The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-02-09
How the Farmer Sold the Cockney.

LII uUSt III Wudb uIC Cuilcu ibuihoV
towns" in England, it was customary to
have an "ordinary," or what is called tho
market dinner, given at most of the prin.
cipal inns of the. place, where farmers as
we'll as others who had come to attend the
market, came to partake of plain but
substantial dinner and these would af-
terward sit aud enjoy their pipe and pot
Of beer, or glass of puoch, before they
betook themselves to the road on their
homeward drive.
After such dinner, there had congre-
gated around a table filled with bright
silver beer cans and brighter glasses, the
usual miscellaneous assemblage of guests.
Among these wos commercial traveller,
bagman or packmau, as they are termed,
whose chief aim seemed to be to surprise
the country pumpkins, as he considered
them, with the vast extent of his acquire
ments and ceckney wisdom. 1t so hap
pcned that he was seated next to portly
old farmer, of most benignant aspect,
who had the appearance of being, what
indeed he was, we'll gifted with this
worlds goods and to him our traveller
expatiated on the delights of farmers
life, disclosing in many instances his pro-
found ignorance of matters that he SO
glibly and knowingly spoke about, to the
great internal amusement of his listeners
and finally he declared that if he could
get farm to suit him he should like to
turn to farming for an occupation.
of that be your DESIRE" said the old
farmer, 81 am just the man that can suit
you | am, as you see, no longer young.
[ have made money enough without doing
another days work !; and l see you are a
smart young man, who knows great deal
and deserves encouragement, I will sell
out to you on terms that may be consider
ed favorable and they are these L hold
lease on my farm for yet unexpired
term of many years have between 30
and 40 fine beef cattle I have 20 cows,
none better in the country Is good
horses as ever drew a plough, besides
flock of between 300 and 400 sheep, of
course with the usual amount of poultry,
and in fact, all tho profitable live stock
belonging to such farm. Now what |
propose to do for you is, that I will trans
fer the lease of my farm over to you, for
which you shall not pay penny, except
the lawyers fee for the transfer. AS
for the farming utensils, they shall go
as part of the farm, and all I will ask for
the live stock, is one shilling per head,
all round (our readers should understand
that in England pigeon would cost a
shilling.)
The establishment of those who had
been till then somewhat amused listen
ers at this offer, was hardly less than of
the eager traveller, who readily accepted
the offer of our farmer but fearful there
should be a purpose to hoax him in a
fru'tless journey to the farm, when per-
haps he might be laughed at for his Gre
duIity, our London freud told him what
he should propose would not offend tho
farmer, but in all business engagements
it was best to have good understanding !;
therefore they should at once proceed to
a notary to have the deed attested, with
q fine Of ESQ sterling to be paid by either
party who refused to ratify the proposed
transaction.
Certainly agree to your request, and
l can see in it nothing to offend me ; on
the contrary, am pleased to sec young
man SO business like in his ways -,
As there were no lsck of witnesses,
they ut once proceeded to the Office Of a no.
tary, had the agreement made out, the day
duly appointed for its cousum nation, sub
ject to the fine of fifty pounds sterling on
either party who should withdraw from
the bargain.
Now as time brings all things about,
time also brought the appointed day for
selling the livestock and making trans
fer of the farm, and if our Londoner was
before pleased with the bargain, how
much more was he pleased with the trim
and well cultivated fields he saw, which
were part of the farm he came to pos
seSs. ."-.
The first place he was taken to was
sheep walk, where there were $50 sheep.
These were at once put down ct q
shilling head !; next there was seen in
meadow 30 fine beeves there were also
in another field 20 mich COWS in short,
everything correspondent with the descrip-
ton heretofore given by the farmer. In
fact the poultry would have averaged
more than two shillings head from any
dealor in that article. When they were
through taking the cattle and all the poul-
try, the farmer asked to have the sum
added up, and seemed to be surprised
that the amout did not reach over about
eighty pounds. .r
"Well,' said he, "this is better bar
gain than I intended you should have
however, bargain is bargain, be it good
or bad, aud SO we will finish with what re-
mains.'
Imagine the happy and elate step of
our Londoner, as he followed his friend
back TO the substantial looking farm
house, which henceforth he should proud.
ly call Ills own. Still he wondered with
in himself what the farmer meant by
"what remains already debating with