Show A BIDDING RIVALRY AN INCIDENT OF AN AUCTION OF Q D CHINA AND BRIC A BRAC what happened napp ened when two women each determined to nave a sa cup and saucer hard to tell which felt worse when it was all over it was the third day of an auction sale of the china bric a brac and furniture of tho last representative of an old new york family and the auction room was crowded to the doors with dealers in antiques connoisseurs speculators and people who had just dropped in to fish up a bargain in glass or china if an opportunity offered there were a large number of women present and they were principally bargain seekers the auctioneer seemed used to such crowds and continued to call out tho bids monotonously despite the amusing situation that arose every reached an article which one of the women had marked to buy for herself things had been quiet for a time when the auctioneer reached no on the catalogue which was a cup and saucer of devres china it was a very pretty bit of devres cleverly decorated and frail enough to suit the most artistic fancy it was such a piece as might bo purchased at any fine china or glass store for 5 and it certainly would not have been reasonable to expect more than 4 for it at auction sale the auctioneer expect more and under ordinary circumstances he have got EO much but these were not ordinary circumstances it happened that two bargain seeking women had marked that cup and saucer for themselves they were only separated by a dozen seats and an aisle through the maze of camp stools and of course neither had any notion that she would have very much com petition for such a trifle they were well dressed women and one was quite young they sat in their seats without a word while a jardini cre worth was knocked down to a dealer for 20 and they never ventured a bid on bits of worcester dresden Di esden coalport Co alport and other kinds of china which were sold for ridiculously low prices but when the auctioneer wearily remarked in his professional tone what m I 1 offered for this cup and saucer guarantee goes with every piece ginino a bid please he was amazed at two shrill voices which called out simultaneously j ono dollar the two women peered across at one another then tho younger said in emphatic tone A dollar and a half tho auctioneer cok in the situation what moro could an auctioneer want two women pitted against each other sleepy a moment before he was all lifo bow A half more he exclaimed scornfully really this is ridiculous lean not take less than dollar bids two dollars eaid tho older woman three said the other woman the women eizel each other up again while tho auctioneer exhorted ill fix her now said the older woman to a friend five dollars six said tho younger ono why the I 1 dont believe sho wants that cup at all well she havo it seven dollars this time the younger woman hesitated every eye was on her for tho whole crowd was interested she pressed her lips together and assuming ah in expression made the bid 8 while the auctioneer nearly fell off his chair every head in the room turned with the bid to the older woman dont you bid another cent said her friend ill just make this one bid sho want that cup its just spite but ill do her up now ten dollars she exclaimed and with a triumphant emile eho glanced across the room that smile was too much for the other woman it made her more determined ob she think im afraid of a couple of dollars bho remarked in a j husky whisper to the pale faced man who had come with her to tho auction and had been trying to get low enough in his seat to be butof sight of the eyes focused on his companion at every other bid let her havo it said tho man IS worth the money let her have it well I 1 guess not do yon think ill let her beat me like that eleven dollars in a shaky voice but with a sweet smile fine piece very fine devres worth big money chanted the auctioneer well I 1 exclaimed the older woman of all the impudence I 1 ever heard kofl oh ill fix her now I 1 let her have it urged her friend cora stone do you mean to tell roo you mean that would you havo mo give in to that doll faced child ill chow you how ill give up to her fit teen this was a tho young woman looked troubled she raised tho bid a half and tho auctioneer took it because he saw the end was near A point had been reached when bian were cheered and the side remarks caused roars of laughter the price reached 17 and the bid was tho older comans womans wo mans the palo man urged his companion not to bid but those cheers rang in her cars and every eye was upon her and a half she said then take it yon spiteful thing suddenly yelled the older woman right at her competitor then she rose to her feet come cora I 1 shant stay in such a place another moment and she flounced out followed by cora the younger woman looked badly rattled she handed cut 1760 to the and took tho cup and saucer went out looking very much embarrassed over the affair and wondering probably what had ever made her apay such a price for such a thing new imode son |