Arkansas democratic banner., 1851-09-16
The Bargain.

" What have you here, husbandF' said Mrs. Courtland to her careful and thrifty spouse as the latter paused Tn the open door l. give some direc tons to couple of porters who had just set some thing On the pavement in front of the house.
 Just wait a moment, and 1 will tell you-- Henry John bring ii in here;" the two porters entered with beautiful soIa nearly new.
 " Why, this IS d beauty, husband! How kind you are.''
 "trs second hand you perceive; but it's hard ly solled--no one would know the difference"
 "its just as good as new. What did you give for it P
 That's the best par; of it. 1t is splendid bargain. l. didn cost q cen, less than two hun dred dollars. Now what do you think got il forP'
 {" Sixty dollarSF'
 'tGueSs agan"
 "FiftyP
 "Guess agian."
 Forty y-fyef'
 No. Try again."
 !" But what did you give for it dearf'
 "Why, only twenty dollars"
 "WelI, now, thai Is bargain.'
 :" "Ain't il thought It takes me to getthe things cheap continued the prudent Coartiand, chuck ling with delight.
 .Why, how in the world did you gel it so low9'
 '. | managed that IL amt every one that un- destands how to do these things"
 But Low dld you manage it, dearl should like to know"
 "Why, you see. there was great many other things there, and among the rest some dirty car pets. Before the saie, pulled over these carpets and threw them upon the sofa; good deal of dust fell from them, and made tie sofa look tifty per cent. woIse than 1t realty was. When the sale was commenced. there happened 10 be but few persons there, and | asked the auctt0neer to sell the sofa first, as waated to go ard would bid for Il if !. were siid then. Few persons bid freely at the opening Of sale''
 "Whafs b,d for splendid sufaP' he began.
 ''fii give you fifteen dollars for it," sad l. ''Its not worth more tban that for ifs dfeadfnliy abused.''
 "Fifteen doIlars fifteen dollars! ..Daiy fifteen dalars t0t thiS beautiful sofa P he went on; and man next to iae bid seventeen dollars let the aucsioneer cry the last bid for few moments. an Ill saw he was likely to knock il down.
 Twenty doilarsr said and that's as much as I'll go for it
 The other bidder was deceived by tstis as to the real value of the sofa for t dni look dFeadIuily disnred by the dust and dart, aud consequently the sofa was knocked of { me.
 " That was adfnifabIy done, indeed" said Mrs. Courtiand, with 3 bland smile of iiSfa'ition al having obtained the elegant piece q fuTnifure at so chesp rate, And ifs se neat mach, too, for the sofa in our freai parl0r."
 This scene occurred al the residence of a mer chant in this ely, who was beginning to count his fifty ihonFamis. Lei as look on the osher sade cf the pnstufe
 On the day previous to the sale, widow lady with one daughter beautiful sud interesting giri about seventeen. was seated ea | sofa in neatly l furnished paTIof in Hudson street.. fha mother held in her hand small piece of paper, on which Aef eyes were asenfly lived; but il could be feadi ! y perceived that sue saw not shc characters that were written upon t. /" What is to be dope. ma F al length asked tAe daughter. l .sInAced. my child. cannot ieii. The bill is ssD, and has been due you know, fos several days.