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Show Auction by Candle. It would seem strange today, says the Portland Transcript, to step into a large auction-room where furniture, wearing apparel, jewelry and knick-knacks knick-knacks of every description were scattered scat-tered around waiting their turn to be disposed of according to the whims of a burning candle. The proceeding in a candle sale were as follows: A piece of candle an iuch long was lighted, and the instant the flame arose the bidding bid-ding on a certain article began. The last bid made before the flame expired was the lucky one. Sometimes this was varied by dividing the whole candle can-dle into sections, marked off by red circles. Bids were received on any article during the burning of one section, sec-tion, and the last bidder before the second sec-ond ring was reached was the purchaser. pur-chaser. This manner of conducting an auction was very general during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The custom is by no means obsolete, certain portions of France and some counties of western England still retaining re-taining it. May De'Witt Mamma thought you would propose. She said it was inevitable. Jack Hopcson And you? May DeWitt Oh ! I said I would accept the inevitable. |