AN OLD TIME CUSTOM.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3330, 4 December 1883, Page 3

AN OLD TIME CUSTOM.

The Hanseatic City of Bremen still clings to some of its traditional prerogatives. The Senators have laid aside the Spanish cloaks and wigs, but the socalled Council xhessengers still appear on solemn occasions in scarlet coats, knee breeches, white stockings and sideswords. With remarkable tenacity, the citizens adhere to the ancient custom of the so-called “ burning candle,” by the light of which all peremptory sales of real estate take place every Friday in a hall over the old Exchange. At one end of a long table are seated a Judge and a Clerk, at the other stands the city crier and by his side a Council messenger in flaming red dress, holding a stable lantern. From a box filled with ends of small candles that can born only a few minutes, he inserts one after another, as fast as they burn out, in the lantern, and when the supply is exhausted, the last candle is burned, the last and highest bidder becomes the owner of the estate. As late as the beginning of this century, every person who overbid another while the candle was still burning, thereby putting up the price, received a gratification of a so-called “ fine third,” equal to about two marks. Frequently some porters or errand-men would come in and bid in order to turn an honest penny by going for the “ fine third,” although they ran the risk of some weeks’ imprisonment if by chance the candle went out and they thus remained the last bidders, without being able to pay for the property knocked down to them on that account. It is a comical sight to enter the hall just at the moment when one bidder has silenced a competitor. All eyes turn to the bit of candle in the lantern, which grows smaller and smaller ; hardly a breath is drawn; the company look as if they were petrified. Suddenly there comes another bid, another candle is lighted, and the comedy is repeated until finally the extinction of a caudle has fastened the sale upon the last bidder.