Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-08-21
Arithmetical Progression.

Arithmetical Progression. va
Last summer, while engaged in the tobacco
and cigar business, used to have fcr custo-
mer IN cheap cigars one of those knowing fe-
lows whose knowledge serves better to bore
his victims than advance science. You could
not make him believe ,hat-oh, no. Tell him
there re regalia cigars that cost forty dollars
per thousand!-it might do to stuff down the
throats of those who knew no better; he was
nohe Of them. And so it was with everything I;
he always knew best. 1t always appeared to
BE- his delight to draw me into some narrow
controversy, no matter what was the subject. in
order to hear himself hold forth. | tried every
way could think of to circumvent him, and at
length | did succeed in laying him out as fla,
as founder.
1t was on Saturday afternoon he came in.
made his purchase, and seated himself, to deal
me out his usual portion; but was awake for
him. g.-a
Captain said |, / have made up my mind
to go to California, and, if you wish to GO into
speculation, now is your t;me'
As how,' said he.
why, YOU see them fifteen boxes of c-
gars well, there are two hundred and fifty
In each box, and will let you have the whole
hi'een at low rate, providing you take them
ALL
Very well, said my friend, let's hear the
| conditions
You give me one cent for the first box two
cents for the second, four cents for the third
and so on donble upon every box
'Donen Y said he, fetch on your cigars.
S'pose you think haven't got money enough
-eh,'
Not at all, so let's proceed here's the frs,
box
He drew from his pocket leathern purse,
and out Of it a handful of coin
And here's the cent said he, depositing a
green discolored coin on the counter
Here's your second box
And here's your t,co cents
Very well; here's your third box
And here's your -four cents said he,
chuckling.
Here's your fourth box
Exactly. And here's your cigh cents =
ha ha ha old fellow-go on.
Here's your fifth box, said l, handing him
another
And here's your sirteen cents
Here's your sixth box
'And-ha! ha ha.-here's your thrfy-f,cc
cents
Here's your seventh box
And hereby Jove the joke is getting too
rich-here's your arty.four cents, and nearly
half your cigars are gone.
Here's your eighth box, said I, assuming
cool Indifference that perfectly astonished the
fellow
And here's your dollar and twenty-eight
cents
Here's yonr ninth box
Here's your-let me see-ah two dollars
and ffty-six cents
Here's your tenth box
Here he drew out his wallet ,houphtfuily.
and on the slate made small calculation.
And here's your five dollars and twelve
cents
Here's your eleventh box
And here's your-twice five is ten, twice
twelve is twenty-four-ten dollars and twenty
four cents
AT this stage Of the game he had got quite
docile, and continned-
Here's your twelfth box; hand over twen-
ty dollars and forly-eight cents
Here the globules Of perspiration. large as
marrowtat peas, stood out in bold relief on his
face. ....0-
Here is your fourteenth box-fork over for
ty dollars and uinety-six cents
At this crisis he looked perfectly wild
The sweat was pouring off him in streams,
and the tobacco juice was running out of his
mouth
Forty n-i-n-e-t-y-s-i-.r, If do do,
but if do, may be-
And raking his pile into his hat, he crushed
it on his head, aud made his exit at rate of
speed altogether unheard of; and have new
er seen him near enough TO speak to him
from that time TO this.-New York Spirit of
the Times.