The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1865-07-12
NUMBER 10.
"selling" a Fellow.
BY AaIrHmrrlcAL PROGRESSION.

LAST summer, while engaged in the to-
bacco and cigar business, l used to hav q
for customer in cheap segars one of
those knowing fellows whose knowledge
serves better to bore his victims than ad-
vance science. You couldn't make him
were regalia cigars that cost $40 per
thousand lit might do to stuff down the
throats of those whe knew no better; he
he was none of them. And SO it was with
everything; he always knew best It al
ways appeared to be his delight to draw
me into some controversy, no matter what
the subject, in order to hear himself hold
forth. tried every way could think of
to circumventhim and at lenth did sue
coed in laying him out as fat as Aoun
der.
1t was on a Saturday afternoon, he
came in made purchase, and seated hin-
self, to deal me out his usual petion; but
was awake for him.
"Captain," said /, "I have made up
my mind to go to California, and if you
wish to go into speculation, now is your
time"
"As how" said he.
"Why, you see them fifteen boxes Of
cigars? we'll, there are two hundred and
fifty in each box, and I will let you have
the whole fifteen at low rate, providing
you take them all. !"
"Very WE'LL" said my friend, "let's
hear the conditions"
"You give me one cent for the first box
two cents for the second, four cents for
the third, and so on, doubling up on every
box"
i 'Donel' said he;, "fetch on your cigars.
S'pose you think haven't money enough
'l-eh p
"Not at all, SO let's proceed; here's first
! box"
. He drew from his pocket leathern
purse, and out of it handful of coin.
"And here's the cent" said he, depos-
itinga green discolored copper ON the
counter.
Here's your second box"
esAnd here's your two cents"
"Very well; here's you third box"
"And here's your four cents, said he,
chuckling.
"Here's your fourth box"
"Exactly. And here's your eight centsl
Ha! hal ha! old ieilow-go onl'
"Herc's your fifth box said l, hand
ing down another.
s sand here's your sixteen cents.
i "Here's your sixth box
"And-hal ha! ha!--here's your thirty.
s two cents.
4 Heres your seventh box"
u "And here-hai by Jove, the joke i:
!, getting too rich-here's your sixty foul
cents, and nearly half your segars are
] gone"
e Here's your eighth box" said I, as
suming cool indifference that perfectly
astonished the fellow.
"And here's your dollar and twenty
leight cents
Here's your ninth box"
.'And here's your-lct me see--ah sws
dollars and fifty-slx cents"
Here's your tenth box"
Here he drew his wallet theughtfull,
and on the slate made small calcu.a
tion.
; "And here's your Eve dollars an,
twelve cents"
Here's your eleventh box"
"And here's your-twice five is ten
twice twelve is twenty fourteen dollar
and twenty-four cents"
4 At this stage of the game he had 60
quite docile, and i continued
"Here's your twelfth box; hand owe
twenty dollars and forty eight cents. -
Here the globules of perspiration larg
as marrowfat peas, stood out in bold relit
. on his face, but at length he holed out tn
sum.
"Here's your thirteenth box-fork owe
your forty dollars and ninety-six cents.
At this crisis he looked perfectly wilt
The sweat was pouring of him in strean
and the tobacco juice was running out {
his mouth.
"F-o-r-t-y ninety SILK. III
I do, but ii do, may l be d---dt"
And raking his pile into his hat,
crushed it on his head, and made his ex
yer at rate of speed altogether unheard Q
nd, and have never seen him near eneul
ND to speak to him from that day to this.