The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-08-02
A SIDEWALK AUCTION.
INeM York Sunl

4 sharp-faced man, with q gold tooth,
came out of store on Twenty-third
street yesterday and stared up and down
I'm the crowd that ignored the signs over
his auction room and the cheap objects
i'm silver, gold and china that were dis
played i'm the window. The spring sun
light revealed the grease spots on the
front OF his shiny blue suit, and his pal
lid skin showed the need of fresh air.
In his hand was a shabby red plush
case. A woman stopped to look at the
tawdry display i'm the window.
I'm going to sell this box and its
contents" he began. with the solitary
listener. I'm going TO sell this case
and what's inside-and I won't tell you
what il is-fOr any price you bid. If
You don't like it you don't have to take
it,"
His voice had attracted several pedes-
trians. who stopped. They could see in
side the store shelves laden with the va
rious objects that were to come under
the hammer. The room was vacant but
for the presence of two men who sat
leisurely talking while the sale on the
sidewalk went on.
You needn't take it If you don't want
TO-, went n the pale-faced man, We
won't insinuate or iEtmidate, we only
want to accommodate. What am I bid ?
III tell you this much about the con-
tents Of this beautiful bOx-it's worth
more than So
The crowd increased. There was some
bidding of small sums up TO 81 and then
a confederate got the figure labOriously
up TO 81 The suctiOneer struggled hard
for every bid. His congested vocal cords
made his words sound more and more
TauCOus.
You're a buck" said a stalwart cit
izen who stopped to listen. DO you
know what d buck is2'
The auCtioneer must have known well
enough that a buck is the ally of a
fraudulent auction. but he smiled and
pretended not 10 understand. The man
persisted in asking if he knew what q
buck was. The twenty persons gathered
about the door enjoyed his discontinue.
"A buck" he said at last, lis in my
opinion the name of a goat. and this is
the book beer season; but 1 don't want
10 intimidate or insinuate, only TO ac-
cOmmOdate.'
He rolled these words under his
tongue with JUNCTION. The woman Lean
ing against the side of the door did seem
TO take some interest in the bidding, and
and it was her bids that the confedeT-
ate was most frequently called on to
raise. IL was long time before the con-
fcderate finally bid So and the dirty
plush case was knocked down to him.
Now. If YOU don't want it after
you've seen the contents" the little auc-
tiOnCer said with q tone of relief I'm his
voice, wen allow you to take it back.
The group was now tense with Sus-
pense as 10 what was in the box. The
confederate stepped forward to receive
it from the hands of the auctoneer. The
little man only frightened his grasp on
the dingy plush and looked at the group
which grew momentarily larger.
This gentleman has bought the beau
tful plush case for S. the auctoneoI
repeated. land Wen ell go in to see what
he gets"
They suTged through the door into the
store. After ne had seen the two flimsy
brushes one for the hair and one foi
his clothes that the box contained ths
confederate declined TO take them.
But ne had accomplished the object o
the sidewalks auction. The crowd, Z,
a man and several women, had entered
the store. and it was possible TO begin
The regular auction with a large audi
cDCe of prospective victims.