Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-02-17

sale, as a rule. Perhaps you get sc.ne-
thing that's worthless, and then again
you may get something that has heaps
Of value, and perhaps you only pay
half dollar for it. II all depends on
the bidding. l once sold an old horse
to a chap and he took 1t home and
opened 1t up, and what dye suppose
he found inslde?"
Bots" replied Mr.. Gibney, who
prided himself on being something of
a veterinarian, having spent few
months Of his youth around livery
stable.
"A million dollars in Confederate
greenbacks," replied the auctioneer.
"Of course they didn't have any value,
but just suppose they'd been U. So
That's right" agreed Mr.. Gibney.
Il suppose the swab that owned the
horse starved 1t until the poor animal
hggered that alrs grass that's green.
AS the Teller says, Truth is sometimes
stranger than fiction If you throw
In a saddle and bride cheap, 1 might
be induced to invest in one of your old
horses shipmate."
The auctioneer glanced quickly Mt
Mr.. Gibney, hut noticing that worthy'S
face free from guile, he burst out
laughing.
MY sea-faring friend" he said
presently, when we use the term old
horse we use It figuratively. See all
this freight stored here? Well that's
never been called for by the consign-
ees, and after it's in the warehouse
a year and isn't called for, we have
an old horse sale and auction it of
to the highest bidder. Sayey?"
Mr. Gibney took refuge in a lie. "Of
course, I do. / was just kiddin' you.
my hearty" (Here Mr.. Gibney's
glance rested on two long heavy sugar
pine boxes, or shipping cases. Their
| Joints at all four corners were Gun
ningly dove-tailed and wire-strapped)
Il was bit interested In them two
boxes an seem as this is free coun-
try, thought I'd just step in an make
a bid on them" and with the words,
Mr.. Gibney. walked over and busted
himself In. an inspection of the two
crates in question.
The fact of the matter was that so
| embarrassed was Mr.. Gibney at the
| exposition Of his ignorance th0t he
desired to hide the confusion evident
in his sun-tanned face SO he stopped
over the crates and pretended to be
exceedingly interested In them, haul.
ing and pushing them about and read
ing the address Of the consignee who
had failed to call for his goods. The
crates were both consigned TO the Cir
Seng company, TIA Dupont street, Sar
Francisco. There were several Chi
nese characters scrawled on the top o.
each crate, together with the words
in English: "Oriental Goods"
As he ceased from his fake inspeC
ton of the two boxes, the King of tn
Forty Thieves approached and SUI
veyed the sailor with an even create
amount Of distrust and suspicion tina
ever. Mr.. Gibney was annoyed. II
disIiked being stared at. so he said;
Hello, Blumenthal, my bully boy
What's aggravatin' your
| Blumenthal (since Mr.. Gibney, Il
the sheer riot Of his imagination
elected to chr!sten him Blumentha
the name will probably suit him n
well as any other) came close to MI
Gibney and drew him aside In
hoarse whisper he desired to know i
Mr. Gibney attended the auction will
the expectation Of bidding on any o
the packages offered for sale. Seek
ing to justify his presence, Mr.. Chine,
advised that it was his intention f,
bid on everything in sight; whereupol
BlumeHthal proceeded TO explain T.
Mr.. Gihney how impossible it w0uli
he for him, arrayed against the Fort,
Thieves, t. buy any article at a rea
! sonable price. Further; Blumentha
desired to inform Mr.. Gibney that hi
(Mr Gibney's) efforts to buy in th'
"old horses" would merely result II
his running the prices up, for no benef
icent purpose, since It was ever thu
1 DIdtlltt VI AiiG j VI y . AttHN9 " wv
| nit 10 man to outbid them. Perhaps
Mr.. Gibney would be satisfied with {
fair days profit without troubling him
self to hamper the Forty Thieves anC
interfere with their combination, anC
with the words, the king surreptitious
ly slipped Mr.. Glbney a ffty-dollal
| greenback.
Mr.. Gibney's great fist closed Over
the treasure. he having Grst, by coy
glance, satisfied himself that II ~a'
really fifty dollars He shook hands
with the king. He said:
"Blumenthai. you're smart man
| am quite content with this fifty e
keep off your course ana give you g
wide berth to starboard I'm sensi
Bile enough to know when I'm licked
an a fight without profit amt in my
! line. I didn't make my money that
way, Blumenthal I'll cast off my lines
and haul away from the dock" and
suiting the action to the figure, Mr.
| Gibney departed.
He went first to the Seaboard drug