The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-25
The Antique Furniture Man
Tells q Clever Little Story
How a Lady Who Prides Herself On Being Judge OF
Antiques Bought Back Her Own Things and Didn't
Know It-But where Ignorance Is Bliss
ny DOLLY DALRYMPLE.

furniture man, not needing Peggys re-
marks, ''and L told her that l had Just
purchased them and was going to have
them polished up bit. but if she really
wanted them I'd sell them to her for So
apiece"
II will give you $1.5O,' replied the lady
reremptorily,
Cant sell them for that" said the fur
riture man.
Il wouldn't give another cent for them"
she said and swished her skirts as if to
make ready to CO. when at this juncture
man walked up and overheard the con-
versation. You understand the chairs were
very good stuff, and while I knew the
price of 50 was ridiculously low, still as
my shop was rather crowded after the
auction sale at which l had been A lib
eral spender, I was willing to let the
Chairs go for that and so when the man
said to me:
If the lady isn't going to take those
Chairs at that price WILL why | let him
have them. Now, you see the point was
just this, the man was a judge or furni-
ture and the lady was not, consequently
he picked up the bargain Immediately and
the lady let it slip"
And what did the man do with the
chairs?'' l asked curiously
That's the point of the story" said
the furniture man. HE came back to nv
shop couple of weeks later, andswhat
Go you suppose he said?"
Never was good at missing word con-
tests" said Peggy.
THAT he had had the chairs done
ever and sold the six to the self-same
lady 'ho had refused to pay SO for them
fol sl25O each"
Women are sort of curious. arn't
they?' said Peggy to me on the quiet.
AS if the remark had been addressed
to him, the furniture man promptly re-
Piled:
"They surely are. just an unreliable a $
the mind leg OBJ mule" which made
Peggy and me wink at each other and de-
eide that the furniture man had at least
read Thomas Nelson Page and liked his
theories about ladies.
'Once upon time heard of a very old
fashioned aristocratic lady that lived in
the popular residence section of Birming-
ham who had lots of beautiful old maboe-
buying some of it. She hemmed and
bawed and haggled over prices, and fin
ally sold me several beautiful old pieces.
among which was a sewing table, which
she had had for generations in her family.
II was so old and defaced and mutilated
that 1T looked more like it would be good
fer kindling wood than anything else, but
! recognized in it rare quality of ma
terial, and so l bought it,
Il suppose you paid the earth with
fence around it for the table" said
Peggy inquiringly.
Il paid the large sum of s. for it, said
he affably took it tony shop where we
admired the solid mahogany, had it
scraped and finished. put glass knobs on
It and stood it out among all the rest of
the things as a thing of beauty and joy
forever
did it have claw feet and little leaves
and a tiny little drawer" | asked know
ing the kind so we'll
Exactly said the furniture man, land
row I am going to tell you the joke of
the whole tnlng.
''Then the price you paid for it wasn't
lthe joker" said Peggy saucily.
mot at all' said he Indignantly. But
weeks afterward who should come by
my shop one day but the erstwhile owner
of the pretty little table. She informed
me that she was looking for a wedding
present for a friend of hers about TO be
married. and who adored mahogany
| things
"Why not send her this" said I, con-
tinued the furniture man, "and pushed
| the little table before her
ITO my amaxement she didn't recognize
either me or the table. and went into such
ectasies over 1t that thought she would
throw fit right there in my shop.
"'I used to have a little old scrubby
one said she. but nothing like as pretty
and attractive as this one.
"'Can l sell you this?' ] said, as she
admired the little table.
"'What is the price of it?' she inquired.
'erhrty-five dollars said l.
And she bought it, while I chucllled
over selling her back her own lovely ma
Logany table for which l had paid her
only s2''
Lets go into the antique furniture bus
mess" said Peggy, as we heard the story.
Most ladies' who buy old furniture are
mighty hard to please" volunteered the