The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-07-07
AN ODD AUCTION.
ey ANNA WOODBRIDGE.

"hCH tnr OWuSip vi Tic great pidutd-
lions formed a rural society such as
one finds today in the country district
Of England. Edmund Dexter, young
graduate OF Harvard college, went 10
Georgia to tutor the children of a
planter named Bernhard. Among Dex-
ter's pupils was Carey Bernhard, a
lgirl OF seventeen. Since Dexter was
but twenty-three the relation Of teach
err and pupil was hardly safe one If
there were objections to the little god
OF love coming in TO weld their hearts.
The said god did step in. firing shafts
that previously wounded Miss Benz
kard and Mr.. Dexter. AS soon as the
attachment was discovered Mr.. Ben
kard dismissed Dexter. The lovers
were in agony over their separation,
but what could they do? Dexter had
no income except what he received
from the girls father, and wnen tina,
was cut off he was obliged to shift or
himself.
Dexter took his departure, telling
the girl he loved that If fortune favor
ed him he would come back and should
he find her single he would claim her.
But he would not advise her TO wait
for him, because he was NOT visionary
and saw no probability of his being
able to take her from her luxurious
home. The girl was more hopeful and
declared that If she could not marry
the man she loved she would not mar
ry at all.
Ten years passed. Carey Bernhard
had developed into splendid woman
She had received many offers but had
not married. She never spoke of the
young man who had carried away her
virgin heart with him. She entered
into the amusements in vogue among
the planter society in which she lived.
Her father did not urge her to marry
indeed. he dreaded lest she should.
The only sutton he favored was a Uni
ted States senator twenty years her
senior who had made himself promi-
nent in the anti-slavery agitation that
was then in full force.
The civil war passed over the land
leaving the south in broken condi-
tion. Mr.. Bernhard, now General Ben
kard, had lost his slaves by emanci-
patton. but. being man OF energy,
had done what he could to repair the
damage to his plantation and, hiring
his old hands, had done his planting
and raised his crops. But Is was all
he could do financially to keep his
head above the water.
There was great deal OF poverty
in the south in those days, and every
device was resorted TO to keep many
who had lived in affluence from starry
| ing. A ball was given on the Bernhard
plantation for this purpose, the ladies
who managed It restoring to different
methods by which to raise funds for
charity. Among these was one which
would have been expected to produce
excellent results If the young men Of
the south had not been Impoverished
by The war 1t was this: A man could
only gain the privilege or dancing
with any lady he desired for a partner
by bidding for It, :.
Senator--after the failure OF the
cause he had advocated continued a
sutton for Carey Benkard's hand.
More shrewd than most OF his com
patriots at the beginning or the war.
he had sold hts slaves and put the
money in blockade runners. Nearly all
his ships has passed in and out with
out capture. and instead of being poor
like most Of his nelghbors, he was
wealthy.
There were no invitations to Gener-
al Benkard's ball, all being free to
attend. It had been arranged that
bids should be received for the priyi-
lege Of opening the ball with Miss
Carey Bernhard. The men surrounded
an improrised auctioneer's stand, and
offers were called for. Senator -
started the bidding by an offer of $500
No other bid was expected, and the
matter was considered closed when a
man In the throng cried, zone thous-
and"
The senator started. Those looking
on were surprised. Who among the
men OF that region could offer so
much? Senator raised his bid TO
$1,000. He had scarcely SPOKEN the
words when his antagonist, VINO seem
ed to be a stranger. for no one knew
him, said quietly. Five thousand.
Senator felt Il essential as o
sutton for Miss Benkard's hand that
he should win II Il took half his for
tune. The amounts were raised a
thousand every bid until $4,000 was
reached, when the stranger bid SO
ccs.
The senator retired from the con-
test on the ground that his opponent
might not be possessed Of as many
cents as he had bid dollars. whereupon
the stranger displayed certified checks
to the amount Of half a million.
The name signed 10 the checks was
Edward Dexter.
Dexter was recognized my Careye
Bernhard the moment she saw him.
They opened the ball together, ana
later he made a formal application
Of her father for her hand. Dexter
gave an explanation OF his affairs as
follows: