Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1842-12-28
From the Philadelphia Saturday Courier
PERSEVERANCE:
Or, Peter PunctuaPs way 10 Collect
Bills.
New YORK, December, ls42.
BY SEBA SMITH,
Author of 'sThe Original Jack Downing Letters"

Il
MsssrS. EdiOrS:-The little story am about
10 tell YOU, is none The worse for being true;
snd trust none the less interesting. While
many Of your pleasant and graceful writers are
amusing and instruciing your readers by rela-
i ing events and circumstances that might have
occurred: inculcating many lesson by pre-
sentng pictures that bear a resemblance TO
truth; allow me for once 10 hold your readers
bv the bulton-hole, few minutes, and see
whether a saluiary lesson, in small way, may
not as well be drawn from eveGts that haze oc-
cured. The names shall use are Of course
fictitious, but the circumstances actually occur
red very much as | shall relate them, and the
actors are respectable gentlemen now living in
this good city of Gotham.
Some few years ago, Peter Punctual, an
honest and industrious young fellow from Yam
kee land say Yankee land, Messrs. Editors,
but freely confess that is merely an inference
of mine, drawn fromlhe circumstances of this sto-
ry ITSELF and if your readers, after perusing 1t, do
not come 10 the same conclusion, they may set
him down as coming from any other land they
please; but for myself were | on jury, and
under oath, | would bring him in Yankee
This same Peter Punclual, some few years ago
came into New York, and attempted 10 turn a
penny and get an honest living by procuring
subscribers TO various magazines and perlodl-
Gals. on his own hook That is, he would re-
ceive quantity of magazines from distant
publisher, al discount, and get up his owr
lls, of subscribers about the city, and serve then
through the year at the regular subscription
price, which would leave The amount Of the
said discount clear profit in his pocket, or ra
her compensation for his time and labor
There are many persons in The city who obtaiI
livelihood in the same way.
Peters commissions being small, and his cap
al still smaller, he was obliged 10 transact hi'
business with erea, care and circumspecion, il
order TO make both ends meet. He adopted /;
rule therefore TO make all Of his subscribers pay
their years subscription in advance. Such
things could be done in those days, when bust
hess was brisk, and people were strangers Il
"harI times" La canvassing for subscribers
one dav, through The lower part ofihe city, and
IN the principal business streets he observed q
store which bad the air Of doing heavy bust
ness, and read upon the sign over the door
Solomon Sharp, Importer of certain wares
and merchandise The field looked inviting
and in Peter went with his samples under hi.
arm. and inquired for Mr.. Sharp. The gentle
,pas was pointed out by the clerks, and Peter
stepped up and asked him if he would not like
10 subscribeA(or some magazines.
"Whai sou Of ones have you got there's" sale
Dir. Sharp.
"Three or four different kinds" said Peter
laying the specimens on The desk before him
"please to look at them and suit yourself.
Sharp tumbled them over and examined then
one after another, and at last took up "Buck
lnsha'G's New England Magazine" published
al Boston.
"What are your terms for this?" said he; 81
don't know but would subscribe for this"
Five dollars year in advance" said Peter
'to be delivered carefully every month at YOU
STORE or house,