Part 18 (2/2)
”It seems to have been interrupted already, does it not? Sometimes we would rather sacrifice our time than our temper, don't you think so?”
and a quizzical smile crept over Mrs. Carruth's face.
”Well, now, I hate to have you make company of me. I really do. I thought I'd just run in for a little neighborly chat and I seem to have put a stop to everything. Dear me, I didn't think you'd mind _me_ a mite. Are you going to sell this set of furniture? 'Taint so very much worn, is it? Only the edges are a little mite frayed. Some people mightn't notice it, but my eyesight's exceptional. Well, do tell me _what's_ goin'.”
As though fate had taken upon herself the responsibility of answering that question, the door-bell rang at the instant and when it was answered by Mammy, Mrs. Eleanor Carruth stalked into the hall. Mrs.
Carruth rose to greet her. _Miss Pike rose to go._ If there was one person in this world of whom Jerusha Pike stood in wholesome awe it was Mrs. Eleanor Carruth, for the latter lady had absolutely no use for the former, and let her understand it. Madam Carruth, as she was often called, shook her niece's hand, looked at her keenly for a moment and then said:
”My stars, Jenny, what ails you? You look as though you'd been blown about by a whirlwind. Oh, how do _you_ do, Miss Pike. Just going?
You're under too high pressure, Jenny. We must ease it up a little, I guess. Good-bye, Miss Pike. My niece has always been considered a most amiable woman, hasn't she? I think she hasn't backbone enough at times. That is the reason I happen along unexpectedly to lend her some. Fine day, isn't it?”
Two minutes later Miss Pike was in close confab with her friend Miss Doolittle.
Aunt Eleanor was up in her niece's room putting in the neglected sleeve and saying:
”If _I'd_ been in that front hall I'll guarantee she would never have clomb those stairs. Now tell me all about this auction.”
CHAPTER XIX
”An Auction Extraordinary”
”My! Just look at them perfec'ly good, new window screens. It _does_ seem a shame to sell 'em, don't it now? They might come in real handy sometime,” cried one eager inspector of the collection of articles displayed for sale in the Carruths' barn the following Sat.u.r.day morning. That the house for which those screens had been made lay almost in ashes not a hundred feet from her, and that the chances of their ever fitting any other house, unless it should be expressly built for them, did not enter that lady's calculations.
”Yes, and just look at his elergant sideboard. My! it must have cost a heap o' money. Say, don't you think them Carruths were just a little mite extravagant? Seems ter me they wouldn't a been so put to it after Carruth's death if they hadn't a spent money fer such things as them.
But I wonder what it'll bring? 'Tis elergant, aint it? I'm just goin'
ter keep my eyes peeled, and maybe I c'n git it.”
”Why what in this world would you do with it if you _did_? You haven't a room it would stand in,” cried the friend, looking first at the huge, old-fas.h.i.+oned, walnut sideboard, that Constance had called a Noah's Ark, and then at its prospective purchaser as though she questioned her sanity.
”Yes, it _is_ big, that's so,” agreed that lady, ”but it's _so_ elergant. Why it would give a real air to my dining-room, and I guess I could sell our table if both wouldn't stand in the room. We could eat in the kitchen fer a spell, you know, till maybe Jim's wagers were raised an' we could go into a bigger house. Anyway I'm goin' ter _bid_ on it. It's too big a chanst ter let slip.”
”Yes, it _is_ pretty big,” replied her friend, turning away to hide a slight sneer, for _she_ was a woman of discretion.
”Now, ladies and gentlemen,” called the auctioneer at that moment, ”may I claim your attention for this most unusual sale; a sale of articles upon which you would never have had an opportunity to bid but for the 'calamity at your heels'--to quote the immortal William.”
The people ma.s.sed in front of him, for Riveredge had turned out en ma.s.se, started and glanced quickly over their shoulders. ”But for the tragedy of them ashes these elegant articles of furniture would never have been placed on sale; your opportunity would never have been.
Alas! 'one man's meat is ever another man's poison.' Now what am I offered for this roll of fine j.a.panese matting? Yards and yards of it as you see; all perfectly new; a rare opportunity to secure a most superior floor covering for a low figure. What am I bid, ladies and gentlemen?”
”One dollar,” ventured a voice.
”_One dollar!_ Did I hear right? Surely not. One dollar for at least fifteen yards of perfectly new j.a.panese matting? Never. Who will do better 'n that? Two? Two--two--”
”Two-fifty!”
”Good, that's better, but it's a wicked sacrifice Come now--two-fifty--two-fifty--”
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