Fast talkin' Havre man is best of the rookies

The singsong voice of Dan Goss is pouring out over a crowd of heads as he takes bids on a Holstein cow. He races back and forth over the numbers in eerie undulations, and the price steadily rises as he peers into the crowd and points at each bidder. The ringmen help him keep track.

It takes about 45 seconds. "Sold! Seven dollars and fifty cents. What's your number, ma'am?" The cow is handed over. No, it's not a reflection of Goss' skill or of hard times for agriculture: The cow is plastic. Goss stands at an antique auction in a gymnasium, selling everything from Civil War-era medals to novelty...