The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1864-02-24
Wine Merchant and Cobbler.

| II poor COUUlcT HNcu ucAL uOOI W 81 ~
tail wine-seller, who, the better to draw
the sous out of the pockets of his neigh
bors, put a splendid gilt sign, with the
names of the most famous wines upon it
at full length. Now this was n terrible
temptation to the cobbler, who, however,
the better resisted il, as he did not know
how TO read. But not content with the
gilt sign, the wine-seller had two punches
of ripe, tempting grapes, painted TO the
life, and Just beneath two goblets running
over with wine. This was readable, and
the poor cobbler's mouth watered. 1t was,
however, in vain TO resist, for he found
himself every moment trying to find some
excuse for turning his eyes towards his
neighbor's shop, and at last he goes.-
"Four sous can't kill any body" thought
ne and two tumbers full of wine were
soon under his jacket. So it went the
next day and the next, but one day he
happened to have no money.
$50, neighbor," said the wine-seller,
"you don't take drop to-day?'
"Why, to tell tho TRUTH" replied the
cobbler, Il would if l had the change"
"Never mind," said the winc-seller:
"come and take drink, you can pay me
some other time"
But the cobber's paying time never
came and the wine-seler dunned him over
and over again, aud got nothing but
promises the cobbler drinking every day
as usual, "for its pity to loose such a
good customer" thought the wine-seller.
Every body knows (Which every body
means, all ones acquaiutauce) that on
Sunday all Parisians, high or low, dress
in their best, and find amusement where
they can. Now our cobbler's best suit was
grey coat with plated buttons, sky-blue
pants and white hat; and the mercless
wine-seller found means TO get the lattcr,
together with the grey coat with plated
buttons into his possession, and swore that
he would not give them up until he was
paid every sous. The cobbler prayed,
begged, entreated him to release them
but for that day, for be had contracted TO
dance the first cotillion with his sweet
heart, and was engaged to dine at his
cousins, but it would not do; the wine
seller bid him 90 about his own business,
which the cobbler literally die, for he
went home and began to work and
sing with all his might, to drown the
noise of his neighbor's violin; and at
night he went TO bed as melancholy as
any cobbler in Paris. La vengence eSt
le plaSir deS dieur," says the proverb, and
our cobbler awoke next morning as gay
as ever, for he had thought of a way to
avenge himself He threw out before his
door a few bits of bread, which his neigh
boris fouls very kindly picked up. The
next day the Same thing, with the same
success, and the third and fourth days
the fowls were willing to enter his shop,
and save him the trouble Of feeding with
out. No sooner all within, than the fowls
were prisoners. and the cobbler fell to
work and filled pilow-cRse with feath.
ers, which he plucked clean off the poor
creatures, one by one, and sent them per-
ishing home, naked rs they were born
| One sleeps on good conscience; but the
cobbler found bis pillosO Of revenge quite
soothing, for he slept soundly upon it,
The wine-seller, however, soon awakened
him with a loud Knocking" Halloa
neighbor, somebody has been picking my
fowls, and they say that thew were seen
coming out of yonr shop"
"They are right" said the cobbler.
! "May ! presume to ask who plucked
my fowls" asked the winc-seller.
"No presumption at ALL" replied The
cobbler, "you may ask"