Just as Katherine Foster took her place as auctioneer, Mr. Huntington went out of the room and came back in a few minutes with a curious, awkward looking bundle, very small and done up in brown wrapping paper, which he laid among the other flaunting offerings. Few of the girls noticed his action in the confusion of finding good floor space to sit on, but Peggy saw his hand drop the queer little package and she determined then and there to bid on it, so that he would think the girls wanted his article as well as those they had brought for each other.
Rows and rows of eager figures seated on the floor in spite of crisp taffeta and pretty satin gowns, raised flushed faces toward the auctioneer as she lifted the first package with maddening deliberation and read its advertisement,
“Whatever young girl looks at me
Something bright and fair will see.”
The wrapping was the gayest of red tissue paper and the spangled ribbon that went around it made it seem the most desirable affair the girls had ever looked at.
“Two beans—” shouted Florence Thomas joyously.
“Ladies and—and gentleman in the singular—” cried the auctioneer, “I am insulted by the offer of two beans—two—insignificant—white—beans—for this gorgeous and inspiring package, with goodness knows what all inside. Now come, friends, hasn’t some young lady the wish to—” she consulted the advertisement attached to the bundle again, “to see something bright and fair?”
“Five beans!” offered Daphne Damon from the back row of bidders.
“Going—going—” began the auctioneer, when Mrs. Forest, who had chosen a big armchair, from which to view the proceedings, rather than the floor, woke up to sudden interest in disposing of her beans, and ignoring the specification of the first part of the package’s announcement, called out condescendingly, “Ten beans!”
Of course nobody could bid any higher than that and the prize was knocked down to “that lady over there, with the black silk dress and the diamond earrings.”
Amid a breathless silence Mrs. Forest unwrapped her purchase and disclosed an attractive little vanity mirror,—but, oh, for the faith that you can put in advertisements,—when she held it before her face and looked at it she didn’t see anything bright and fair at all!