order, Mis' Sykes
presidin', like she always does when it's time for a hush. The doors was
to open to the general public at ten o'clock, an' the _i_-dee was to hev
the Auxiliary get the pick o' the goods first, payin' the reg'lar, set,
marked price. An' just as they was ready to begin pickin', up arrove the
Proudfit pony cart with a great big box o' stuff, sent to the sale.
Land, land, Mis' Sykes from the chair an' the others the same, they just
makes one swoop--an' begun selectin'; an' in less than a jiffy if they
hadn't selected up every one o' the Proudfit articles themselves. It was
natural enough. The things was worth havin'--pretty curtains, an'
trimmin's not much wore, an' some millinery an' dresses with the new
hardly off. An' the Auxiliary paid the price they would 'a' asked
anybody else. They was anxious, but they was square.

"That just seemed to get their hand in. Next, they fell to on the other
tables an' begun buyin' from them. They was lots o' things that most
anybody would 'a' been glad to hev that the owners had sent down sheer
through bein' sick o' seein' 'em around--like you will--an' couldn't be
thrown away 'count o' conscience, but could be give to a cause an'
conscience not notice. We had quite fun buyin', too--knowin' they was
each other's, an' no hard feelin'--only good spirits an' pleased with
each other's taste. Everybody knew who'd sent what, an' everybody hed
bought it for some not so high-minded use as it hed hed before, an' kep'
their dignity that way. Front-stair carpet was bought to go down on back
stairs, sittin' room lamp for chamber lamp, kitchen stove-pipe for wash
room stove-pipe, an' so on, an' the clothes to make rag rugs--so they
give out. The things kep' on an' on bein' snapped up hot-cake quick, an'
the crowd beginnin' to gather outside, waitin' to get in, made 'em sort
o' lose their heads an' begin buyin' sole because things was
cheap--bird-cages, a machine cover, odd table-leaves, an' like that. The
Society was rill large then, an' what happened might 'a' been expected.
When ten o'clock come an' it was time to open the door, the Rummage Sale
was over, an' the Auxiliary hed bought the whole thing themselves.

"We never thought folks might be anyways mad about it--but I tell you,
they was. They hed been seein' us through the glass, like they was caged
in front o' bargain day. An' when Mis' Toplady, fair beamin', unlocks
the door an' tells 'em the sale was through with an' a ril