Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-01-28
Half Cash aud Half Barter-A Cute
Trick.


A CONNECTICUT broom peddler "a
shrcwd chan. from over among the steady
habits, wooden clocks, schoolmastcrs, and
other fixins-drove through the streets OF
Providence heavily laden with corn
brooms He had called at several stores
and offered his load, or ever 30 small
p0rtion of 10 but when he wanted the
cash, and nothing else, In payment, they
had uniformity given him TO understand
that they had brooms enough, and that he
might 20 further. At length he drove up
TO large wholesale store on the west
side. and once moroofIered his wares.
"Wcll, l want the brooms badly enough"
said the merchant, "but what Will you
take in payY' -
This was poser. Tho pcddlur WAS
aching to get rid of his brooms he dc.
spiscd the very sight of his broomsi but
he would sooner sell q single broom for
| cash than the whole load for any other
| article especially that which he could
| moi dispose of SO readily rs he could
brooms Aflor moments hesitation,
boweyer, he screwed his courage to The
| slicking polnt--it required some courage,
aIter having lost his chance of selling his
| load half n dozen times by n similar an
| swor-and frankly told the merchant he
must hhyo cash. OF course, the merchant
| protested that cash was scarce, and that
| be must purchase, ir he purchased At all
/ with what he had In his store TO pay with
| He really wanted the brooms, and he die
not hesitate to say 20; but the times were
hard, and he had notes 10 pay, and hat
goods that must be disposed OF :,
I Finally, he said he would put The gooul
al the cost price, for the sake OF trading
and would take the whole load OF broomi
which the peddler had labored 60 unsuc
cessnlly ut the other stores To- disposc ol
$50 unload the brooms,n said he TO the
man from Connecticut, land select any
articles nom m store, and you shall haV'
them at cost price"
Tho neddler scratched his hoad. Their,
was AN idea there, as the sequel show
plainly enough.
al tell YOU what II ls," he answered q
last. "iust say them terms for hall IN
load, and cash for tothcr hall, ana In
your man. Blowcd eff don't sell eout, !
| Connecticut sinks with al her broom stun
the next minute"
The merchant hcsitated q moment, bu
finally concluded the chance good onC
IIe would be getting half the brooms 10
something that would not sell as readily
us for the cost price, il was an easy gan
mon in regard TO it. The bargain wa
struck, the brooms were brought in, an
the cash for half Of them was paid over.
"Now, what win you have for the r.
mainder of your billp" asked the me
chant. .. |.l... ..4. 10 u
The pedtller scratched his head agaii
! and this time moro vigorously. He wake
I. tho floor, whistlcd, and drummod with h
fingers on the head OF q barrel. Byant
by his reply came--slowly, dclibcratcl
|, and emphatically:
"You Providence fellers are cute yc
= sell at cost, pretty much oil of you, IN
!, make money. don't see how it's don
Now, | don't know about your good
! barrin' one article, and ef ! take anythir
else may be cheated. So sedn' as 'twon
make any odds with you, guess I'll tai
, brooms know them like book, IN
! can swear to jest what you paid for ON
And so saying, the pedlor commence
! rc.loading his brooms, and having dcpo
\ tied half of his former load, jumped O
\ his cart with a regular Connecticut gri
and, leaving the merchant cursing h
g impudonce and his own stupidity, droN
= of in search of another customer.