The Portland daily press., 1870-07-04
Terms $500 per annun,, in adronce.
A Newfoundland Ei.h story

One of those glib-tongued, stout danes. a
weil-known Character" noted for her ready
VIII and unscrupulous sharpness in bargain
making, presented herself one morning at the
door OF the late Roman Catholic bishop, with
nne salmon in her basket. may as well
say that her name was Peg Stack-for Peg
ooes not care a button about her name ap-
pearlng in the pages of the Evening Post
His lordship happened to be about the en-
trance, and Peg piled all her tongue power to
induce the bishop to purchase her fish. Her
praises OF the "craythur," as she called the
salmon, were loud and profuse. She begged
MS lordship to remark its splendid develop
ment oil shoulder, but above all, the unusual
plumpness of the abdominal region, showing
uhat u must have come of good stock and been
we wen brought up. "None yir poor starved
tnings, as thin as herrin'-pot fit for a lin
tlehans table," When the fish came To he
.welShed, 1t certainly justified Pegs euloeium:
Its weight, In fact, quite astounded his lord.
snip, considering the size of the fish. Peg got
her money and departed in triumph. Soon
after, the cook proceeded to operate on the
salmon, and to her horror and amazement.
sne found its whole interior closely packed
with smooth, water-worn pebbles. The impi-
Gus reg, reckless of consequences in the un-
seen hereafter, Drawing all purgatorial pains
and penalties, had actually cheated his lord
snip the bishop in this barefaced fashion. Nat
urally one would have fancied that Peg, after
such transaction, would be shy of the "pal-
ace door Tor some time. But no! His lord
ship saw the audacious Peg the very next day
ascending the steps of his mansion, with an
other sa--non for sale, and apparently as un-
conscious OF wrong and as placidly innocent
as babe. With stern countenance his lord
snip opened the door himself and let loose the
Hood gates OF his wrath upon Pegs devoted
head, reproaching her severely with her
shameful dishonesty. But Peg quailed not
before the storm. She held up her hands and
called upon all the saints in heaven to witness
her innocence, and repudiated with virtuous
Indignation the vile charge made against her.
The bishops wrath then became terrible, and
In stern tones he demanded TO be informed
whence came the four pounds of pebbles with
which the salmon was stuffed. "Arrah shure,
yer lordship ought to know by this time," re-
pied the imperturbable Peg, 'that the sal
mon, the craythurs, always take in ballast
when gale OF wind is risin': and, more be-
token, doesn't your lordship remember that
there was bad blast of an easterly wind the
very night before the beauty was cotched; and
ye see he hadn't time to get his ballast throw
ed overheard before he was hooked" The
bshop was good natured man at bottom,
and dearly loved joke. This was too much
Tor his gravity. He burst into an uncontroa-
bic lit OF laughter; and the incorrigible Peg
saw in moment that the day was her own.
1t is said that she dined that day sumptuously
in the ".palace" kitchen; and many time al
terward did his loidship set his guests in a
roar by narrating, in his own inimitable man
ner, the story of "Peg Stack and the ballast
ed salmon,"-Letter to Ecening Post.