Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1831-11-18
THE YANKEE PEDLAR.

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eldest early discovered the necessity of
resorting to some business, in which thew
could support themselves by their own
exertlons. Long before Joshua was OF
age, he had determined to pursue the
honorable employment of peddling.-
In the fall of the year in which Joshua
was 10, he obtained his fathers consent
to try his skill in the employment he
had chosen, 81 was soon equipped in
llrst rate style-not with crazy cart and
halt starved horse, as was the custom fif-
ty years ago ; but with substantial. well
made and well-fed horse, and covered
wagon with all the colors of the rainbow
l-ornamented with curtains, and trimm-
ed with many yard ofred cotton fringe.
His load requires minute description.
as it is often thought very wonderful, that
pedlar can travel thousand miles and
back, and make money by selling out a
load which does not appear to be worth
half enough to defray his expenses.
The most bulky party of our hero's
load consisted of wooden clocks without
cases, which cost two dollars and fifty
cents apiece, on which he expected to
make profit of what he called ten per
cent, that is, ten times as much as thew
cost. Some forty or fifty of these were
snugly slowed on the bottom efthe wag-
on, and nice lid shut over them to keep
them secure. On this lid were placed a
bag OF whip-lashes, few parcels of CT
gars, and number of boxes containing
all the variety of combs, from coarse
horn louse-traps to superfine ivory and
hgh-inished tortoise shell. The fore
part of the wagon box, on which he ex-
pected to sit, constituted a separate a.
partment, the approach to which was Sc
cured by formidable paddock which dan
gled in front. This box contained an as
sortment, on the profits of which he was
to subsiSt himself and his horse; and
consisted of great variety of good for
nothing little things which women are
so fond of PurchaSing-such as beads,
ear rings. breast pins, and all the little
etceteras ofjewelry; besides good store
ofessences, shaving soap, scissors, thread,
needles, pins and stilettoes, not daggers,
my friends, but little instruments made
of ivory, which the ladies use for pierre
ing round holes in muslin, for the express
purpose of darning them up again.
Joshua's dress had nothing of antioue
mode. His hat had brim that was no
broader than usual, g. his hair was not
tied with an eel skin but his outward
man was clothed in the substantial COM
Portable, fear nothing style of an indie
pendent unassuming farmer. Thus e.
quipped, Joshua made comfortable ex-
cursion to Ohio,-and the same was an
nually repeated for several years. In
every voyage numerous incidents occur
red, OF sufficient importance TO deserve
pace in some of our fashionable period
Gals, with all their minute details spun
out into the formidable length of most
modern tales, in which page is taken
up in telling what fifty years ago would
have been told in single line. OF
these occurrences, it my humble pro-
vince to relate one, and that with all con-
Yenient brevity.
In Joshua's fourth voyage, he had
with him larger number ofclocks tbap
usual; and would willingly have sold
them at less price than formerly, but
for the fear that it would iniure his bu-
siness, and lower the price Of his clocks
forever alter. He therefore, wisely con-
Guided to keep the price to twenty-five
dollars, as usual, and when he could do no
better, to take any thing that was offered
torteno it,provided theremaining fifteen
was paid in cash. In this manner he
obtained great many queer articles;
and in many instances had TO exert a
goodiy share of ingenuity to dispose of
them to advantage. One farmer insisted
on his taking stock, as he termed it. to
which Joshua readily agreed. The old
gentleman had in his minds eve. at the
time of making the proposition, calf
so poor ne was afraid it would die
before spring. The said calf was select
ed, and with all due formality was deliv-
cred to our hero. He made no objections.
but with his usual gravity pocketed his
fifteen dollars-tied a rope round the
calls neck-hitched it to the back oftbe
wagon and drove on.
Great wonder prevailed throughout
the country, to see the pedlar with so
mean calf--or indeed with any kind of
calf, tied tothe wagon; and many were the
questions asked concerning SO rare az,
occurrence. But Joshua was as grave
as ever. He knew his own business.
and that was enough for his purpose. In
one OF his first peddling voyages he had
formed an acquaintance with "Suuire
Iceland" as he was called in Licking
county, who had long been in fhe hnh3