The Litchfield County post., 1828-04-24
From the BrGttLe6oro Messenger BOUGHT WIT.

bought mech knowledge of the world, | eIk to the capital to see fine things, and buyRme new coat. At the first shop I wen into, was shewn several pieces of cloth, by something behind the counter which unfortunately mistook for a gen- tle4san. I was perplexed long time with the variety At last asked the advice of Mn Smoothtongue, and observed as was unicquainted with cloths, would leave it wia1 him to make choice for me and set his own price. He answered with won- -denul air of politeness that "seeing you hate reposed so much confidence in me, I SWiF certainly do you justice" e"--handed me a fiece from the shelves, which he decla- req to be the best and cheapest piece of :gd,ds that could be bought in the place. MI. Pert stepping up at the same time,e ,ex- Sl4imed, 70 that's your sort !-.Tbe same pidce your coat was made of that you wear 10 she assembly. ."-What to understand by th9 assembly, l didn't know but suppos- ed MT. Smoothtongue was the representa- tive of the town, and that MT. Pert meant ethe General Court. In my simple heart, I really thought him very fine man, and paid him his price for my pattern, went a. way well pleased, said much in his praise, and showed the cloth had bought, as a prodf of the good usage had received. My grandmother, who was a good judge in wAres of this kind examined the patterri and shook her head--my grandfather, with an aif of disapprobation, exclaimed, "you have bought the rabbit''-which in his di- a3ect signifed had bought wit, or made ns il.i Bargain fer ss,ysel.s 9syfiieW scs,ss was II sade, and the first holiday completely Undedeived me. was fully convinced by the oI Reservation of better judges and some rents n my coat, that, instead of good su- perrin !, had purchased rotten second rate that wonld scarcely bear it's weight upon a nail. This was :" buying wit" It never betdkH been suggested to my mind, that. a lie beh ind the counter was a less sin than z in tke gieeting house, or that one used for ths purpose of cheating a simple farmers lad in d seaport, was less harmless than if told to the priest of our country parish.- Luckle ss wight! l had not learned my A c on the refnements of trade. It was my honey moon. with the world. was not eve nNsuspicious ofits honesty or triend- ship. But l had not bought wit enough with my first coat-in my next number, ! shall appear in my second, make some re- flections, and endeavor to recommend to the practice of all traders, an old fashioned though very useful precepl; which mod ern refinement has carefully laid aside with the leather aprons of ourplain dealing an- ceStorS. @
  THERE IS NO FRIENDSHIP IN TRADE :--OR,
 TIsF AUTHORS SECOND COAT.
 observed, in my last number that ] had not bought wit enough with my first coat. will relate the success ofmy sec ond purchase. Finding my coat out at the elbows thought myself under the ne- cessity tpf buying another. Chagrined with my illltack, I durst not trust to a stranger again. | IIsupposed might rely on the hon. esty of OIne of my own townsmen, a young gentleman who had sustained the reputa- ton of an honest man, and a few months before had opened shop of dry goods in Boston. I informed him by letter the i'll usage had met with from one of his brO- ther men chants let him know the choice of color and quality ofthe cloth in question but did not think it necessary to request him to use me as friend. The pattern was sent me, and proved so near like the other that it is unnecessary to relate par aiculars. Before, was mortified, and l began to feel suspicious of mankind at large. Now, my suspicion was confirmed, and began to consider the world as den of thieves l resolved to wear plain home spun and shut myself from it. I wrote a letter expressing my warmest resentment to the gentleman. He an>wered by ridi- culing my simplicity, and concluded with our yankee sharper's motto, "there's no friendship in trade" ! told the story to our sober deacon, his father who sighed grievously and said he feared his. son was ruined by living in Boston. really ex- pected to hear every day of his being pulp licly whipped, ,Or imprisoned for a common cheat. You laugh, reader, and l have of ten laughed at myself-but to be sober a. gain--The simple, unsuspiciOus youth, ,who takes his notions Ofhonesty and friendship from his own breast, has much to learn &