Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-03-11
Srlctt Storp.
JOHN RiNKIN'S B1RG4IN.

Pretty good for one days work"
Farmer Rankin rubbed his hands brisk
" together. after depositing in his desk
q contract between himself and poor
ueighbor.
Pretty good, little wife. Doyou know
how fast the money comes in' There is
nothing like making good bargains. Pass
the apples and cider. James"
Mrs Rankin looked up from her sew
ins with atroublcd gaze. Il hope You
have not been too hard with him, John !;
his family is very needy"
"Ihave given fine job 70 him and
his boys. They can do we'll enou gh at
eighty-soven. or even seventy-ave cents
cord for wood chopping Ipaid only
fifty cents per cord last winter"
Though; you were paying one dol lar !?
said his wife.
Il am paving according TO my agree
mentS. " replied Mr. Rankin in tone of
slight displeasure There was something
in his wife's manner that reproved him,
as he watched the busy fingers, rs they
sho, the needle with sharp click through
the cambric.
The children had retired, and Farmer
Rankin sat towing with the rich, mellow
apples before him, while his wife kept
on at her sewing.
John -
"Well?n
"Are YOU not paying Thomas Barnes
one dollar per cord for cutting wood in
your woods ?"
Yes
You will have TO draw it three miles ?"
About that"
You are to pay Joe Miller eighty
seven cents per cord for wood cut in his
woods, and you will have to draw it two
miles and half
Yes, quite saving OF time and money.
There, wife; understand that peculiar
look of yours, which always warns me of
O lecture on ethics. tell YOU | have
done well enough by him. If | can give
a man a good job, and at the same time
make it profitable to myself, you ought to
be pleased. Joe Miller wishes to clear
his land. lam TO give him eighty-seyen
cents per cord for two hundred cords. l
have paid fifteen dollars in advance, and
am to pay the balance As soon as it is
piled and measured"
1T will take them long time TO cut
that much wood, besides cutting what
they will be obliged to burnin the mean
time. And what are the family to do
while they are cutting it? They are de-
pendent upon his daily labor for their
bread. | heard him tell you that the
money YOU paid him would scarcely buy
the boots that he and his boys must have
before they can work"
That is no concern of mine. III pay
when the work is done, it will be quite
enOugh-more than many others would
do. Before commencing, they can work
out . few days, and earn bread and meat
enough TO last them through the time"
we are not guided by what others
would do. The question is, what ought
We TO do? Can you afford to pay Thom-
as Barnes one dollar per cord?"
Mr.. Rankin WINGED under the pene-
trating look of his wife.
Yes, but | could not get it done cheap
er. as that is the least anybody is paying
in ordinary timber, and Barnes knew the
market price of wood, and knew just how
much | can draw in one day"
Then Thomas Barne. understands
the worth of labor better than Joe Miller. y
"Yes, save just twenty-six dollars on
the chopping, provided he fills the con-
tract, and fifty if not. The difference in
drawing and furnishing the wood makes
what call good bargain" said Mr..
Rankin. with low chuckle, as he quaffed
glass OF cider.
Say, rather, bad bargain, my hus-
band" said Mrs. Rankin, with hall