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

age Of 1880. As soon AS it was Offered
the small youngster offered ~ cents.
~ dollar said the larger boy. Their
under his breath ne admonshed th'
youngster.
You bid over that and III break Noul
head.
"A dollar ten said the li:tie fellow
srinnng.
'F'ifteen." said the larger, and dom
forget what'll happen when ! get YOU
out Side"-this last softly spoken.
Twenty said the youngs;er and
srnncG again.
1t continued for l;ttle while longer
and the youngster succeeded in anneNing
The wheel Then before he advanced Ia
make his purchase. he walked up to the
larger boy aud said
If YOU haven't got nerve enough Ia
beat nay bid Won haven't got nerve
enough TO d. anything. t'ui that rough
stuff or III lay for you outside.
For moment the larger boy almost
cola pSed OF surprise
We'll. I'll be darned.' was all he said.
And the little fellow went away with the
hi yce Gnmoiested
Another item which brought forth the
bidding spirit of the crowd was the to-
aacco. Cigars. cigarettes AMI even the
humble maknSs We're used a rat ny
the auctioneer, and invariably a number
% men fought madlv for the gain. One
cons, gnment Of tobacco ccnta ned a
dozen cigars and q bag of cheap to-
hacco.
After five minutes of fast bidding d
seedE-lookins man IN the back If the
room was announced the purchas 4 at the
price Of a quarter.
With cherubc smile on his unshaven
lips. the man approached the counter
and took his prize. Then he circulated
among the other men present trading hi ,
he could obtaip. Wien he went out he
had suf'piy which will last him un-
doubtedly for many weeks t. come.
Three socks came upon the block
Ten cents shouted one man frantic
IN other bids ran the price up 10
twelve
Thirteen" shouted the same man.
uaN NJ lis arms
He received the three socks and with
,n express icn % 10Y tucked them in his
coat pocket and started awav.
"Wpst in thgtder DID Noa want With
tnnee?" somebody asked him. WHY, the
extra sock -
i've heen one so~k shy FOR three
Years. said he. and this * the frs;
cllanre I've had t. catch W. Now. may
lie. III break even at the end Of the
week for while at least
But ! would like to know he con-
tinued. as lie marched down the aisle.
what kind CT man i. vas that hap
rened to lose three socks. He must have
been in the side show tent of Barnum
= Bailey"
When the aUctioneer offered three
knives. seven forks and eight spoons
10 the pcpulace, there WAS an appalling
silence. Some bidders wanted the forks.
some the spoons and some the knives.
but the most enthusiastic could not
bring themselves to purchase twice as
many of the latter as he did of the
former.
FINALLY; an elderly woman made a
small bid. and. without being seriously
oomhated, succeeded in purchasing the
lot. She explained that she ran a small
bc arding houSe-"eating house was her
Then the auctioneer offered little
Bible for sale
There was something pathetic about
that Bible. Evidently il was not the
ormer possession OF man OF means
Tattered. thumbed. ragged about the
edges. and with its cover faded il
seemed like some tired little man who
had long sought earnestly. but inef-
fectively for rest The police found il
one night near mission lodging house.
Tie inmates of the place, when told OF
the ind jeered that they should have
been suspected Of owning such Il thing.
So the little. tattered Bible came at
last before the auction block. to go. not
to the one in greatest need, but To the
sharpest bidder.
AS if unconSciously. the auctioneer
dropped his voice when he offered the
book for sale.
This is a Bible" he said. What is
bid?'
Then a sWeet-faced old woman reached
for her small pocketbooh.
What will il cost to buy it, she
asked
You must bid. madam. explained the
aactiuneer.