Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-07-26
Peddling without License.

/
Nickem, who Was particularly expert in
ferritting out and Furnishing Pedders who
travelled without license. One day he
saw pedlar coming up the roaas Tand as
usual, he accosted him IN hopes Of finding
culprit, whom he might fine. "a z
'Fine mornin',' said Nickem, refining up
his nag in front of the pedlar's wagon. 8
''Tiss pooty fine, | guess, fur yeour
woodin country, replied the pedlar.
what have you got to sell, any thing?'
said the sheriff. zd
Guess hev, few notions, one sort or
uther. What'd ysou like; to heva Got
some rale slick rasurs, and some prime
strops; an article guess you want SQUIRE;
by the look q yer beard And here some
5asse black IL, make
them Old ceow hide beoots o'yourn shine
like dollar
Thank you,' said Nickem, 4 don't use
blackin', grease is better, we allow out this
way. But what's the stuff in the bottles
thar-is it good to take?' continued he,
pointing to a lot of oflabelled bottles.
well, guess, Squire, it's sort o. good;
it's balm O. Columby; good for the har, land
cures the belly ache; all nation fine stuff
for assistin' poor human natur',' as the po-
ct says, in the affairs of life. And such stuff
for expandin' the ideas, and causin' 'em to
flow spontaneously! Knew feller once
who took bottle on 4th Of July, and
scissors! didn't he make famin' speech!
Dan Webster and Henry Clay got asham-
ed Of themselves, and went clear hum!
Fact, by golly'
'What dye ask for i,?' inquired Nickem.
"A dollar bottles the price, Squire, but
seen it's yeou, guess l'll let you hev i.
for seventy-fve cents. Cheap as dirt aint it?
well, reckon Pll take a bottle; thar's
the change said Mr.. Nickem.
'And there's the balm O. Columby.-
Haint nothin' else in my line to-daySquire?'
said the composed and vivacious Yankee.
Believe not, oh! yes, now think OF it,
stranger, have you got license for ped
ding in this State?' said Nckem, comm 9
to business.
Guess hev, Squire, may be yeou'd
like to see it2'
well, stranger, seein' as Pm the high
Sheriff of this county, | reckon | shall
trouble you to show your license.'
'Oh, certain, certain, Squire, yeou kin
see it; there it is, all fixed up in black end
white, nice as wax, aint it?'
'It's all right, perfectly right said Nick
en-, folding up the document and handing
it back to the pedlar, and he added, 1 don't
know, now that have bought this stuff,
that Keer anything about it. l reckon
may as we'll sell it to you again; what will
you give for it?' ..-.
%! don't know that the darn'd stuars
any use to me, but seen its you, Sheriff,
guess I'll give yeou about thirty-seven and
halfce for it, quietly responded the
pedlar. The high Sheriff handed over the
bottle, and received the change when the
pedlnr Observed
4 say. yeou, guess I've question tc
ask just meow, heU yeom got pedlar's IT,
csnse about yeoaw troaUsers?'
me? No, hav'nt any use for the arti.
Gle myself said Nickem. .....
'Haint, eh? Well, l guess we'll see
abeout that, purity darn'd soon. Ef | un.
derstand the law, meow its clear case, tha.
yeou've been tradin' with me, hawkin'
and pedlin' Balm O Columby on the high.
way, and shall inform on yeou-l'll be
darn'd eff don't!'
| Reaching the town the Yankee was a.
good his word, and the high Sheriff was
mixed and fined for peddlsmg aUithout L.
cense! The Sheriff was heard TO say, you
might as well try to hold creased eel, as
live Yankee.