The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-03-30
AN AUCTIONEER'S STORY.
Told Before a Crowd at an Old Book
Sale.
New York SUM-

tNeW York SUM-
He had just sold a copy of Robert
G. Ingersoll's lectures, forty-eight lee
lures bound in one volume, and now
turning to the shelves at his back. the
auctioneer took down, as the book he
would offer next. a copy of the Bible.
But before inviting bids upon it ne
talked about 1T briefly.
This was a copy bound in flexible
morocco, gilt edged over red. and it
contained a concordance. And then
for a moment he spoke of the PibIe
itself, telling what the Old Testament
contained and what the new, and how
for ages ii had been the guide and
comforter of millions. There were
some who picked flaws in the book,
but even these trusted those who be-
lieved in it and followed its teachings.
And then the auctioneer told little
story.
"a man." he said, who was travel
ing in remote and sparselv G/ttlad
part of the country found himself over
taken by nightfail at an isolated farm
house. 1t was not the most inviting
looking place in the world. but il was
there or nowhere for MIN, and so he
knocked on the door and asked if he
might stay there for the night, and the
farmer said he could.
$50 he went I'm, and the farmer anG
his wife gave him supper, and after a
time he was ready to go to bed.
And as a matter Of fact the traveller
was troubled in his mind. as he had
been for that matter from the moment
he saw the farmer. This a remct4 and
lonely spot, and the farmer was a tail.
gaunt silent man with a furrowed
face, and he and his wife were all the
ppOrlIp in no hnnSehOIO tho
traveller dwelt again upon how far
away he was. and upon the gaunt, ST.
lent farmer, he recalled all the stories
he had read of men who had been
murdered and robbed In just such out
OF the way places. and as the time
came for retiring his fears increased;
and when the farmer showed him at
last to his room the traveller was much
troubled, and he prepared for a sleep
less and watchful night, and to de-
fend himself the best he could if need
be
He barrieaded the door with all the
movable furniture in the room for one
Pcecaution, and he didn't disrobe him
self, toy he wasn't going to he'd: he
was going to sit up all night and
watch; and when he made all his
preparations he put out his light and
sat down to keep guard for the night.
His own light out, the traveller saw
little beam of light coming into his
room through a crack in the wall on
the side toward the room where he
had left the farmer and his wife, and
to be sure pretty soon had his eye to
that crack to see what they were do
ing. and there he saw them, the far
mer sitting on one side and his wife
or the other of the table. and both 81
lent.
But presently the traveller saw the
old man get up and go to the shelf and
take down q big book which he laid
upon the table and opened. And then
bending over the book the farmer read
from It aloud a chapter from the Bible.
And the reading finished he closed the
book. and then the farmer and mis- wife
knelt at their chairs and the stem
faced man prayed.
And then the traveller, his fears all
gene. took down the barricade iron,
the door and went to sleep peacefully