The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-01-13

young men we see now-a-days: you are
young enough to have
Here he said something in lower tone OF
voice, which did not distinctly hear but
whatever it was, the deacon was pleased
he smiled, and said he did not think Of such
things now.
But your beasts, dear me, your beasts
must be put in and have some feed !" saying
which, he went out TO order them 10 be taken
TO the stable.
AS the old gentleman closed the door after
him, Mr., Slick drew near to me, and said in
an under tone
That is what call soft sa,oder.' An
Englishman would pass that man as sheep
passes a hog in pasture, without looking at
him orr said he, looking rather archly, I" if
he was mounted on a pretty smart horse, /
guess he'd trot away, If he could. Now !
find"-
Here his sof sander was cut short by the
entrance Of Mrs. Flint.
I" Jist come to say good bye, Mrs. Flint"
"What, have you sold all your clocks 7"
"Yes, and very low, too, for money is
scarce, and wish to close the consarn-no,
! am wrong in saying all, for have just one
left Neighbor Steel's wife asked TO have
the refusal Of it, but guess won't sell it,
| had but two of them, this one, and the Teller
of it, that sold Governor Lincoln. General
Greene, the secretary of state for Maine, said
he'd give me SO dollars for this here one il
has composition wheels and patent axles--it
is beautiful article real first chop; no
mistake; genuine superiine; but guess I'll
take it back And besides, squire Hawk
might think kinder harder, that did not give
him the Offer
dear me-" said Mrs. Flint, :" should
like TO see it-where is it?"
1t is in chest Of mine, over the way at
Tom Tapes store; guess he can ship it on
to Eastport"
"That's a good man." said Mrs, Flint, 'jist
let's look at it."
Mr. Slick, willing to oblige, yielded to these
gaudy, highly vanished trumpery looking af-
fair. He placed it on the chimney piece,
where its beauties were pointed out, and duly
appreciated by Mrs. Flint, whose admiration
was about ending in proposal, when Mr.
Flint returned from giving directions about the
care Of the horses. The deacon praised the
clock-he thought il handsome one but the
deacon was prudent man. He had watch
he was sorry, but he had no occasion for a
| clock.
| II guess you're in the wrong furrow, this
| time, deacon it aint for sale," said Mr.. Slick;
Z. and if it was, reckon neighbor Steels
wife would have it, for she gives me no peace
about it,"
Mrs. Flint said that Mr. Steel had enough
to do, poor man, to pay his interest, without
buying clocks for his wife.
| 81 It's no consarn Of mine," said Mr.. Slick.
" as long as he pays me what he has to do /;
but guess don't want TO sell it--and be-
sides, it comes too high: that clock can't be
made in Rhode Island under forty dollars.
Why, it aint possible" said the clock-maker,
in apparent surprise, looking at his watch,
"why, as I'm alive, it is four o'clock, and if |
haynt been two hours here-how on airth
shall we reach river Philip tonight? Tlltell
you what, Mrs Flint, III leave the clock in
| your care till | return on my way to the
States. III put it agoing and put it to the
right time"
| As soon as this operation was performed, he
delivered the KEY TO the deacon, with serio-
comico Injunction to wind the clock up every
Saturday night, which Mrs. Flint said she
would take care should be done, and promised
to remind her husband of it, in case he should
chance to forget it.
"That," said the clock maker, as soon as
we were mounted" that call human ma
tur' Now that clock is sold for 40 dollars it
cost me Just 6 dollars and SO cents. Mrs.
| Flint will never let MRS. Steel have the refu-
sal nor will the deacon learn, until call for
the clock, that having once INDUCED in the
use of superiority, how difficult it is to give
it up. We can do without any article Of lux
ury we have never had, but when once OBJ
tained it is not in human natur' to surrender
it voluntarily. Of fifteen thousand sold by
myself and partners in this province, twelve
thousand were left in this manner, and only
ten clocks were ever returned-when we
called for them they invariably bought them.
We trust to soft Sander, to get them into the
house, and to human natur' that they never
come out oft"
Go AHEAD-When we resumed our con-
versation, the clock-maker said, 81 guess we
are the greatest nation on the face of the
airth, and the most enlightened too"
This was rather too arrogant TO pass unno-
ticed, and was about replying that whatever
doubts there might be on that subject, there
! could ne none Whatever lnaL tHey Welo 'hO
most modest, when he continued, eve go
ahead" the Nova Scotians go astarn." Our
ships 90 ahead Of the ships of other folks, our
steamboats, beat the British in speed, and so
do our stage-coaches and reckon a real
right down New York trotter might stump the
univarse for going ahead But since we in
| troduced the railroads, if we don't 90 ahead
its pity We never knew fairly what
going the whole hog was till then-we actu-
all went ahead of ourselves, and that's no ca
sy matter tell you, If they only had edica-