New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-15
The Bystander

him like a passed. of gIlls a dead horse mack rel
Then they to themselves and stopped and
looked at each other kind OF shamefaced. but sus-
picous The Duchess and her crowd sIared at the
Doweger tribe and got the gllres back with COM
pound interest Everybody wanted TO get Adon-
IRAN side and talk with him. and everybody
else determined they shouldn't Wherever he
moved the "sntiquers' moved with him. Milo
watched from the side lines. Rogers got scared.
Look here" says he. staring sort Of wildlike
AT the boarders What ails you folk? Are you
crazy?''
Well he might have made good deal worse
guess than that. / don't know how 'twoud have
ended II Peter T. Brown. cool and sassy as ever.
hadn't come on deck just then and took command.
See here. Rogers" he says. let's understand
this thing Have you got set OF dishes like that?
Adoniram looked at him. ''Will l get jailed IL
say yes?" he answers
Maybe you will II you don't" says Peter. Now.
then ladies and gentlemen this is something we're
all Interested III. and I think everybody ought to
have fair show. I jedge from the DEFENDANTS
testimony that he has got set OF the dishes. ana
also ledge. from my experience and three years
dealings with him. that he's too public spirited 10
keep EN- provided he's paid four times what
they're worth. Now my idea Is this: Rogers will
bring those dishes down here tO-morrer and Wen
nut 'em on exhibition in the hotel parlor. Next
day well have an auction and sell 'em 10 the high
est cash bidder. And provided there's no objection.
IN sacrifice my reputation and be auctioneer'
So twas agreed TO have the auction
Next day Adoniram heaves alongside with the
dishes In a truck wagon, and they was strung out
on the tables in the parlor. And such a paving
over and Cabling you never heard I'd been sus-
pcious myself. knowing Rogers. but there was
the set from platters to sassers. and blue enough
and ugly enough be antique as Mrs. Methu-
salem's let earrings. The "antiquers' haadled EN-
and admired 'em and printed TO the three holes In
the hack OF each dish-the same being proof
OF aee-and got more covetous every minute but
the Joy was limited. AS one Teller said. I'D Ike
en-, mighty we'll. but what chancell We have bid
ding against greenback syndicates like that% re-
ferring to the Dowsger and the Duchess
Milo and Eddie the most worried OF Az
because each OF 'em had been commissioned by
their commanding officers not to let tother family
win.
That auction the biggest thing that ever
Ia opened at the Old Home We had IL on the
lawn out back OF the billiard room and folks came
from Harniss and orham and the land knows
where The sheds and barn filled with car
rlages and served thirty-two extra dinners at
a dollar a feed. The dishes was piled on a table
and Peter T. done his auctioneer preaching from
a kind OF pulpit made out OF two cracker boxes
and a tea chest.
But there want any real bidding except from
the Smalls and ThompsOns. A few OF the boarders
and some OF the out-of-towners took shy long at
first but their bids only ground bait Milo
and Eddie backed by the Dowager and the
Duchess. done the real fishing.
The price went up and up. Peter t. whooped
and pounded and all but shed tears. IL he'd been
burying competition hotelkeeper he couldn't have
hove more soul into his work. Twas. Fifty! Do
hear sixty? Sixty do I hear? Fifty dollars.
Think of II? Why. friends. this amt church
pound party. Look at them dishes Look at EN-.
Why the pin feathers those blue dcky birds
In the corners worth more'n that for mattress
stutfins. Do hear sixty? Sixty I'm bid Who
says seventy
Milo said II. and Eddie was back at him afor-
he could shake the reefs out OF the last syllable.
She went up TO a hundred then TO hundred
and twenty-five. and with every raise Adoniram
Rogerss smile heightened out. After the one
twenty-five mark the tide slower. Milo'd raise
II dollar and Eddie'd Jump him fifty cents
And Just then two things happened One was
that servant girl come running from the Old
Home House to tell the Duchess and Irene dear
that some swell friends OF theirs from the hotel
at Harniss had driven call and was waiting
for 'em In the parlor. The female Smans went In
though they want joyful over II. They give Eddie
his sailing orders afore they went. too
The other thing that happened Bill Salt
marshs arriving In port Bill Is an "antio,Ier'' for
revenue only. He antique store over AT
ostable and tho prices he charges nre enough 10
convict him without hearing the evidence I knew
he'd come.
saltmarsh busts through the crowd and makes for
the pulpit He mods TO Peter T. and picks IN ons
or the plates lie looks at IL first ruther aasuai
then more and more careful turning, Al Quar- ana
taking UP another.
Hold ON minute Brown" says he Are
these the dishes you're seliing?''
sure thing. comes back Peter. Think we're
serving free lunch? No. sir, Those arc the renu-
Inc articles. Mr., Saltmarsh and you're cheating the
widders and orphans II you don't put In a hid \
quick One thirty-two fifty. I'm bid Now Salt
marshr'
But Bill only laughed Then he picks up another
plate. looks at 1t and laughs again.
'Good-day. Brown says he Sorry I can't sion " |
And off he puts toward his horse and buggy.
Eddie Small watching him. Milo being on |
the other side Of the pulpit. hadn't noticed so par
tic'lar.
Who's THAR asks Eddie suspicious Does hs |
know antiques
i remarked that IL Bill didn't, then nobody did
Look here. Saltmarsh!' says Small catching
BIZ by the arm as he showed through the crowd i
What's the matter with those dishes--anythinx %
BIZ turned and looked him. WHY no" he Il
says slow. They're all right-of their kind" And
pr he put again.
But Eddie WANT satisfied. lie turns 10 me "R,,
they're fakes,"
l. didn't know. SO l shook my head Small I'D
setted. looked at Peter. and then run after Salt
marsh Milo had just raised the bid.
"One hundred and thrty-three1 holIers Peer
fetching tho tea chest belt. '.One thirty-four do
hssr? Make Il one thixty-thsss afty Fifty csnts