The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-26
THE sUAvE MIR. PERKINS.

Mr.. James Treadwell Boston. u. S
A, was registered at a. London hotel
and had been for two weeks, when he
happened in at an auction sale of
bric-a- brac on a fashionable street
1t was a sale of the goods and chat
tells of private house and he mingled
with the spectators entirely out of
curiosity. He had been lingering
around for half an hour when the
auctioneer put up box made of san
dalwood, which he took for a hand
kerchief box. He would not have been
surprised at all had it been knocked
down for a six-pence. In fact, that
was the first bid. and it was about to
be knocked down to a ferret-faced
man when something impelled Mr..
was at once raised a hundred per
cent, and the leer on the face of the
other provoked him. The others bid
was one of defiance. and was so ac-
cepted.
Mr.. Treadwen was a quiet, conserva-
tive man. but in him there was a spirit
of hit back when he was provoked. He
didn't like the face or the attitude of
the other bidder. and he determined
to have that box If it cost him a
pound. The people around him got on
to the fact that he was a Yankee
and made comments that further de-
termined him. To the auctioneer's
surprise the bids went up to ten
pounds Mr. Treadwen would have
carried them to double that sum, but
the other bidder rushed away to look
for some one in the crowd, and being
afraid of missing a good thing, the
auctioneer knocked the trifle down to
the last bidder and it was handed to
him and paid for amidst giggles and
open laughter. He felt that he had
made a fool of himself, and, with his
box under his arm, he left the spot in
no pleasant frame of mind. He had
not gone two blocks when a young
woman overlook him. She explained
that she had been lady's maid in the
house for number of years, and
voeted the box as a souvenir of her
dear dead mistress. The ferret-faced
man had been bidding for her. Would
Mr.. Treadwell respect the sentiment
that actuated her and let her have the
box for what he paid?
1t so happened. firstly, that the
American was an old bachelor and a
cynic, and appeals to sentiment didn't
move him. Secondly. he had gone to
the trouble of making fool of him
self, and was determined to keep the
box as reward The girl offered
double the price, and there were tears
in her eyes, but she did not get it.
The hotel had scarcely been reached
when a Mr.. Charles Perkins desired
an interview Mr.. Perkins was suave
exceedingly suave. He was as suave
and gentle and courteous as If he was
going to ask for the loan of ten thou
sand dollars on a huckleberry marsh
worth two hundred. He had been in
America. He had seen Boston Com
mons Although he was one of the
most patriotic of her majesty's sub
jects, he had gazed upon Bunker Hill
and found his heart swell
ling with pride at the thought of how
bravely it had been held against the
redcoats He knew that America was
the home of the robber trusts and
grafters, and that every state and city
had its ring of political thieves, but he
kept clear of saying SO. Not a thing
did he say that could have hurt the
feelings of an American babe
When Mr.. Perkins had got through
praisipg Uncle Sans country and chill
dren he turned to the subject in hand
It was his wife that had died, and his
furniture that had been sold at auc-
ton. He was an architect, and had
met his downfall by trying to intro
Guce American ideas into England,
such as dark bedrooms, parlors in
which two people had to sit with their
knees touching and hot-air furnaces
that only produced hot air from the
mouth of the manufacturer. That
sandalwood box had been presented