The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-30

ought to show how little ground there IS
for instituting them.
Yankee IS STops"-The Mania for Ira
ding I'm the Green Mountain State.
ISaxton's River W.T. Letter to the Boston Heraldl
A horse-trader, or one who does the other
fellow up brown, is looked upon in this Sec
ton as a fit candidate Of any party, and is
usually nominated for the best office in town.
When he has met with success in that line
he has the confidence of those who have not
only suffered by his keenncss, but tremblc
lest they get stuck on the next trade, for
trade these people will. There is not dry
goods store, a grocery, Il harness shop. or any
other kind of chcbang, where there is not
a nightly trade made, all the way from an
old-fshoned jack-knife to a pair of two
vear-old steers. and the ambitious youth who
palms off handle without blades is usually
looked upon as possessing qualifications emf.
ncntly fitting him for college, or as the pres
tidigitatcur on the forward end Of tin cart.
One of my old friends who has lived here
since boyhood is governed entirely by trade,
and had much rather "Swop" with little
boot than sell for money outright. A few
years since he visited the ''Hub,' and his
attention was struck square in the front
while passing through Dock square by the
sweet sounds of q tin muSc-bOX, which was
doing its level best to give all the demi-semi-
ollavers Of" Hubs Victory" He bought ii
by paying currency at the low price of two
fifty. The music-boX pleased his dear Merib
and the other music-Ioving people of the
village but this single tune could not al
ways please, and Hull, though 4 splendid
naval officer in his way, could not expect to
have his victory to last longer than few
months, when it was so often started up. and
50 it was accounted bore. Hodgkins 1--WE will
| call his namc) needed boots for the winter,
and he had no money. He offered to trade
| with the shoemaker for pair Of boots by
giving him his box, but the shoemaker was
not disposed to do so. Yet, Hodgkins was
bound to fight for his boots on that line il
| it took all winter, and that the bootman
should either get the box or its equivalent
in trade he was bound to see done. There
| was man in Grafton, a few miles above,
who had not only a few hens but nice ear
for music. Hodgkins started for him, and
walking his team past the old fellows house,
be wound up his tin machine and "Hulls
Victory" resoundcd among the hills of that
anti-railroad town. The music. box took, and
| in a few minutes the hens were in the wagon
and the box in front of the rural retreat,
| with dollar twelve and lalfin Hodgkins's
breeches pocket. Converting the hens to
boots was another matter, but HodgkinSs
executive capacity was amply sufficient to
accomplish the task.
Starting for home he met the mail stage
which plies regularly between Bellows Falls
and Grafton, and whose driver, being q
lover of poultry, stopped the United States
mail and proposed to trade. Hodgkins was
ready; didn't care about trading, of course,
but if the driver had pair of boots to swap
he didn't know but what he would. The
driver didn't have boots, but he had under
his seat fresh steers hide he was taking to
Grafton to get tanned, and he would swap
for that. Here was chance; it was the
nearest approach to boots Hodgkins had seen
since the tin machine had been in his posses
sion. Hodgkins's face was radiant upawares,
for his heart bubbled up the smiles against
the trading Judgment. Mad with the smile,
but earnest for the trade, it is no stretch of the
Imagination to picture Hodgkins few min
utes later, vending his weary way to the
bosom Of his loved ones at home, seated on
the understanding hide Of the innocent
| steer who had given his life that Hcdgkins
| might 20 for the Grafton stage. HodSkins
| took the skin to the shoemaker and snapped
| it for boots, with 81 rs into the bargain. He
| says he made money on the box and on the
| hens, but as he keeps no books by double
entry he cannot tell exactly the net results
| He knew he needed the boots, and has got
! them, and is satisfied that if the shoemaker
| hasn't got the box he may yet have to dicker
with its pOssessor.
You can trade here for anything market
able or unmarketable. Pump-legs and Sc.
cond-hand pulpits are easily snapped for
grain and spawned horses, and either of the
same can easily be exchanged for uncollected
pew bills against any Of the pew-holders Of
the place of worship. Nothing comes amiss.
A thorougbgo!ng, sharp horse.trade gives a
question for discussion among the occupants
OF this town forat least six months, and longer
ifthere is no other bang-up trade sculling
along to take the first ones water. / heard
one of the most prominent men of the village
say within day or two that as he was so
given to swapping and trading he hoped no
one would make an offer for his dog or bis
wife, for he added "I am human !" Trad
ing is hereditary, and getting something to
boot is talent FURNISHED, but woe betide the
unfortunate youth who, in q moment of
trading frenzy, swaps and pays out change
for the difference. His is considered mis-
spent life, and for time the hopes of his
parents are in measure blasted; certainly
it is so il in some succeeding trade he does
not hoist his adversary over the rocks with
rs great momentum as be himself was jolt
ed along, and with q little premium added.
Jim Fisk was the beau ideal Of these YER
monters. Mothers point to Jim as the model
for their children to follow and initiate. No
matter about the cotton warp shawl palmed
Of upon them US all wool by the Prince of
Erie; it is enough, for them to know that
success is duty, and that the end was gained