Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1870-01-28
Half Cash and Half Barter-A Cute
Trick.

A CONNECTICUT broom peddler -
shrewd chap, from over among the steady
habits, wooden clocks, schoolmasters, and
other fxins-drove through the streets of
Providence 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 uniformity 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 81 <
This was poser. The peddler was
aching to get rid of his brooms he de-
spised the very sight of his brooms; but
he would sooner sell single broom for
cash than the whole load for any other
rticle-especially that which he could
not dispose of so readily as he could
brooms. After moments hesitation,
however, he screwed his courage to the
sticking point-it required some courage,
after having lost his chance of selling his
load half dozen times by similar an
swer-and frankly told the merchant he
must have cash. Of course, the merchant
protested that cash was scarce, and that
be 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, "and select any
articles 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, "just say them terms for half the
load, and cash for t'other half, and Pm
your man. Bowed eff don't sell eout, il
Connecticut sinks with all her broom stuff,
the next minute" - " sri
The merchant hesitated a moment, but
finally concluded the chance a good one.
He would be getting half the brooms for
something that would not sell as readily
as for the cost price, it was an easy gam
mon in regard to it. The bargain was
struck, the brooms were brought in, and
the cash for half of them was paid over.
"Now, what will you have for the re-
mainder of your bill?" asked the mer-
chant.
The peddler scratched his head again,
and this time more vigorously. He walked
the floor, whistled, and drummed with his
fingers on the head of barrel By-and-
by his reply came-slowly, deliberately
and emphatically:
8" You Providence fellers are cute YOU
sell at cost, pretty much all of you, and
make money. Idon't see how it's done.
Now, don't know about your goods,
barrin' one article, and eff I take ANYTHING
else may be cheated. So, seein' as 'twon't
make any odds with you, guess I'll take
brooms. know them like book, and
can swear to jest what you paid for 'em."'
And so saying, the pedler commenced
re-loading his brooms, and having demos
tied half of his former load, jumped on
his cart with regular Connecticut grin,
and, leaving the merchant cursing his
impudence and his own stupidity, drove
off in search of another customer. s