The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-02-05 00:00:00

f ittshtrt.

SALISBURY.—Taken in and done for.—A very
old trick was play ed off with perfect success during
the market on Tuesday last, The wonder is, not
that there are rogues to attempt the game, but that
there are people so extremely silly an to be deceived
by a trick, the modes operandi of which haa been
explained and exposed over and over again. The
dupe in this case was a farmer residing in the neigh-
bourhood of Amesbury, who, whilst standing in front
of the Wilts and Dorset Bank, was accosted in a
friendly way by &stout man, with a moustache, ap-
parently between forty and fifty years of age. Scarce-
ly, however, had the stranger opened his lips, before
the two were joined by a younger man, having the
appearance of a coachman out of livery, and who, in
& jaunty, off-hand manner, inquired of the stranger
"if he was to have that horse and cart ?" " You
know," replied the other, "that I am inclined to
deal, but after what I have said, I cannot take your
money. If you decide ou completing the deal, you
must get somebody to pay over the money for you."
" Perhaps this gentleman wouldn't mind obliging we
in that respect," said stranger N... '2, at the same
time displaying a handful of gold and notes. "If
he will kindly pay the purchase money I will
take him into the Bank and immediately refund it,
with the addition of a pound for the accolumodia-
thm. The bait took. The farmer, gosbnatured
soul, readily offered to meet the conscientious
scruples of his newly formed acquaintance, and not
having as much as .1:30 in his pocket, actually bor-
rowed sufficient to musks up the amount. The
money being duly paid over, stranger No. 2 went
off to give certain directions respecting his purchase,
leavin„l the farmer and his moustached friend in
agreeable conversation together. Tlei latter. of
, course, expressed himself as under deep obligations
for the farmer's kindness, and assured him that the
moment his friend returned he would receive the
£3O, together with the promised douceur. Slut.
: denly a new thought appeared to strike him—they
would take away the wrong cushions, and he must
run round to prevent them ! Run lie did, and it
is almost unnecessary to add that the farmer soon
found that he himself, and not a horse and cart bad
been "sold." He a. ...n afterwards gave information
to the police, but their 'equines proved ineffectual,
the sharpers having probably assumed another dis-
guise iunneiliately after playing off their trick. As
to the farmer, he returned home a wiser and doubt.
less a sterner man, resolved, like Paul Pry, never to
do a charitable action again.
Belfast.— Testimonial. —A purse containing 2.5
sovereigns Isis lately been presented to the Rev. C.
Broadley, who has for the last 6 months been acting
as curate of the parishes of St. John and St. Mary,
in this town, as a mark of kindness towards the rev.
gentleman by the parishioners. The presentation
was made by the churchwardens of St. John's, aud
Mr. Norris, and has been acknowledged by Mr.
Broadluy in a letter &dressed to those gentlemen.
The dairymen and graziers of the district held a
meeting at the Elm Tree Inn, iu this town, on
Tuesday, when it was agreed to fonu a Local
Association for the neighbourhood d Devizes, for
the mutual protection of farmers and others against
pleura pneumonia &lid other diseases amens cattle.