The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-08-25
At the Old
Horse Sale
By Sara
Beaumont Kennedy
Copyright, 1905, BY Sara Beaumont Kennsd

protest in his voice There was posi-
tive command, which, perhaps. was the
reason why she walked directly under
the auctioneer's red flag into the ex-
press office, already thronged with idle,
curious buyers.
i never was at anything more ex-
citing than a dry goods bargain sale.
This will be positively Ike Monte
Carlo"
Our uncle will disapprove'-
of course he will. He disapproves
of most things l do since you took up
the role of social mentor for the fam
lily. That year abroad spoiled you,
Adolphus. You have never been en-
durable since you took to patent up-
pers and monocle. Now, Nick would
have brought me in here without a
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-
plainingE and carried my parcels"
IF he had not happened to see an
old woman or a 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 Il bit absent
minded, but he is perfectly adorable
when it comes to giving a girl her own
way"
MY brother is happy in winning
your good opinion. 1t is my misfor-
tune
NO, it's your fault; you are so
frightfully. conventional. Dear me,
what curious peoplew
'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 crowdw
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 a bandbox. l shall bid on
that"
Nellie, DON'T" he first commanded,
then entreated vehemently, but she
was as 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.
''Seyenty-fve centsr' screamed a
feminine voice across the hall.
zone dollar" flashed back Nellie, her
color rising, her eyes shining, for her
cousins voice came up 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 conferred
its attention on the nervous woman
and the ''swell'' girl, and there were
cheers and counter cheers as the bids
rose dollar by dollar until at last the
TOD a - Nrat
lie.
She was still laughing and flushed
with her triumph when they emerged
from the door over which flew the red
compromised, and this feeling was not
abated when he saw the establishment
in the eyes of Miss Curtis, whose Ian
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 an unlucky day.
Nellie's excitement waned as they
walked, and by the time they entered
her uncles gate she was strangely 81
lent Adolphus evidently took this for
a hopeful sign, for presently he cleared
his throat. adjusted his monocle and
began:
Nellie, we must talk seriously. The
time has come
mo, it hasn't come" she said, in
terrupting him good naturally, 80 stop
right there / don't know whether
this is lecture or a proposal of mar
riage-your private talks with me vi
brate between these two subjects
but l am in no mood for either. For
heavens sake. Adolphus, throw that
glass away. | hate to be spied at like
thatw
With reproachful sigh he removed
the offending glass and said: Mick not
only lectured you yesterday; he posi-
lively scolded you, and
"And l deserved 1t, but l answered
him back spitefully, like the little beast
l am, and he-he hasn't even noticed
me since" She turned her head so
that he did not see the culver Of her
red 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 a pipe and
forgot to have his trousers creased,
was a thorn liz the old mans side.
Between these two were constant dis
agreements, which Nellie had hitherto
managed to make up, but yesterday
there had been a quarrel Of unusual