HUMOURS OF A RAILWAY SALE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 413, 23 January 1909, Page 6

HUMOURS OF A RAILWAY SALE.

BIDDING''FOR UNCLAIMED GOODS. (EI TELEQKArH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.* Ghrlstchuroh, January 21

' The annual sale of unclaimed luggage was : held ; at"; 'the- railway, station •to-day,., and;.' is ' thus desoribed by. a ')Press" y reporter, who-' was -presentr for.half;-an lauctioheer.'appeared■ hundreds of '.eyes, strove tb'pehetrate theßecret's'reposing'beneath.the., coverings :bf;the bulged'and , battered''monu-' ments to'-human forgetfulness; -A-doll's'per-ambulator- looks promising;, it has • lost' its : wheels; a couple of; neatly, tied parcels -have been rammed into its- seat-; tag accommodation. There should be -something £ood-, in ;■ a '.'■.'. fat,", ■. prosperous-looking ■ "Matilda" - swathed in a decent ; rug.-:'The tin'^trunks•also;are inviting to>the gamblinginstincts;,- 'The auctioneer settles -. ■ down- at" once ihfo the collar, for there are 560 separ-ate'-'lots-ito'lie'-, sold. .." If ■ -any '•' particularbundle"fails to find a purchaser another flne is added. ;td it, and 'the transaction's offeredand closed in as, many'seconds. The; ladies, nibbled' most- readily/at dress baskets,, while the;'men : '-plumped solidly-for'swagsi'- A'pacfe. age which -the ■auctioneer stated- might■■ con-.' tain .white shirts .was: secured; for •-A: good tentvbrought: 13s'. Deck chairs, with threadbare-backs and doddering legs, .went like hot.-icakes at • eighteenpence each. A heavily charged ca.ndle bos,- "which ' mighti have! held anything from, road metal to gold bricks, .was knocked down, at ss.j ; .and the: buyer.immediately .hit out for home; with his prize. An' artistically-rolled swag: was'cheap; at ,95.; • A new, pair of cycle handlebars, with a basket attached,.were sacrificed.for 55. : A .parcel. of oilskins and a couple'of bicyclelamps were placed at 3s. A handbag, which was knocked down at lis., wasfound to con-: tain a;few dingy. garments. ■ A parcel which looked ;as .if it concealed a couple' of fowling pieces,, but which did not, was .-lis';.'in- his; yMajesty's.pocket; A motor cape with a fur collar was a distinct bargain at :7b. A'.man parted, with' 4s. for an empty' basket which 1 probably • cost ■ Is. 6d., and in the dim and-'distant'-.past. Fifteen shillings secured, a capital racehorse cover, with'"ear..pockets all complete; . of sugar,; leaking:slightly,' went - for-- 75.,; and a sailor's ohest, with the. lid breaking away from: its'moorings,"changed hands at, 45.. Umbrellas and parasolsof all: sorts i and iuv all conditions' brought ninepence each on ah average. What : lodked' like a Snider rifle was purchased at 45., but things were - not'quite: what- they seemed, and the weapon'proved to be a wooden: model..- An' empty gihgerbeer . jar went begging-for a moment or two,'but a bundleof faded cloth-ing-was cast into the balance, and bang went a; shilling 1 of-' somebo'dy's good-money. -."-■■•-.:■