Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-08

be made to the satisfaction of all par
There was an old woman, little near
sighted. who sat in the rear of the room
while the bidding was on. The auc-
tioneer held up a small air rife and witn
q cacaphonous eulogiSm of the toy weap-
on demanded bid
Fifty cents. said the old woman.
nervous gentleman near her, almost fell
off his chair.
Good heavens" he yelped. what can
she want with that
Going to kill chickens, said satir,st
i'm the rear of the room, or shoot bur
glars
An earnest little boy in the rear Of the
room offered 35 cents and the woman
pushed the price up to 60
F'ifty-hve cents being the boys limit
she closed with her bargain and went
forward to inspect it, Once close enough
to distinguish the rifle she gave Il feeble
gasp.
TAKE it away she urged.
But you've bought it,, explained one
o. the assistants
Il don't care said the woman Take
it away.
A kind friend brought up the boy, who
was willing to repurchase the bargain
for half a dollar. and when the woman
was last seen she was sitting In the
front row and eying every article with
a basilisk gaze before she made bid.
Meantime the auctioneer kept up his
ceaseless appeal to the crowd not to let
any of the many good bargains get by
He held up eight cakes of soap and
eXhorted the crowd in this fashion:
Come on. ladies and gentlemen: good
honest soap. You always need soap.
A mighty useful article this soap. Buy
this soap cheap. Good for the face
or clothing or floors or dishes or any
thing else you want to mention"
Up rose an ancient African, who had
hitherto been silent. He was IL ragged
old fellow. who had slid into the ex-
treme rear of the room--a white wool
cd scanned face. ebony Senesambian.
who from appearance might have uscG
all eight cakes without i'll effect.
"Ah'l bid a quartah. lie announced
The rest of the bidders. stunned by
this sudden offer. let the old man have
the soap With grin he marched
forward. tucked the bundle under his
arm. and went away. Just as he
reached the door young man stopped
him
Uncle" said the latter. What or
earth do you want with that soap"
"Ah'll tell We. sah.' said the aged
African. Nah Sadie she tof me dat
we amt maxim enough money. Ah'li
give her dis soap and she kin take IL.
les twict as much washin' as she's been
handlin' in time past"
4
There was pause.
Oats de way All helps NAH wife.
concluded the old negro with disnitS
as he stalkcd out.
The hope that something grim mig
be connected with ii led half "A doZeG
isolated curio hunters to spirited bid
ding contest. The auctioneer. quick
to realize the value of mystery. helped
out the imagination of the bidders By
flashing tho light around the room a.
intervals as if to say, who can tel
when this sinister lamp was brought
into some home by a burglar?
After a series of bids IN | and cent
raises had been made the lean little
MANTLE one who subsequently, purchas-
ed the lead pipe-became the victor by
the sudden announcement that he would
pay 50 cents for the prize.
1t is a perfectly safe bet that the flash
light lamp, which. according to police In
formation was found on the streets and
never reclaimed and the lead pipe now
hang in the lean little mans study and
are generously admired by his innocent
friends.
A case Of surgical instruments in rather
good condition. but of poor quality was
offered by the tireless salesman. Cnfor-
tunately there lay beside them pair of
hand saws.
Lump the saws and the surgical in
struments into one bid. said a mournful-
looking man with dropping mustache
and dropping shoulders. land III buy 'em
all up and start into the doctoring bust
ness myself.
The auctioneer gazed fxedly at the
mountaineering man.
Anybody who really appreciates sur
goal instruments" he said in a tone of
withcr'ng scorn. anybody who knows
the difference between a wood saw and