Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-01-26
The Cutest Yankee Trick Yet.

A Connecticut broom-peddler-a shrewd
chap, from over among the steady habits,
wooden clocks, schoolmasters, and other
fixins-drove through the streets of Provi-
dence heavily laden with corn brooms. He
had called at several stores and offered his
load, or ever so small portion of it; but
when he wanted the cash, and nothing else,
in payment, they had uniformly given him
to understand that they had brooms enough
and that he might go further. At length
he drove up to large wholesale store on
the west side, and once more offered his
wares.
''Well, I want the brooms badly enough
said the merchant, ''but what will you take
in pay?"
This was poser. The peddler was ach-
ing to get lid of his brooms; he despised
the very sight of his brooms; but he would
sooner sell a single broom for cash than
the whole load for any other article-espe-
cially that which he could not dispose of
as readily as he could of brooms. After a
moments hesitation, however, he screwed
his courage to the sticking point-it re-
quired some courage, after having lost his
chance of selling his load half dozen
! times by a similar aDswer-and frankly
told the merchant he must have cash. Of
course the merchant protested that cash
was scarce, and that he must purchase, if
he purchased at all, with what he had IN
his store to pay with He really wanted
the brooms, and he did not hesitate to say
so; but the times were hard, and he had
notes to pay, and had goods that must be
disposed of.
Finally he said he would put the goods
at the cost price, for the sake of trading,
and would take the whole load of brooms
which the peddler had labored so unsuc-
cessfully at the other stores to dispose of.
so unload the brooms," said he to the
man from Connecticut, land select any ar
ticles from my store, and you shall have
them at cost price"
The peddler scratched his head. There
was an idea there, as the sequel shows
plainly enough.
81 tell You what it is he answered at
last, Fjust say them terms for half the load
and cash for t'other half, and I'm your man.
Bowed eff I don't sell eout, if Connecticut
sinks, with all her broom stuff, the next
minute"
The merchant hesitated a moment, but
finally concluded the chance a good one.
He would be getting half the brooms for
something thu would not sell as readily;
as for the co rice, it was an easy gam
mon in re I'd 10 it. The bargain was
struck, the ms were brought in, and
the cash TO l5of them was paid over.
''Now, VIVA will you have tor the re-
mainder OF Your bill?" asked the merchant
The pedbier scratched his head again,
and this time more vigorously. He walked
the floor, whistIed, and drummed with his
fingers on the head of barrel. By-and-by
his reply eame-slowly, deliberately and
eInphatically:
You Providence fellers are cute; you
sell at cost, pretty much all of you, and
make money. I don't see how it's done
Now, don't know about your goods, bar
rim one article, and eff I take anything else
[ may be cheated. So, SEEM as 'twont
make any odds with you, I guess I'll take
brooms. I know them like a book, and
can swear to jest what you paid for them. "
And so saying, the peddler commenced
reloading his brooms, and having deposi-
ted half of his former load, jumped on his
cart with a regular Connecticut grin, and
leaving the merchant cursing his impu-
dence and his own stupidity, drove off in
Seoroh of apCtb or1ctp0ar