The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-11-25

I
You are welcome"
I" / come to propose n good speculation
to you" .,
"Yes! What is p"
GO have an order from the government
for four hundred thousand herring, to he
delivered within a month, Can you fur
nish me with that number in, say three
weeks"
At what price,"
"Ten ilorins thousand"
| "Ten ilorins Yes, ! will furnish
them"
Very well, and now to dinner; am
half famishcd. At table we will talk of
another matter"
| Woerdcn introduced the subject Of the
marriage, but Van Elburg could not be
persuaded to increase the dowry he had
offered to give his daughter to the
amount of single silver. They never
thclcss decided that the wedding should
take place that day week.
The following day Wocrdcn and his
son returned home. Hardly had they
left Brock when the young man asked:
| "Thcn, father, you have changed your
mind 2"
"How so?"
Have you not Offered to accept the
dowry offered by Mcistcr Van Elburg ?"
"Iet me manage the matter in my
own way, my son, and Hsk no questions" "
| When the wedding came, W0crdcn
and his son returned to Brock. Van FL
burg received them kindly, but he was
80 nurricd and nervous that William
feared he had some bad news for them.
His father, however, had no such mis-
givings; the old fox knew too well the
cause of his colleagues disturbed man
ner.
"What is the matter, Mcistcr Van FL
burg?" he asked, with sardonic smile.
You seemed to bc worried about some
thing?"
"Ah, my friend am greatly cmbar-
rasscd. must speak with you"
"What is it? Have you changed
your mind with regard to the marriage ?
Speak frankly; it is not too late"
No, no; it is another matter en-
tircly."
" Well, then, let us first proceed with
the wedding ceremony. Aiterward /
shall bc quite at your service"
The company, therefore, repaired to n
ncighboring church, and in few minutes
the young people were husband and
wife. When they returned to the house,
Van Elburg asked Wocrden to 20 with
him into his private room.
"My friend" began Van Elburg,
when he had carefully closed the door,
"in accordance with our agreement l
should within two weeks from now de
liver TO you four hundred thousand
herring5. Thus far, however, ! have not
been able to procure sing lie one. There
arc none in the market; they have been
all bought up"
Certainly they have; bought them
up myself" replied W.erdcn, smiling,
| t" But-but-how about my contract!
stammcred Van Elburg. -,
"You will fulfill it. Listen, friend
Van Elburg; you will some day leave
your daughter handsome fortune; 1
shall leave my son Mt least as much;; IL
| is, therefore, necessary to discuss their
future. This, however, is not true OF
| the present | shall soon give my entire
business to my son, while you give your
| daughter only fsur thousand ducats. l
could not oppose the wishes of the young
people but when consented to their
union, determined to compel you TO a."
your duty toward them. With tins OBJ
| icct in view contracted with you for
four hundred thousand hcrrings, at ten
horins thousand although | then had
all the hcrrings in the market. Now, IN
order to comply with the terms OF your
agreement YOU must buy from me, and
my price is fifty tlorins thousand; you
have, therefore, only to pay over to me
the sum of sixteen thousand tiorins ano
we shall be square.
While Mcister Wocrden was arriving
at this mercantile deduction, Van FL
burg regained his wontcd equanimity.
81 see, | see," said he, you are
clever tradesman. | am fairly caught
and must bide the consequence"
Their conference ended, the two ol'
merchants rejoined the wedding com
pany, as though nothing unusual hh'
occurred between them.
A week later, Van Elburg went Il
Amsterdam ostensibly to see his daugh
ter. Now the tables are turned.
"Ah, meister," cried Woerden, OF
seeing his colleague from Brock, " | an
in terrible dilemma. The time is ap
preaching when must deliver four nun
dred thousand hcrrings, and not cash
can find to put them in
"That does not surprise me- an
swered Van Elburg, smiling; "yo'
bought up all my herrngs, and | bough
49,, III ,,nr cnutl