Evening star., 1922-08-13
CONTINUED from Third PaEeD


lot IN the hip pocket Of his overalls.
Guess I'll read some of these to-
night. Might be from that girl of
BEn's that turned him down. Bet
1 git a laugh out of 'em. anyway"
Somehow that gave me the shivers
down the back. Let's not go in." l
says to Inez. Il feel as IL was
shopping"
these auctions" says Inez.
"they're awful. I told you
But besides the neighboring farm
ers and their wives there were
fossy looking city folks sprinkled
in-some of the men in linen golf
togs, one in nifty silk suit with
1 wide black ribbon to his eye
glasses, and most of the ladies in
smart sport clothes. Also there were
three or four parties wearing hard
boiled lids, and 1 noticed one Of them
scouting. around with a pocket mag
uifyinE glass Where they came
from I couldn't make out, SO l edsed
In yhere Squire Sweat was bossing
the preparations. and asked for IN
formation.
Them" says he. "Dealers-
Springfield, Boston. and one feller
from New York"
"At a farm auction" says l.
What's the idea?"
"Antioues." says he. Didn't you
notice what's listed in the bill! Ola
mahogany. willow ware china. pewter
and such stuff. That's what they're
after. same as them gift = shop
ladies and the summer folks who've
come over from Dublin and Peter
boro. II + can get 'em .goin' you'h
see some prices brought thatll make
Ben Tuttle turn over in his grave.
But they've got to wait until l un-
! load some of this farm junk. How
| about it. Hen? All ready to start
her up?"
Hen, who had the letter-reading
habit, said he was. At which Squire
sweat climbed on the rough plat
form which had been built under one
Of the big trees in the side yard'
slowed his cigar into the southwest
corner of his wide mouth. let his
shrewd blue eyes twinkle over the
crowd for a minute. and then pro-
| ceeded to pound on box with
wooden pestIe he'd picked up from
a lot of kitchen ware
! Vow. good folks" saye he. IF
you're all through visitin' and swap
1 pin gossip about your neighoors'
! we'll git right down to brass tacks.
Nice day, amt it-for thin folksE
Rut hope you all brought thick
pocket books, for we expect to show
YOU some bargains you don't. git
every day. And everything you see
| here. from this coffee grinder I'm usih
as a gavel, to the whole forty acres
Of the farm, includin' bufldins ano
| contents. is goin' to be sold TO the
highest bidders. Terms, cash: eA-
| cent on the real estate, and we'll take
, % per cent down on that, the rest
within thirty days. Now I'm goin' to
ask YOU to step right up front here
where YOU won't miss anything good
J and where I won't have TO yell my
: lungs out to make you hear. All
! set, are you? Then pass up the nrs'
! lot. Hen, and we'll start the matinee.
! While that broad face Of the Squires 8
was Kind and smiling and appeared 10
GLOW with honest good nature, the
tvinkly blue eyes were searching ou'
likely bidders and were not missing
TRICK At first you rather got the ioea
that his main object was to get rld OF
the stuff as quickly as it was passed
I'D to him. with little regard TO It's
real value. In fact. he let on that he
was quite vague on thatspoint. But
I noticed that although he was SATISFIED
with low bids on worthless lots of
kitchen things. when it came to DIS
posing of a walnut table with gate legs
and drop leaves he waited until every
one had had a say
Now here" he called out, glancinG
scornfully at the piece on the platform.
''They tell me this is Pembroke table,
| made in Salem, Mass.-by some one of
| the witches, ] guess. I dunno whether
| it's or not. nd I dunno what its wuth.
! neither. Mebbe some of you do. Well?
Anybody want it:"
THEY did. One Of the dealers, two
gift shop managers and the city
person in the silk suit each seemed to
be set on having that particular table.
and while we all decided we'd hardly
4 IAk0 AS 8hts LILO cAoNiho iah ~
over $50, with the dealer winner.
| A moment later. however. the Squire
was offering a rusty scythe. two worn
vhetstones, a collar and names set and
a wooden hay rake. all in one lump
''Yes. and here's a couple Of bean fails,
genuine antiques, that I'll throw in for
good measure. Who wants tn lot?
Come on now, let's hear from some
Of you gentlemen farmers. Let's have
q bid
IA quarter" calls out some one up
front. ..
And the next thing knew / saw
Uncle Nels slipping through the crowd
toward the auctioneer's stand. Thirty
centsy heard him pipe up. in that
thin, high pitched tone he gets on when
he's a bit excited.
! "Your property. Mister" announces
the Squire. "And II you don't think
you're settin' your moneys worth you
can bring 1t around to my place to-
morrow and wen trade"
OF course, We all swarmed around
Uncle Nels as he came Juggling Out
his armful of prizes to stow them In
the car. 81 thought you didn't like
auctions?"..I I suggested,
! ''How foolish" says Inez. "Buyin
\ a lctta trash!'
Huh" says he. "Dndn't I pay q