The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-01-21
A Bargain by ArIthmctic;aI Pro.
ErcfsIom.


While engaged in the tobacco and cigar
business, used to have customer in cheap
cigars, one of those knowing fellows whose
knowledge serves better to bore his victim'
than advance science. You could not make
him believe that-Oh no Tell him there
were no regalia cigars that cost forty dollars
per thousand it might do to stuff down the
throats of one OF them that knew no better;
he was none Of them. And so il was with
everything; he always knew best 1t al
ways appeared to be his delight to draw me
into some controversy, 10 matter what the
subject was. in order 10 hear himself draw
forth. tried every way could think Of to
crcumvent him, and at length did succeed
in laying him out as fit as founder.
1t was Saturday afternoon, he came in,
made his purchase, and seated himself to
deal ou. his usual portion; but was awake
for him.
"Cuptan," said I, II have made up my
mind to go to California, and if you wish to
go into speculation, now is your time"
"And how" said he.
"Why you see these fifteen boxes o1cigar',
we'll there are two hundred and fifty in each
box, and will let you have the whole fifteen
at low rate, providing you take them ALL"
Every WE'LL" said my friend, "et US hear
the conditions"
"You give me one cent for the FIRST box,
two cents for the second, four for the third,
and so OF, doubling on every box"
Done" said he, "fetcA on your cigars
Suppose you think have not money enough
--eh!"
"Eot at all, so let us proceed. Here is
your first box"
He drew from his pocket leather purse,
and out of 1t handful Of coin.
"And here is your cent" said he, deposit.
ing green discoored copper on the coun.
ter.
"Hore 10 yotr second box"
"Here is your two cen,s."
every we'll. here iS your third box"
"And here ID your four cents;" said he,
chuckIng.
"Here is your fourth box"
Exactly. And here is your eight cents
ha! ha! ha; old fellow, 90 on"
"Here is your fifth box" said l, handing
down another. ..
land here is your sixteen cents"
"Here is your sixth box"
"And-ha! ha! ha! here is your thirty.twc
cents.'
"Here is your seventh box"
"And here-ha! ha! ! ha the joke is getting
too rich-hers is your sixLy.four cents ant
half your cigars are gone"
"Here Is your eighth box" said |, assum
ing cold Indifference that perfectly surpris
ed the fellow.
"And here is your dollar and twenty eigh
, cents"
"Here is yodr ninth toz."
"Here is your-let me see-ah! two dol
lars and f;Fty.six cents"
"Here is you tenth box"
, He drew his wallet thoughtfulIy ond o
the slate made a small calculation.
h "Here is your eleventh boz"
/ "And here is your-twice five is ten, twic
- twelve Is twenty .four-ten dollars aud twel
= ty-four cents"
n At this stage ofthe game he had got qui
docie, and continued
% "Here is your twelfth box; hand ov
}. twenty dollars and forty, eight cents"
u Here the globuIes of persrraton, lar,
as mtrrcw.fat peas, stood out in bold relic
"a but ot length he doled out the sum.
h. "Here is your thirteenth box; pile out fe
:. ty dollars and ninety-six cents."
q. "If | do, shall, but l will not" Wi
that he left, and have never been able
get near him since: