The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-20

quietly to WigGins, who is not extensive IN
trade, but invariably civil and oblieiug and
given him your Christmas custom. 1t would
have been better for various reasons.
In the first place, you are well acquainted
with Wtggins, and stand in no awe OF
hIm. II he asked you tenpence a pound
tor sirioin, and you thought that nine
pence was a plenty for it, you would have no
scruples about telling him so to his head, and
declining to purchase unless he bated; but
would you dale to do as much bv Silverside
Co.? The meat merchants who are in such
Tremendous way of business make no more
of your purchase of sixteen pounds of beef
than Virgins would of your demand for
two pen'orth of suet. That in the first
place; and then. pray, how about your
knowledge of the arithmetic OF whole
sale meat-dealng? You may readily enough
comprehend what q joint will cost, the
price pei pound OF which is nnepenCe or nine
pence haltpenny; but when the talk is of six
and four" and "hve ana eight" II is question
able il you are not somewhat abroad. You
may have some inltling of the fact that the
figures mentioned represent the price required
for a stone OF eight pounds of the JOINT you
have fixed on; still your batting tactics are
thrown altogether out of gear; and whether to
bid five and sevenpCnce' or Give and two
pence" you have not the least idea. The pro.
babityi that you viii yield without struggle,
or allow the bargain to escape you, while you
turn away to reckon how many eightpences
there are in the five and tourpenCe.
But fatter not thyself good Jones, because of
y IL
you to undertake the meat buying and all will
90 well. You know all about "six and eight
and Give and FOUR but you don't know every.
thing. Pardon me, Jones, If l tell you that
your great weakness lies in your prodigious
confidence in your strength of MUD, in your
sound and cool judgment, and your complete
invlnCibility to trade tricks and lodges of every
manner and kind. 81 know, every one knowsn
say you, how women are gammOncd and Whee-
dleo by shOpkeepers; Chey should have men to
deal with; I'd like to see the butcher who would
come the olG soldier over mel"
Take the market-basket, Jones, mix in the
crowd this blessed Christmas eve, and you
shall see all that you ask. You silly fellow
do you imagine that you are the first
Jones that ever came to Newgate Mar
ket? As there is one bait for roach, and
another for club, and a third for gudgeon, so
are there ways OF angling Tor customers. Toe
butcher before whose shop you pause, my good
Jones, has already 'taken your measure as
the saving Is.
He sees the independent manner in which
your hands are thrust inUo your trousers pOCk-
ets and the determination not to be imposed
on or wheedled visible in every line of your
expressive countenance and so far from
being intimidated thereat, he regards you as
one OF the easiest of victims. He would
rather deal with three of your sort than with
one Of your good ladys any day in the week,
but on a Christmas eve especially. With the
air of a man who knows what meat should be,
YOU cast your eye along the rows OF ribs aud
sirlOins, and presently he catches your eye. He
doesn't rush out on you, however; he preserves
his Calmness, and mods towards you as rec0g-
niZIng in you an old and worthy customer.
| That is your impression, and meanly avaImg
yourself of hls apparent misake-he is in an
extensive way and highly speCtable-you nod
atlably in return. He comes forward in a
friendly way, and says, "Good evening, sir;
selecting your Christmas roast ~ just as though
II was matter OF course that you should come
10 his highly respectable establishment to
select it.
''Well, yes, | was thinking about it, Mr..
Butcher" says you, in patronlzing sort of way.
Let us see, then; you don't like it over fat,
/ If | reCOllect, sir" (as though you had dealt
with Inn for years.. "Wnat do you say TO that
ut,-nOwY
"HOw much"
"Oh, well, aoe won't have dozen words about
price; say six and four. Weigh this, Jim, care
ully."
"One of the best butchers in England
Sarah," you remark to Mrs. j., as having
paid for your eighteen pounds OF beef you
walk off with it, every gentlemanly fellow,
too, as you must have observed"
There's good bit of bone in it, Joe, isn't
/ thercY
''Of course there is; you can't have goot
meat without; and this is frst-class."
| Let us hope so, Jones; for truly Mr. Butcher
| has "cOme the old soldier" over you, making
/ you pay for 'sott soap at the rate OF penny
pound in that two stone two pounds Of sirloin