The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-10-30
The Auction
Sale
A Purchase That Proved
a Prize Package
By ETHEL HOLMES

The scene was not new one to city
people, but to person from the coun-
try 1t was not only interesting, but
amusing. AT least so thought Sam
Walton as he stood among the crowd
In the Office of the express company.
for they were holding an auction sale
of unclaimed packages. 1t was case
of buying sight unseen" and there
were much laughter and good natured
ridicule over the worthless purchases
that fell to the lot of some bidder who
had calculated that bulk must neces-
sarily increase the value of the hidden
contents.
There were large packages that when
opened proved to contain nothing save
printed handbills Of some long past
entertainment or bargain SALE Othe :
had samples of patent medicine with
in, and IN one case an eager purchaser
had paid So for a tiny box wrapped
In white paper that contained liver
pills. There were bundles of old cloth
ing, packages of newspapers, boxes Of
cutlery, cases OF samples Of everything
under the sun. Occasionally there was
a real bargain, as In the case of the
man who paid Is cents for a battered
and tightly locked suit case which
proved to contain brand new suit OF
clothes worth hundred times the price
he had paid for 1t. Another individual
paid a dollar for a ragged bundle that
contained dozens of pure linen hand
kerchiefs, and still another found him
self the possessor Of five pound box
of chocolates for the price of rs cents.
Shouts Of laughter followed the pull
ing out Of box Of very dainty pair of
woman's bed slippers by young man.
Sam Walton paused tn the doorway
and watched the fun going on within.
Every time a package was opened by
its eager purchaser there was burst
OF laughter from the good natured
crowd. Sam fingered the few silver
coins In bis pocket and turned 70 go
away. BONE fortunate individual bad
become the possessor Of a fine shot
gun as the result OF a fifty cent bid
on a narrow burlap wrapped bundle.
1t might be that an investment Of his
money would double it. 1t was gam
BILE.
"What am l offered for this per
fectly good travelling bagT sang the
auctiOneer as he swung above the
crowd a rather shabby Russia leather
bag. "It is tightly locked and from its
weight must contain valuabies of some
kind. You can see from the labels that
this bag has Travelled abroad, and-25
cents7 That's joke, Of course. !
am offered % cents Who viii make 1t
35? Very good. SIR" and so on.
Sam stood FACILITATING. his hand on
the two lone dollars In his pocket He
was strongly tempted to enter the CON-
petition for the bag. 1t was hand
some one and showed signs of much
travel.
Zone fiftyr' sang the auctioneer.
Zone seventy-fve," bid Sam Walton
hastily, and to his surprise it was
knocked down to him at that price.
To the great disappointment of bis
companions In the crowd he did not at
tempt to open his purchase He paid
the price and then made his way into
the street and turned uptown toward
his boarding place. AS he strobe on
swinging the bag easily. he gave little
thought to its contents. His mind had
Immediately flown to the one topic that
always lay uppermost-
That was Leona Denman.
Three years before the opening OF
this story Sans father had received 9
letter from an old college chum, saying
he had lost his wife in recent rail
road accident and he himself had beer
badly injured. He realized that b.
could not live many months longer.
His terrible anxiety was the fate q
his little girl He and his wife werf
without relatives, but the letter went
on to say: walton. you know how
feel toward you. believe You to b
absolutely trustworthy and as splendid
a friend as ever man was blessed with
Now, win ask Of you great favor
WIN you take my little girl into you
home and be father to her? She hal
ample means, and in my will am con
shutting you her sole guardian"
And 80 six months later Leona Den
man became q member OF the Walton
household, where she soon won be
way into the hearts Of all by her win
ming ways. But to Sam WaltOn's hear
she did the most damage OF all, for b.
fell violently In love with her, the ''lit
tie girl' Of the letter turning out to b.
winsome young girl Of nineteen.
She was very young in her way, ana
Sam, who was ten years her senior
had felt himself too old to allow cir
of her years to pledge herself to him
Living In the same house, it was i'm
possible for him to keep from paying
her many attentions. and be becam'
much more loyer-like In look and &C
lions than he himself realized.
Leona, girl-like. had noticed it all am
was very much I'm love with this rathe
shy, reticent man who was so honor
ably keeping his love for her In obei
sance.
Many times she hoped he woul.