Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-01-04

4
Twenty-Five cents up" was the an
swer. You go IL blind al an old horse
sale, as a rule. Perhaps you get some
thing that's worthless, and then again
you may get something that has heaps
OF value, and perhaps you only pay
half a dollar for II. II all depends on
the bidding. / once sold an old horse
to a chap and he took It home and
opened IL up. and what dye suppose
he found inside?"
Bots" replied Mr.. GIbney. who
prided himself on being something OF
a veterinarian, having spent a few
months of his youth around a 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 II until the poor animal
fggered that airs grass that's green.
AS the Teller says. Truth Is sometimes
stranger than fction.' II you throw
in a saddle and bride cheap, might
be induced to invest In one of your old
horses. shlpmate"
The auctloneer glanced quickly ut
Mr.. Gibney, but 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 II Hguratiyely. See all
this freight stored here7 Well, that's
never been called for by the consign-
ees. and after It's In the warehouse
year and isn't called for, we have
an old horse sale and auction II of
to the highest bidder. Savey?"
Mr. Gibney took refuge in lie. "Of
course, / 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)
II was a 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 that he
desired TO hide the confusion evident
I'm 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 Gin
Seng company. ia Dupont street, San
Francisco. There were several Chi
nese characters scrawled on the top OF
each crate, together with the words,
In English: "Oriental Goods"
As he ceased from his fake inspec-
tion OF the two boxes. the King of the
\ Forty Thieves approached and sur
veye1 the sailor with an even greater
amount Of distrust and suspicion than
ever. Mr.. Gibney was annoyed. He
disliked being stared az, so he said:
Hello. Blumenthal, my bully boy.
What's aggravatln' your"
Blumenthal (slnce Mr.. Gibney, In
the sheer riot of his imagination
elected 10 christen him Blumenthal,
the name will probably suit him as
well as any other) came close TO Mr.
| Gibney and drew him aside. In a
hoarse whisper he desired 20 know II
| Mr.. Glbney attended the auction with
the expectation of bidding on any Of
the packages offered for sale. Seek
ing to Justify his presence, Mr.. Gibney
/ advised that Il was his intention TO
bid on everything in sight; whereupon
Blumenthal proceeded to explain 10
Mr.. Gibney how impossible IL would
/ be for him. arrayed against the Forty
/ Thieves, 20 buy any article at a rea-
sonable price. Further: Blumenthal
desired 10 inform Mr.. Gibney that his
(Mr. Gibney's) efforts 10 buy in the
"old horses" would merely result in
his running the prices up, for no benef-
| icent purpose. since II was ever the
practice Of the Forty Thieves 10 per
init no man to outbid them. Perhaps
1
Mr.. Gibney would be satisfied with
fair days profit without troubling him
self 10 hamper the Forty Thieves and
interfere with their combination, and
with the words, the king surreptitious-
Iy slipped Mr.. GIbney a fifty-dollar
| greenback.
Mr.. Gibney's great fist closed over
the treasure. he having 6rst, by coy
glance, satisfied himself that II was
really fifty dollars. He shook hands
with the king. He said:
"Blumenthai, you're smart man.
/ am quite content with this fifty to
keep of your course and give you
wide berth 10 starbOard. I'm sensi-
BILE enough 10 know when I'm licked,
an a fight without profit amt In my
/ line I didn't make my money that