Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-04-03

WITH edgernesSs
For Sale. - Solid mahogany dresser.
French plate mirror. almost new. sacri- |
nee for cash.
Then followed an address In Fourth |
avenue.
tom, dear, that's the very thing we
want Why, I've been looking every
where for bargain In dressers for the |
spare room. Suppose meet you In
town tomorrow and 60 and see the
thing together"
Couldn't possibly tomorrow, Susan"
returned her husband. with decision.
Besides, one can usually buy those
things as cheap In the furniture store,
and get 'em brand new too"
But, Tom, one really can get splen-
did bargains In furniture" persisted
Susan tearfully. MRS. Smith bought
that lovely sheraton chair for only So,
and when it was all done over it was
ike new"
"Humr observed Mr.. Ames absently
as he consulted a memorandum book.
Tom Ames, l don't believe you
heard a word saidr' cried Susan.
"M-m-m-h'mr' mumbled Tom, glanc-
ing doubtfully at the penciled figures
he was creating in the book. I've got
to go and telephone to Jones. There's
some mistake about this contract"
And he hurried from the room, and a
minute later his aggrieved wife heard
him talking vigorously to his partner.
81 know what l will dor she de-
clared suddenly. There's that S35
that Uncle Bob sent me on my birth
day-horrid custom for him to send
me a dollar for every year Of my life.
He ought to forget 1.-THE age. mean,
and not the money. ! wish he'd just
average it up and call it $50 instead
Of sending such a grewsome reminder
that I'm growing older every day.
'rn take my $50 and HE me to the
Fourth avenue shop and buy that
dresser for myself, and IL there is any
money over I'll buy a rocking chair
to go with 1t. Now, Mr.. Tom Ames,
just watch your clever wife obtain a
bargainl"
Much to Mrs. Ames' surprise, when
she arrived in town the next day and
reached the Fourth avenue address it
proved to be a large secondhand store
and auction room. There was quite q
crowd of people there. and Susan push
ed herself with difficulty to the rear of
the shop, for she felt a sudden embar-
rassment at being an active partici-
pant in a real auction. She had &C
companied her husband several times
on such occasions merely for the
amusement of watching the crowds
and the bargains they obtained. but
there was a fascination about it that
appealed to her, and she felt rather
gleeful as she clutched the bag con-
tanning the $35 that marked the years
Of her last birthday.
The auctioneer was a little dark man
with bright dark eyes that darted here
and there with the same lightning ra-
pidity that his pointing finger few and
his rafting tongue accompanied.
Susan watched with fascinated eyes
as one article after another was put
4 up and as promptly, metaphorically,
knocked down again. Lamps and
vases, chairs and tables, a davenport
and sundry other articles were disposed
of when there came a murmured re-
| quest from the front Of the store for
the mahogany dresser.
Susan Ames stiffened to attention.
Somebody else wanted that dresser as
we'll as herself She gripped the mon
ey tightly and set her teeth. If $50
counted for anything she would own
it. She had seen it as she entered the
&c nd
the richness Of its dulled surface. 1t
must be a bargain indeed, even if one
had to pay s35 for it.
AS the bidding commenced Susan
shrank back little, glad to partly eff
face herself behind large teakwood
n screen. The other bidder was on the
outer fringe of the crowd and spoke In
little short banks that Susan took dis
like to at once.
= "Horrid old thing-I don't believe be
, wants it at ALL" she murmured to her
self after she had feebly piped Three
dolIars" to be instantly followed by
the other bidder yelping "Fourr'
+ "Five" cried Mrs. Ames.
"Six" barked the man.
Seven
Miner
n "Twelvew shrilled Mrs. Ames OBJ
y stinately.
, The crowd laughed at the feminine
manner of bargaining, but Susan
Ames was beyond caring now. Let
D them laugh If they wanted to. She was
r bound to have that mahogany dresser
and she continued her bidding dollar
by dollar now and later by fifty cent
: raises.
Z When It reached $40 man standing
r next to her ventured word Of ad
vice.
at isn't worth a cent more, madam
q he protested. Its only veneered-and
:. badly done DIT that"
o Susan only glared Indignantly at him
and continued her reckless bidding
She was convinced that the other bid
4 der was merely trying TO get the dress
a er away from her, actuated by what
+ strange spirit of malevolence she did
: not question herself.
This matter Of bidding was a highly
exciting pssdine. but she could moi
v suppress Keeling or regret that 1t was