Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-12-17
Kegl
Uariap.
KEPT EVERYTHING.

An old gentleman in Utica, father OF
n Of our most enterprising citizens, once
kept a variety store 10 that city, and made
1t a rule to have everything. He was in
the habit Of making a memorandum of
everything inquired for, which was not
on hand, and ordering it Immediately.
In this way he collected an immense
stock, which, if it did not contain q sam
pie of everything under the sun, came
very ear ii, and comprehended every
thing the old gentleman had ever heard
of.
II became q by-word with the inhabit.
n of Utica that our hero kept every
thing, and bets were often made and lost
on the assumption tha, a person could not
60 to his store and enquire for anything,
without having ii at once furnished him.
In the course of Four friends business ar
rangemsnts, a church in the vicinity be-
came indebted TO him in a considerable
amount for articles he had ordered for
furnishing the edi6ce. The church got
along very badly. There was net inter-
est enough amoRg the members; schisms
crept in. and finally the church failed.
The old gentleman head of it with a
sigh, but concluding that what he had
lent to the Lord would return to him
again in some shape or other, thought no
more Of the matter. A week or two af
ter this crash. o of the deacons of the
church came to him and said that the
church was indebted to him some, and
advised him to take some OF the church
furniture to apply on the debt, which our
hero did, and stored it away in the garnet
of his store. About a month after this
two men, n a stranger in this city, made
9 wsger-ihe citizen betting $50 that
the stranger could not go to Dds
store, and enquire for anything without
getting it. They came into the store,
and the terms of The wager were made
known 10 our hero. The citizen again
reiterated his belief that there was every
thing under the sun ST that store-he'd
bst again on it. The stranger said he
rather thought he could ask for some
thing that couldn't be peddled to him in
that ara establishment.
"What,is it," said the old gentleman,
rubbing his hands behind the counter,
IN anticipation of confounding his GUS
tomers-"what is it?"
"Wall," said the stranger, "hev you
got any second hand pulpits?''- adding q
grin that would have done credit to the
devil.
Second hand pulpits," said the old
gentleman with a whoop. Second hand
,pulpits? Yes, sir, any quantity of them.
Got factory on purpose for making them;
come up stairs till I'skow you a sample"
and dragging the purchaser and his friend
up three pair of stairs into the garnet, he
exhibited 10 him the church furniture,
which he had taken in payment for the
debt above mentioned, and among which
was the pulpit, complete, with its GRIM
son resting place for the scriptures.
The stranger caved-paid his bet of
$50, and being asked if he would have
his pulpit sent to his house, or would
have il wrapped up, and carry it with
him, flung out another $50, and snap
pishly saying, emo, keep il until | call
for it' left the premises. The pulpit has
paid storags often since, and the old gen.
tleman has made his debt on II ten times
over. The fact of his keeping every
thing has never been doubted SINCE
Buffalo Rspubie.