The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1853-06-30
LIGHT WEIGHT.
BY T. s. ARTHUR.

1t generally happens that those who try to
overreach others, overreach themselves in the
end. This was the case with farmer EdmOnds.
He was laying up money as fast as any OF his
neighbors, whose means of accumulation were
no greater than his own, and ought to have been
satisfied and thankful But unfortunately, the
desires of farmer Edmonds. like those of great
many other people, were always a little IN ad-
vance of his income Once week he came,
regularly to :he Philadelphia market, n distance
of fifteen miles, with his produce; and he never
went home entirely satisfied with the amount
received for his poultry, eggs, butter, fruit OF
vegetables, unless prices were at the highest
mark on the scale. The wry face of a custom
er who paid him thirty eight cents for a pound
of butter twenty five cents for a dozen of eggs,
was pleasant rather than a disagreelble object
to his eyes, for SO he Won, he cared not q far
thing who lost.
One day, Mr.. c. well known citizen,
who had frequently bought from Edmonds, stop
ped st the stall where the farmer exhibited
his various articles for sale. ami taking hold
of a pair of looking chickens, asked the
price.
'Seventy-ive,' replied the farmer.
The chickens were large, and Mr.. G-did
not think the price high
Are they young and tender q he inquired.
is it possible said Edmonds, smiling in n
peculiar way, that an old marketer like you
can't tell pair of young chickens p
Now, Alr. G-could buy poultry with almost
any 1t was not often that tough old roos-
ter gobbier passe, upon him; but on the
present occasion, the words OF the farmer com
! pletely dsarmed him. OF course, the chickens
must be SO tender that the skin would almost
break from looking at them, and he felt little
| pieued that he had not been able to perceive
this instantly lifting them from the hooks
and placing them in his basket, he said--l guess
, I'll take them"
Seventy FIVE cents were handed over and pock-
| eted by the farmer without any compunctions,
Notwithstanding the pair of bipeds sold to Mr..
| G-might have belonged to Noah's menagerie
for all the teeth Of those who happened to be
called to eat them would be able to tell to the
I contrary
As G-walked home, he recalled the partic-
ular expression and tone Of the farmer, and a
| suspicion that all was not right, fitted through
his mind but he had dealt with Edmons foI
! years, and though he had always found him close
| and well up to the market in prices, he had new
| er detected him in seeking to gain an advantage
| over u customer. He wished, however, that he
had used his own judgement In making the pur
chase, instead of buying on so equivocal a re
commendation that of the farmer.
III these chickens should be tough he mat
tered to himself, in q threatening way, as be
| walked along, he's had the last dollar of my
money.
Dinner time came, and Mr.. G-went home
! from his place of business. AS he sat down I.
the table. large, plump pair of chickens were
before him, beautifully Drowned, and their savo
ry odor penetrated the olfactory sense. with 9
grateful promise of good things for the palate
The incident of the morning had left its prom
nent place in the memory, and no suspicion
toughness was in the mind of Mr. Gus h'
drew, with an active hand the great carvin,
knife athwart the sharpening steel.
/ a fine, large pair of chickens, said Mrs
G-sWhat did they COST?
/ Three quarters
That WAS not dear
mo; thought it very reasonable