, but answered
him back spitefully, like the little beast
| am, and he--he hasn't even noticed
me since She turned her head so
that he did not see the culver of her
rel lips, the passionate protest of her
eyes.
All their set knew that her dicta-
torial old uncle intended she should
marry Adolphus. who satisfied his So
cial ambitions, while Nick, who cared
nothing for society. smoked pine and
forgot to have his trousers creased.
was a thorn in the old mans side.
Between these two were constant dis
4 agreements. which Nellie had hitherto
mana ypl To mako IN hu- vac+orJav