Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-06-01
From Gleason's Pictorial.
THE CROSSED DOLLAR.

From Gleason's Pictorial.
t THE CROSSED DOLLAR.
! BY sYLvASUs COBB, JR.
! Mr.. Elias Randall kept one of those large
stores so common in f1ourishing country
towns, where every article of produce is
bought from the farmers round about, and
where every kind of goods usually needed
in the country is kept for sale. He was a
sharp featured, ,shrewd- looking man. some
what turne dofffty land hard as diamond
at trade. He could buy the best Of
produce at the cheapest rates, and he
could sell lis auction bought goods at
alarming high prices. In short he never
failed to make d round profit at both ends
OF the bargain. He did not hesitate to
overstep the bounds of honesty when he
il in such a manner that his old adage. "A
bargain is bargain would safely shield
/ him.
Lyman" said he to his son one day,
young man some twenty years of age,
and almost the counterpart OF his father.
save that he showed more recklessness ol
disposition, {" did you make trade with
I farmer Jones ?''
Yes"
"What did you charge him for that su-
| gar aud tea 2"
Ninepence for the sugar and half a
dollar for the tea. Made him believe it
was extra nice, you see.'
| That's right. And what did you
charge you for the coffee ~
"Ah, there l had him. made the man
h..I,.vn ,rvos .vtr. 6na old lava aDd
charged him fifteen cents
" Pretty good, my son, only you might
have put on half cent over them, they
think you are shaving closer down tc
cost. But you did verv we'll, Lyman
Now, what did you allow him for his
beans ~
g Seven and sixpence."
40, you shouldn't have done that. A
dollar or a dollar and ninepence would
have been enough"
"But they were nice ones, father, care
fully picked and cleaned"
You should have made him believe
they were poorer
" But how %
"Why. when you found the old man
had beans to exchange for his goods, you
should have taken a handful of poor ones
from one of our barrels and watched ar
opportunity to scatter them over the tor
OF his. Do you understand %
Yes, see now"
4" That's right. We must live and
thrive, You see, and he who makes the
most, comes ou: best at the end. Always
take the advantage of customer wher
you can, but be careful and keep the brigh
side OUT
This was the way the father taught the
son. and how that son proftted by it the
sequel will show.
BY the way, Lyman continued the
old man, ' L have Just discovered who il
is that has been robbing my money
drawer"
"Ah," muttered the son turning at thai
moment to arrange piece of calico, thai
didn' need fixing at all-s' And who is
/ it ?'
"Wilton Cunningham"
q shouldn't wonder in the least, ne,
yer liked the fellow, and often wondered
why you kept him.
'' wouldn't have kept him only that
he is such a remarkably smart book keep
Ter, and such beautiful writer too. He
amt fit to trade'
"No, you never can make him believe
that it is right to drive snug trade
But how did you manage to detect him?'
"I'll tell you,'' returned the old man
Last week L took particular notice o
some silver dollars that were in the mo-
ney drawer, and determined that would
set a trap for the thief. l took four of the
pieces and crossed them very carefully,
and in such manner that one not &C
Quainted with the secret would not be
likely to notice it then put them back
into the drawer. Next morning one Vi
them was gone. and as all our trade the
day before had been barter and credit,
knew that it could not have been given in
change OF course my suspicious fell
upon Wilton, and at once began to look
about to see where he had spent the mo-
ney, and | found that he had paid Mr.
Wiley for his motker's rent. went tC
Mr.. Wiley and asked him to see the mo.
mey Wilton had paid him, and l found
my crossed dollar among it. 1t is as
plain as daylight asaf
e Certainly it is.a said Lyman.
"There can be no doubt about i" !" ad.
ded the old man in a confident tone, and
-.fL. I, a