BIDDING BY PROXY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2331, 18 June 1887, Page 6 (Supplement)

BIDDING BY PROXY.

Under, this heading there is an amusing trifle, in the current number of the Argosy, Iby Mr Charles Hervfiy, in which the embarrassments of an enthusiastic collector, in search of a painting' by Cuyp, are very happily described. A Mr Septimus Palecourt, wo are-told, was very anxious to possess a cattle piece, said to be the work o; the celebrated painter, which he had come across—"on view"-—in an auction room.■-■' On the morning of,the sale Mr Palecourt had a sudden summons taking him to. Portsmouth, and left his house bewailing his disappointment to his wife, whom he had consulted about his contemplated purchase. On his way to the station, however, he discovered that he had yet time before his train started to drivo off- aud leave a commission with the auctioneer. This ho did, arranging that the purchaser might go in his biddings as far as a hundred pound-*. And this is how the happy arrangement was carried but: — Mrs Palecourt was re'.ating to he'r brother who, living .close by, generally dropped in for a chat in the course of the morning, the mischance that haid provented Hoptiraus from attending the sale. Mr Ferguson, a practical" man of commercial rather than artistic tendencies, shrugged his shoulders. "1 should have thought he had pictures enough already," he drily remarked. " Well, yes, we have a' good many," assented Mrs Palecourt. "But he has set his heart on this one, poor fellow, and I can't bear to see him disappointed. I only wish I could get it for him." " If you care so much about it," said her brother, "nothing is easier. I'll manage it for you." ' "No, will you, Tom?" eagerly exclaimed Sophy. " I don't inind what it costs, provided he has it." '" Very well; give me one of your husband's cards and the catalogue. . By:thebye, what is the number I am to bid foi-? " " Eighty-six ; I've marked it in pencil. And come back to dinner, for I shali be all alone, and Septimus told me not to wait for him." "All right," said Mr Ferguson, looking at his watch. " Five minutes -past twelve, so I needn't hurry, and the walk will do me good." On arriving at the auction-room, he found that the sale had already begun. "I had better not bid. myself," he thought, •' or they will be sure to run me up. I will get one of these fellows to do it for me " looking round, he beckoned to a short, florid individual, Shadrach by name, with whom he had had some previous dealings, and gave him the necessary instructions, to which the other responded by an intelligent twinkle of his eye, aud quietly insinuated himself among the bidders. Lot after lot was briskly put up and knocked down, and ere long it came to the turn of eighty-six. " A landscape with cattle and figures, attributed to Cuyp," proclaimed the auctioneer from his desk. "Shall we say five pounds to begin with ?" A nod from his clerk sitting at "the table. " Guineas," said Shadrach. No one else making a sign, the contest proceeded actively between the two opponents; the one steadily progressing with pounds, and the other immediately capping him with guineas. When the bidding had reached fifty guineas, a murmur of astonishment circulated among the bystanders; aud the leviathan picture-dealer of Cottonopolis, after a contemptuous elance at the object of their rivalry, honoured the competitors with a prolonged stare, evidently regarding them as a couple of lunatics. " Twice as much as it is worth," grumbled Mr Ferguson, " but I suppose I had better go on." At length the struggle came to a climax ; the clerk's final bid of a hundred pounds was followed by the inevitable nod of his adversary ; whereupon the former collapsed with a negative shake of the head, aud after the usual formula of "No advance on a hundred guineas?" from the auctioneers,' down went the hammer, and Shadrach, rejoining his employer, congratulated him on his acquisition. ' Sep that the picture is brought tomorrow morning to this address/ said Mr Ferguson, giving l him the card, ' and the cheque will be ready.' ' What a.surprise for Septimus," said tho delighted Mrs Palecoat to her brother, as they sat dawdling over their dessert. " How pleased he will be !' 'Not so sure of that,' gruffly replied Tom. ' Rather more than he bargained for, I fancy. However," ho wenton, as a cab stopped at the door, ' hero he is to answer for himself ; and if you take my advice, you won't say a word about it until he has .had something to eat.'

1 Whoa the traveller had recovered hio energies with the aid of a "rechauffe" I dinner his 'wife unable any longer to restrain her impatience, burst out with the news. 'What do you think has happened, dear, since you were away? The picture is yours.' .■ ' Is it V replied Mr Palecoat, with less enthusiasm than she expected, and wonderingl in his own mind how sho know it. "What's the figure ?' 'A hundred guineas.' '" ' Guineas !'echoed Septimus, not over pleased. ' The fellow has gone beyond my commission,' he thought, "Yes," continued Sophy in great excitement. " Tom went down to the room on purpose to buy it for you." "Tom!" exclaimed her husbaud, thoroughly puzzled. " What had he to do with it? I left a commission myself for a hundred pounds." "You did?" said Mr Ferguson. "Then, my good fellow, you've made a pretty mess of it, for we have been bidding against each other all the time." "It wasn't Tom's fault," interposed Mrs Palecourt, "he did it to oblige me. I was so anxious you shouldn't miss it; If I had only known you intended bidding yourself ! " ' " Never thoughtof it until I'was'half way to the station," growled Septimus, still harping on the unnecessary outlay. However,-when-' morning came," and with it the picture, its owner, who in the meantime had reflected that, after all he had got it at a ridiculously low price, felt equal to 'discharging his liability, including Shadrach's commission, with a tolerably good grace ; and before many days had lapsed, the newly-framed masterpiece occupied the place of honour in the gallery of Thurloe-square. So elated, indeed was Septimus with the' possession of such a treasure, that he literally talked of nothing else ; and it was confidently whispered by the,chosen few invited to inspect the marvel that poor Palecourt had decidedly Cuyp on the brain. Some-Weeks later,' while strolling in Piccadilly; he came across a club acquaintance, Massiugham by name—one of those'pifliars of the turf who,' when race meetings are slack, occasionally turn up j in London. '"Hullo!" shouted that worthy, havn't seen you for an age; Still at the old place/ eh ! I must look you up one of these days," -"Do," said Septimus, prbfiting by the occasion to introduce his favourite hobby. " Gome and lunch, and I'll show you a gem of a picture I have just added to my collection. . "All right. I'm no great judge of that sort of thing, though I ought to' be, as tastes followed suit. My father had a fancy that way. and when he died, as paintings are not exactly in ray line, I sent the whole lot to the rooms last month, and realised a tidy sum. The best'of it was, I regularly floored old Moss." "Moss?" said Mr Palecourt inquiringly. ' " Why, I' thought everybody knew, Moss, the bill discounter : lives in li little street' off Holborn. The fact is, a year or two ago I had been hard hit on the Cesarewitch, and was a couple of hundred short when settling day came, So J I

went to Moss and managed to got half in cash, and the remainder in a case of the most villainous champagne you ever tasted; daub of a picture he called a cattle piece, not worth a fiver, but .which' he gwote (those fellows will swear anythingiyou know) was painted by some famous Dutchman." "Not Ouyp," faltered Septimus, beginnihgto- feel Uncomfortable. .'.: ' That's the name,' said Massingham. 'Three cows and two chaps smoking their pipes aud leaning, against a tree. "Well,* I made up the money" 'somehoW, and kept the thing" until the other day, when I sent itin with the rest; and whufc do you. think? Two.idiots ran. it,a. - over a huudred, aud I wish the, one who got it joy of his bargain. When I told' Moss, he was furious. . Bye, ,bye, old man; I'll see you before I leave Town, and have a look at your'gem.'" ' I'll take very good care you dpn't,' said Palecourt to himself, as he walked moodily homewards. Next day, the .apocryphal M:Ouyp" was degraded from its high estate, and unceremoniously consigned to the lumber-room; and' it is currently reported that our friend Septimus is, still jn quest of a more authentic work of art'to fit into the empty frame. ~ .', . ; •