Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-08-29

lage and so he extended his excursions
10 Chambersburg, and even to Bali.
more T! On the way he would trade
with the farmers for butter, eggs, chick
ems, &C., which obtained ready sale
at the next town, and he would lay in
new store Of merchandise to trade
with the farmers he might meet on the
way. Thus he made double pro-
! fit.
His entire equipage attracted at,en-
ton In Baltimore, and his history be.
coming known, some benevolent mer.
chants supplied him with stock of
goods at first cost, and p rhaps. in some
instances at less than cost, for many of
the merchants Of Baltimore have kind.
ly hearts. But Ely, besides bringing
few dollars with him from London TO
meet contingencies, had greatly increa.
sed the value of his stock by traffic on
his way to the city, and his wagon was
not able to contain one half the mer.
chandze he was able To buy at the
prices offered. For a moment he did
not know what to do, but his ingenuity
did not fail him. He went about the
city and purchased goods nj the lowest
price he could, paying cash as he went,
aud having taken them TO the store of
a merchant, who was peculiarly kind
to him, had them boxed up and sent to
London in wagon, thus saving him.
self one hundred miles of a trip, in case
he wanted to buy more.
he now determined to try his luck
onsthe western side of the Tuscarora
and filling his wagon with select par
eel of goods he toiled up the mountain,
occasionally aiding his dogs by pushing
at the hinder part of the vehicle. Al
length he reached the summit, and for
the firsttme beheld the noble cove
which spreads along its foot at either
hand, while Immediately beneath him
lay Johannesburg, which looked in
the distance like fairy village; and
to the south, rose in rugged grandeur,
that most extraordinary and valuable
production Of nature, the Iron Noun
tain, attached 10 the Hanover Works.
After surveying the enchanting scene
for some time in awkward astonish-
ment, Elias mounted his wagon, and
giying~the whip to his dogs, soon be-
gan to descend at merry pace. A
few minutes brought him to dcCon-
nelsburg, but it was no place for his
trade and he journeyed on to the west.
He found frequent opportunities of sci.
ling buttons on the road, and as he ex.
hlbited his little merchandise he would
sometimes exclaim: "Come ladies, buy
something Of me, ! am not quite right
and have an old mother and helpless
sister to support, Come / can sell them
cheaper than the merchants at Bloody
Run or Bedford. They have TO pay
a per centage on the invoice, besides
transportation, while | get mine at first
cost and carry them myself. Here is
a nice thimble very low, here is fine
sewing silk two cents less in the skein
than you can buy it in the stores, this
calico you shall have fppenny bit
less than you can get it any where else,
etc." This appeal seldom failed olef-
feet, and many benevolent matron
and kindhearted Miss bought many an
article which they could DO without,
with, | dare say the charitable intent
of indirectly promoting the comfort of
the boy, "that was not right, and his
old mother and helpless sister," Where
he lodged at night piece Of tape, u
sidecomb, or something of the kind
would pay his bill, and on the whole,
Ely made one Of his most profitable
trips, and when he arrived in Bedford
his stock was exhausted.
His team excited great curiosity
here, and crowds of boys gathered
about him, who insisted upon riding in
the dog coach, which Ely very good
naturely assented TO and drove them
about until his dogs were worried and
his patience was exhausted, when he
demonstrated with them saying, "that
he had travelled long journey and
his dogs were tired and so was he,
and he wanted to give them rest and
food" Tho rudest of the boys assaiI-
ed him with bad language, calling him
crooked cub, wry faced wbelp.
etc.; but Ely contented himself by re-
torting, "ihat if he was deformed he
did not make himself, that God made
him so, and he could not help it--thai
God could as well have made them de.
formed, as perfect and in that case he
would not have laughed at them or
treated them SO rudely." The better
bred boys took his part. and ever af-
forwards when he came 10 Bedford he
was treated with marked kindness, and
every body was the friend Of the little
dog pedar.