The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-11-27

cTcHlt my WoDi. 1feUIi NY i've Stock
Excuse me, ha! ha! You d. n1t know what
farming is, SEQ. Oh, no. sir; orrproduce
is cash. All We raise is cash, at my door
Why, am plagued to dealh by produce
buyers. and purchasers Of live stock, wool
buyers, and all the rest of them, who will
gladly advance me eighty per cent on M
produce here, and pay me the other tweEt,
in thirty DAYS. Credit! do not know the
word, sir. don't use it. But Yardstick,
they tell mo YOU are rich
.Noehandle, how will yoo exchange prop
erty with me, 'unsisht, unscen,' as the boys
say; you know how--how stand do you,
Hoehandle?'
sStand, yes, sir; why the firm Of Tapc,
Yards,ick g. Co., are good for two bundled
thousand at any moment. They say that
yon sold that amount last year alone
'Frue, 50 we did, on paper, aud we are
worth something handsome too, On paper;
bnt, sir, we cannot feed ourselves on paper; /;
ner build houses with paper
'Well. well. lseo-al CANNON, you dog,
you. You nrc rich, YOU know You are. !
am sorry that thiriy-iive years ngo, ! did
no, make myself dry goods clerk; ba
here am toiIing, ioiling, year after year,
and show but little for it, while you sit al
your desk md count up your weekly re-
scip,s az they rain down--yes, fairly rain
down upon YOU. An. me, nothing but .
iarmer. aud not worth much al that. Yard
stick. III give you my farm and all the bal
ance Of my property. for your share in your
iirm. For all your property, at venture,
lhere?'
MY good friend, yoa are really envious
pl nv lack, as You call it; be frank, now.
ire vou?'
Yes, ! am Yards,ick. can't help il
Here, i, is only dig--dig-dig. want,
before die, 10 be merchant
.And before die, want TO be a farmer;
so if we do not exchange property. mind
YOU, my good friend, it will be your own
fault. Nay! don't stare so.'
sWha! what, lardstick, you astonish
me. You want 10 be y farmer; ha! ha! a
man good for hundred thousand before he
dies, in a splendid busiuess, railing np his
piie, TO throw away his prospects and take
hold Of The dirty piough-hande--good JOKE
-ha! ha! You take my oier, then, do
youn
IIoahsnd!e, nv friend, sober word or
two with YOU. Ihave done business thirty
years. Have sold millions Of dollars worth
nf goods Have made and lost much mon
ey. Have credited large stocks Of goods
ou,, which myself bought on credit. and
hive stood wear alter year over the brink
afa pen,-up volcano, expecting iha, those
who owed me would explode and blow me
70 atoms. Sleepless nigh,s-wearv days.
Headaches, aud heariaches. Constant
fear that could not keep my chin above
water. Obliged TO raise money at high.
sxprbitant rates Of interest, 10 take UP my
long winded in their payments 10 me.
Stocks declining in value. Fashions chang
ing. Dishonest clerks specula,ng from
nv money drawers. All, my friend, do
not wonder you stare with astonishment.
Let me hear YOU laugh, il has charm for
me. Sunshine! Sir. merchants heart,
il he cnre for his reputation and his credit.
when embarked in such hazardous bus-
ness us wholesaler, has no sunshine. lie
dom, know the feeling, sir. Care, corro,
ding care, eats up his heart; weighs him
down; turns day into night; he can't shake
il off; il is horrible nightmare. He goes
u New York, sir; he buys fifty thousand
dollars worth Of goods on time, and gives
notes. O! those bank noies--feartul words
10 a man who has credit al stake, and re-
lies upon his customers TO pay their notes
nv which he may be able to meet his own.
See him, cir, fairly embarked like = ship al
sea, ard this ship is surrounded on all sides
Ivy huge icebcrgs, perfect mountains--no
chance OF escape. By-and-by he sees they
IRE coming down upon him; he is hemmed
in; slowly and quietly those huge piles ad-
vance; steadily they come; the ship will
,ureIy be crushed. Aye, not chip left OF
her--down--down they come. Hold! a
it,lo blue sky is seen, she escapes, she gets
n,o the sea once more.
''rhe ship is like the merchant; the noun
tains Of ice, the bank notes, The bills paya-
Die; The blue sky, the bills receivable. Bul
ShInct!iiCs tbE DlfS ICNtis1 go hoe u'N'i
and The ship is crushed 10 atoms.
slow do you like the picture, my friend!
81 much for merchants life. We are not
what we seem. Our extensive business Is
III on paper--mere trash; The great noise
we make is produced BY the emptiness OF
our prelensions. Now, sir, will you take
your place at the desk, and let the cash
rain down upon you? Nay, you are too
sensible man. Stick to the farm; you
are lord, aye, slpg; independent; owing
no man; while the poor merchant must
crlnge and fawn upon banks and money
lenders. Yes, sir, go down on bis knees
TO yet money to save his credit. Sir, pro
ducers may say--'we ask nothing Of the
banks, nothing Of the merchants; both ask
everything that contributes the whole com
firts of life from u.s. Give me now your
property for nine, with my kind Of life
with il! Nay, when tell you That ene
single disastrous year, with the kind Of hu-
siness am doing, would Feep away all
am worlh--w!l you exchange situations
with mer
Friend Yardstiek. | thank you; but wha,
a picture YOU have sci before me! III ney,
er despiso tho cid farmer again, never
lie, Us Join Mrs. Iioehandle, in the dining
room, and as we take quiet lunch, with 9
a, Il kao., will Jri,t. Clnes 0t