The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1909-11-23
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AN AUCTION BARGAIN.
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81 r. E. C. ROBBINS.

paused before large poster, which
ne recognized as something new
among the advertisements and notices
that adorned the dingy wall
Then, after leisurely reading OF
the announcement, the old man made
his way over to the group near the
stove with an expression on his face
that showed that his mind was work
ing.
Uncle 'Bijah is going to be re-
minded of some auction that he went
to one time up in Pooduck," was the
whispered prophecy of a young man
conspicuous among his fellows by his
knowing look and his gaudy red neck
tie.
Its curious" the old man began,
as he accepted a seat on a nail keg,
what an attraction an auction always
has for the majority of folks. I've
chased up good many of EN-. myself
In my time, and bought lot of truck,
but l never got what I should call a
real good bargain but once, and that
was by accident, you might say"
How was that?" asked one OF the
company, encouragingly.
We'll, that was the time Cap'n Sam
Owens household goods were auc-
toned off, about three years before
moved down here from Pooduck. The
cap'n had died rather suddenly a
short time before, and his nephew
George, that had got the property, be-
ing next of kin, was an old bachelor,
and had no use for the things.
There was quite a crowd at the
auction, and the bidding was mid
ding brisk. OF course some things
went for little or nothing, and then
again others fetched full all they
were worth. so it averaged up pretty
well. l didn't seem to see any great
bargain going begging, and l don't
know as l should have bid at all If it
hadn't been for Lucy Sanborn.
Lucy was the cap'ns niece, and
had kept house for him ever since he
buried his wife. Or, rather, she was
his wife's niece, but the old cap n
thought lot of her, and everybody
else did, for that matter. Nice kind
of girl Lucy was, and pretty.
well, long toward night Lucy got
me one side, and said she wished that
when the cap'n's old buffalo coat
came to be put up I'd bid 1t off. The
cap'n had set good deal by the coat.
putting 1t on early in the fall and
wearing 1t till late in the spring, and
Lucy said it wasn't everybody that
she could bear to see wearing it
round.
She'd tried to get George not to
put 1t up, but George was bound to
get every cent out of the sale he
could. You see, the cap'n had left a
pretty good property-three or four
houses in the village, and the grist
mill, and two good sized farms, but
George had expected that there was
quite lot of ready money besides,
and all he could find was about $40.
though he had searched the house
high and low. So instead Of being
thankful for what he had got, he was
feeling kind of poor on account of
what he hadn't got. That is just the
way with folks whose hearts are set
on worldly possessions.
well, Lucy was one of the kind
that you can't seem to say no to, and
! promised that I'd buy the coat if it
aidnt come too high, though l really
didn't want it. So when the auction
eer took the coat and tried to praise
1t up, and wanted to know what was
offered, I spoke up pretty prompt and
said, "A dollar and a quarter' And
at that Jim Hoyt sung out, "A dollar
and a half!'
THAT riled me, for / knew Jim
wouldn't have bid If he hadn't seen
that / was after 1t. The coat wasn't
any fit for him, for he was as thin as
rail, while the cap'n was stout, like
me. So / said, Two dollarsi and
Jim said, Two and a quartern
"By that time folks were sort of
laughing, and we went at it, and I'm
less than a jiffy we had run it up to
$11. Then Jim quit. and 1 had the
coat.
Lucy came round after the sale,
and said she was sorry that l had to
pay so much, but she was glad I got
the coat, and she hoped, after all.
that I'd get more than $11 worth of
good out Of It,
L uldn by any means think /
should, although 1 didn't tell her so.
The coat was coming to pieces, and
the fur was a good deal worn off in
spots. However, 1 thought I could
get my wife to rip out the old lining
and put in a new one, and maybe Il
would come in handy sometimes"
So you took the coat home. and
when your wife came to tear out the
lining she found quite nice little
lot of money, isn't that so, Uncle
'Bijah?"
Uncle 'Biiah looked thoughtfuny
at the young man with the red tie.
who had thus presumed to forestall
him.
My SON. said he. "you put me IN
mind Of a dreadful smart young chap
that used to live up I'm Pooduck. Ac-
commodating he was. too. IL ever he
caught YOU reading a story book it
would be one that he'd read himself.
and he'd take pains TO tell you Just
how It was going to turn out. And
n you were 90 ask a conundrum when
no was roun,. why, he'd heard &c
before, and he'd out with the answer
quick as a wink, and save the rest of
the folks the trouble of guessing. And
II you had occasion TO relate some
circumstance, ten 20 one he'd see
what the nub of &c was going TO be