The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1909-09-23
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I AN AUCTION BARGAIN. !
BY r. E. C. ROBBINS.
acnnnnnnQQ Qon0aani

As he entered Lufkin's store at
Hardhack Corner Uncle 'Bijah Neal
paused before a large poster, which
he recognized as something new
among the advertisements and notices
/ that adorned the dingy wall.
Then, after a 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 'Biiah 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 seat on a nail keg,
what an attraction an auction always
has for the majority of FOLKS. I've
chased up a good many of em myself
in my time, and bought lot of truck,
but / never got what | 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,
well, that was lifetime Cap'n Sam
Owens household goods were auc-
toned of, about three years before
moved down here from Pooduck. The
capn 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 1t averaged up pretty
well. | didn't seem to see any great
bargain going begging, and l don't
know as ! should have bid at all If 1t
hadn't been for Lucy San3orn.
Lucy was the cap'n's 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 it of. The
cap'n had set a good deal by the coat
putting 1t on early in the fall and
wearing 1t till late in the spring, and
Lucy said 1t wasn't everybody that
she could bear to see wearing 4
round.
Shed tried to get George not e
put 1t up, but George was bound t.
get every cent out Of the sale h,
could. You see, the cap'n had left 1
pretty good property-three or fou
houses In the village, and the girls
mill, and two good sized farms, bu
George had expected that there wa
quite lot of ready money besides
and all he could find was about $40
though he had searched the hous
high and low. So instead Of beini
thankful for what he had got, he wa
feeling kind of poor on account o
what he hadn't got. That Is Just tn
, way with folks whose hearts are Sc
on worldly possessions,
well, Lucy was one of the kin,
that you can't seem to say no to, an,
l promised that I'd buy the coat If /
didn't come too high, though | reall
didn't want it. So when the auction
eer took the coat and tried to prais
1t up, and wanted to know what wa
offered, l spoke up pretty prompt an
said, "A dollar and a quartern An
at that Jim Hoyt sung out, "A dolla
and half
, THAT rlled me, roY I knew Jir
!. wouldn't have bid If he hadn't see
/, that | was after it. The coat WASH
!. any fit for him, for he was as thin a
, a rail, while the capn was stout, lik
q me, So | said, Two dollars" an
Jim said, TWO and Quarter!'
. by that time folks were sort @
. laughing, and we went at 1t, and (
!, less than jiffy we had run 1t up t
' $l1. Then Jim quit, and l had tn
y coat.
Lucy came round after the salt
and said she was sorry that / had {
pay so much, but she was glad &c
the coat, and she hoped, after al
y that I'd get more than $11 worth {
good out of It.
. Il didn't by any means think
, should, although l didn't tell her s,
l. The coat was coming to pieces, an
: the fur was good deal worn of (
; spots. However, / thought coul
u get my wife to rip out the old linin