Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-09-15


"Ah! who is iIl"
"Baker."
LeOuuard shrugged his shoulders.
'iluw came you 70 lose hml"
"l'll tell you how you can keep him"
"Well, howl"
'll your bill amounts to thirty dollars. make
il IhIuy.three aud few odd cent?, Ly incrras.
ing some of the items. lie will want this sur
plus knocked oil, which you can afford 10 do;
then he will pay ii, aud think you just the man
for him"
"You lost him, then, because you wouldn't a.
bate any Thing from true bill"
81 did"
"Thank you. But suppose my bin should be
Iwenty-Six, or seven, or eight; what lheul |
couldn't knock off the odd dollars for the pur.
pose OF making an even sum-"
mo. In that case you mus add on until you
get above thirty"
Aud fall back on ihall"
"fcs. twill b. knocking of the odd dollars,
whl'h he will think clear gain"
"ThaI would hardly be honest"
"llardy. But you must do il or lose his Gus.
tom some day or othcr."
81 shall have TO accommodate him, suppose.
II he will be cheated, il cant be helped"
Tn the very first bill that Baker paid 10 his
new lradcsman, he obtained an abatement Of one
dollar and ninety cents, odd money, but actual.
ly pad three dollars more than was justly due.
Stll, he was very well satisfied, imagining that
he bud made saving Of one dollar aud ninety
cents. The not Over.Scrupuious tradesman
laughed III hts sleeve, and KEEP his customer.
Having Withdrawn his support from Leon.
nard, II was the candid opinion OF Mr.. Baker
that he was going TO the dogs" as he express.
cd II, as last as man could go. lie often pass
ed The shop, bul rarely saw u customer.
"No wonder" he would say to himself. "a
man like him can't expect, aud don't deserve
CUSTOM"
In The eyes of Baker, the very grass seemed
to grow upon the pavement before the door of
The declining lradesman. Dust settled thickly
III his window, aud the old sign turned greycr
aud greyer IN the bleaching air.
"Gong TO the dogs, and no WONDER" Baker
wonld say 10 himself, as he went by. He ap.
Peartd TO lake strange interest in watching the
gradual decay Of The mechanics fortunes. One
day mercantile friend said to him
DO you know any Thing about this Leon.
nard!"
"Why?" asked Baker.
because he wants to make pretty large bill
with me-"
"On tmel"
"les, on the usual credit Of six month";"
"Dont sell him. Why the man is going 10
the dogs, at railroad speed"
"lndecdl'
"leS. I'm looking every day TO see him
close up. He might have done we'll, for he IN.
dersood his business. But he's SO unaccom.
modaIng, and, | might say, so insulting to his
customers, that he drives the best of them away.
! used TO make large bills with hlm, but haven't
dealt al his shop now for some time"
"Ah! was not aware Of that. am glad |
spoke to you, for shouldn't like to lose six or
seven hundred dollars"
"Six or seven hundred dollars! Is it possible
that he wants TO buy so recktessly? Take my
advice, and don'tthink of trusting him."
81 certainly shall not"
When Leonard ordered the goods, the mer-
chant declined selling, except for cash.
''As you please" returned the mechanic, in
differently, and went elsewhere and made his
purchase.
1t happened that Mr.. Leonard had very
pretty and very interesting daughter, on whose
education the mechanic had bestowed great puins:
and ii also happened that Baker had son, who.
in most things, was "chip Of the old block"
Particularly was he like his father in his great
love of money; and scarcely had he reached his
majority ere he began to look about him with Il
careful eye to good matrimonial arrangement,
by which plenty of money would be secured.
Adelaide Leonard, on account of her beau.
ty and accomplishments, was much caressed,
and mingled freely in society. Young Baker
had met her frequently, and could not help being
struck with her beauty, intelligence, and grace.
There's chance for you," said friend to
him, one evening.
"ln Miss Leonnard!"
"Yes."
"She's charming GIRL" replied the young
man. 81 wonder if her father is worth any
thingp
"PeopIe saw so."
"lndeed!'
'Yes. They say the old fellow has laid up
something quite handsome; and, as Adelaide is
"'S o"'J S""of oHC VIII VI COuISG Set IL ulls
81 was not aware of that"
"lts all so, believe"
After this, young Baker was exceedingly at.
tentive to Miss Leonard, and made percep,ible
nroads upon her heart. He even went so far
as to visit pretty regularly at her house, and
was medilating an avowa Of his attachment,
when his father said to him one day
"What young lady was that | saw with Won
on the street yesterday a(iernoonl"
"IIer name is Leonard"
"The daughter of old Leonard in -
street,"
"Yes, SIR"
Mr. Baker looked grave, and shook his head.
"Do YOU know anything about her!" asked
the son.
"Nothing about her, but know that her IA.
ther is going 10 the dogs as fast as ever a man
went"
"lndeed! | thought he was very we'll off,"
| "Oh, no! I've been looking 10 see his shop