Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-08-06
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with questions.
A few DAYS ago, Connecticut broom-ped-
dler-a shrewd chap, from over amongst the
steady habits, and wooden clocks, and school
masters, and other fxins, drove through our
streets, heavily ladened with corn brooms. He
had called at several stores and offered his load,
or even so small portion of it; but when he
told them he wanted cash and nothing else, in
payment, they had uniformly given him to un-
derstand that he might 60 farther. AT length
he drove up to a large wholesale establishment
on the west side, and not far from the bridge,
and once more offered his wares" swell"
said the merchant, /" / want the brooms badly
enough; but what will you take in pay!" This
was a poser The peddler was aching to get rid
of his brooms; he despised the very sight OF his
brooms but he would sooner sell single
broom for cash, than the whole load for any 9TH
er article he could not as readily dispose of as
he could brooms After moments hesitation
therefore, he screwed his courage to the stick
ing point-Gt required some courage after hav-
ing lost his chance of selling the load some half
a dozen times by similar answer)--and frankly
told the merchant he must have cash. Of course
the merchant protested that cash was scarce, and
that he must purchase if he purchased at all,
with what he had in his store to pay with. He
really wanted the brooms, and he did not hest
tate to say so but the times were hard-he had
notes to pay, and he had goods that must be dis
posed Of
Finally he would put his goods at the cost
price, for the sake of trading, and would take
the whole load of brooms which the pedlar had
labored so unsuccessfully at other stores to dis
pose of. 49," said he to the man from Con-
necticut, "unload your brooms, and then select
any articles from the store, and you shall have
them at cost" The peddler scratched his head.
There was an idea there, as the sequel shows
plain enough. "Tll tell you what it is, he an
swered at last, "just say them terms for half
the load, and cash for tother half, and I'm your
man. Bowed eff don't sell out, eff Connecti-
cut sinks with all her broom stuff, the next min
ute.' The merchant hesitated a moment, but
finally concluded the chance good one. lie
should be getting half the brooms for something
that wouldn't sell as readily; and as for the cost
price it was an easy matter to play CANNON in
regard to it. The bargain was struck the
brooms were brought in. The cash for half
was paid over. Now what will you have for
the remainder of your bill ?" asked the merchant.
The peddler scratched his head again, and this
time more vigorously. He walked the floor
whistled-drummed with his fingers on the head
of barrel. BY and by his reply came-slowly
and deliberately: "You Providence fellers are
cute; you sell at COST pretty much all of We, and
make money. don't see how It's done. 1t must
be that somebody gets the worst of it. Now
don't know what your goods cost barrin' one
article and eff | take anything else, l may get
cheated So, seein' as it won't make any odds
with you, guess I'll take the brooms. | know
them like book, and can swear to what you
paid for 'em."
And so saying the pedlar commenced reload
ing his brooms, and having snugly deposited
half of his former load, jumped on his cart, with
regular Connecticut grin, and while the mer-
chant was cursing his impudence and his own
stupidity, drove in search of another customer.
Providence Post.
WooD LANDS AND FIELDs.-We need more
appropriate division of farms as regards wood
lands and cultivated fields, and better adapta-
ton of the various portions to those purposed
most consistent with the nature of the soil and
general appearance of the country. This is a
matter which receives but little attention from
farmers. An indiscriminate destruction of for
est trees has been made in many instances when
the land was first occupied and new growth
has not been allowed to take its place. The
consequence is shat mnch land which would have
produced trees and nothing but trees-as the
rocky points of hills, barren knolls the sides of
gullies-has been left Naked and the soil, hav-
ing nothing to hold its PARTICLES together has
been washed TO sterility. Another injury which
has ensued from this destruction of trees is the
greater exposure of many situations to the force
of the winds. In this climate, subject as it is to
extreme heat and cold, trees are important as a
means of shelter.
A border Of trees even of not more than a rod
in width, on the north and west sides of fields,
will produce very favorable effect in breaking
off the cold blasts. This is particularly requir-
ed on hill and mountain pastures and also open
champaign districts, like the western praires.-
There should also be trees in proper places for
shade, as animals exposed to the full blaze of
our intense summer sun, suffer greatly from its
effects.
All steep hill-sides, gorges and gulies, sho'd
be left in trees, or planted with them. These
spots, left bald and unproductive, give an un-
pleasant aspect to the landscape; but clothed
with trees they impart picturesque beauty and
interest to the scenery. 1t would not be diff
cult to cover these places with trees, by plant
ing the sugar maple, elm, ASH oak, chestnut and
some evergreens, as the cedar, hemlock and pine,
to fill up the plantation. All these would be-
come valuable, either as timber or fuel 1t
would be necessary to keep stock away from
them till they have attained such size as not to
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