16 COMMON SENSE 
and employed an experienced auctioneer’s clerk who affixed to 
each article the price which he thought it would bring at auction. 
The aggregate sum was beyond that which I cared to invest, and I 
suggested that the goods had better be actually sold at auction. 
Mrs. Brown strenuously objected to this, however, and with her 
woman’s sense suggested that if we would dispose at private sale . 
of some of the articles that I did not want, and deduct from the 
valuation of the remainder the expense of selling, the amount might . 
probably come within my limit. Taking off auctioneer’s fees, 
advertising, time, etc., reduced the latter sum very materially, and 
I bought the goods at their reduced estimate. ‘Amongst the new 
acquisitions were a fine old mare (Madge she was called), an excel- ,. 
lent cow—almost pure Jersey, though not registered—a covered 
buggy, spring wagon, dirt cart,-harness, and the usual supply of 
agricultural tools. There were also over fifty hens. and some 
pigeons, but the latter were not inventoried. At one time Brown 
had some very fine poultry, but during his troubles the flock ran 
down until now there was nothing but some fifty or sixty old hens 
of a rather mixed breed, and a solitary cock. At this time, how-. 
ever, I did not care much about the kind of poultry, and although 
I was familiar with the different breeds and knew a good bird 
when I saw it, yet I had no intention of doing mofe than merely 
securing eggs enough for family use. 
All this occurred in early spring, and, of course, it was necessary 
that I should take possession as soon as possible, so that the ground 
might be put in order for spring crops. But meanwhile it was 
found advisable for Brown to visit his new home, not only to make 
arrangements for moving and establishing himself there, but also to 
consult personally with his employers. All this was going to take 
time, so I suggested that’ they give us possession at once and re- 
main as our guests until they found it convenient to move. Under 
other circumstances‘this would have been anything but an agree- 
able arrangement, but under the present conditions it was thought 
best todo so. So Mrs. Brown commenced packing and soon 
cleared rooms enough to give us an opportunity to move in. We 
accordingly gave up our house in the village—a tenant having 
