ome Oriental bedspread--design of peacocks, vultures,
and pear-trees, in gorgeous colourings. Encircling border on a
background of blizzard white, and corner pieces complete. Eight feet by
three. Joshua! carry the bedspread round and allow the ladies to
examine it for themselves. It is excessively hurtful to our feelings
when purchasers imply that deception has been practised in order to
induce them to purchase our goods. Show the ladies the spread! Pure
cotton, ladies. Fast colours. Design by Alma Tadema, in his happiest
mood. You could not possibly purchase such a spread in any
establishment, ladies, under the sum of two-and-six. Fine Oriental
goods, warranted to impart an air of opulence to the humblest bedstead.
Any Fresher wishing to give the last touch of costly elegance to her
room should not neglect this opportunity. What am I to say, ladies, for
this handsome spread? Sixpence again! Thank you, madam! Sixpences
seem in the ascendant to-night. Let us hope the collections on Sunday
next will benefit from the ensuing dearth. Ninepence! _At_ ninepence.
Pardon, madam? The lady in the eyeglasses wishes to make a remark,
Joshua. The lady in the eyeglasses remarks that one side of the spread
has been torn. The lady is evidently unaware that that fact is a proof
positive of the authenticity of the spread. No Eastern article, as all
travellers are aware, is _ever_ even at both sides." Another burst of
laughter greeted this point. The auctioneer showed her pretty white
teeth in a complacent smile, her wide grey eyes roved round the room,
and met Darsie's eyes raised to her in beaming admiration.

"One-and-six did you say, madam?" she cried instantly. "Did I
understand you to say one-and-six? The opportunity will never occur
again. At one-and-six for the lady in violet. Take the name and
address if you please, Joshua." And Darsie, with a shrug and a laugh,
paid out her one-and-six, and received in return the blizzard-white
cover, ornamented with a roughly mended tear all along one side.

The next articles offered for sale were framed pictures of various sizes
which had evidently not been considered worth the trouble of removing.
Water-colour sketches by 'prentice hands, faded photographs, or pretty-
pretty prints evidently torn from the pages of magazines. The
auctioneer exerted all the blandishments to induce the Freshers to
purchase these masterpieces, and deplored their scant response with
p