Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-04-25
SOFT SANDER AND HUMAN NATUR.
BY THO. CHANDLER HALLIBURTON

in. the face, said, in a confidential tone:
why, I don't care if do tell you, for
the market is glutted, and I shall quit
this circuit. 1t is done by knowledge
Of soft sapder and human natur. But
here is Deacon Flint's,' said he; L have
but one clock left, and 1 CESS 1 will sci!
it to him. -
'!At the gate Of a most comfortable
looking farmhouse stood Deacon Flint, a
old man, who had understood
the value of time better than most ofhis
ifone might judge from the
of everything about him.
Alter the usual salutation, an invitation
to alight was accepted by Mr.. Slick, who
said he wished to take leave Of Mr..
Flint before he left Colchester We had
hardly entered the house before the
Clockmaker pointed to the view from the
window, and, addressing himself to me,
said: IF was to tell them in Connect
cut there was such farm as tins away
down east here in Nova Scotia, they
wouldn't believe NEWLY, there amt
such location in all New England.
The deacon has hundred acres Of
dike'-'Seventy,' said the deacon,
only seventy Well, seventy; but then
there is your fine deep bottom; why, l
could run a ramrod into it. Then
there is that water-pririlege, worth
three or four thousand dollars, twice as
good as what Governor Cass paid
fifteen thousand for. Iwonder, deacon,
you don't put up carding-mill on it;
the same works would carry turning
lathe. a single machine, cieular saw,
grind bark. and'-'Too old said the
deacon, too old for all those .specula-
tons 'Old.' repeated the Clockmaker,
not you; why, you are worth half a
dozen Of the young men we see now-a-
days The deacon was pleased.
Your beasts, dear n,e. your beasts
must be put in and have feed;' saying
which. he went out to order them to be
taken to the stable. As the old gen.
tleman closed the door after him, Mr..
Slick drew near to me. and said in an
undertone: That is what I call soft
saacder. An Englishman would pass
that man as sheep passes hog in 4
pasture looking at Linn, Now,
fnd7-Hero his lecture on soft saw
der was cut short by the entrance Of
Mrs. Flint. 'Jist come to say good
bye, Mrs. Flint What: have YOU sold
all your clocks p Yes, and very low,
too, for money is scarce. and | wish to
close the consarn; no. am wrong in
saying all, for I have just one left.
Neighbor Steelc's wife asked to have
the refusal Of 1t, but I guess won't sell
it. I had but two Of them, this one
and the Teller of it, that sold Cover
nor Lincoln. Gen. Green, Secretary
OF State for Maine, said he'd give me
fifty dollars for this here one-it has
wheels. and patent axles;
it is a beautiful article-a real first chop
no mistake, genuine superfne !; but l
guess I'll take it back; and, besides,
Squire Hawk might think it hard that 1
did not give him the offer" Dear me-
said Mrs. Flint. I should like to see it;
where is it?:' 1t is in chest Of mine
over the way, at Tom Tapes store; 1
guess he can ship it on to PASSPORT"
That's a good man, said Mrs. Flint
list let's look at it, Mr.. Slick, willing
to oblige, yielded to these entreaties,
and soon produced the clock-a gaudy,
highly vanished, trumpery looking
affair. He placed it on the chimney
piece, where its beauties were pointed
out, and duly appreciated by Mrs. Flint,
whose admiration was about ending in
when Mr.. Flint returned from
giving his directions about the care Of
the horses. The deacon praised the
clock be, too, thought it q handsome
one but the deacon was a prudent
man he had a watch, he was sorry,
but he had no occasion for clock. L
guess you're in the wrong furrow this
time, deacon it amt for saie,' said
Mr.. Slick; and if it was, I reckon
neighbor Steele's wife would have it,
for she gives me no peace about it,
Mrs. Flint said that Mr.. Steele had
enough to do, poor man, to pay his in
terest, without buying clocks for his
wife. It's no consarn of mine" said
Mr.. Slick, as long as he pays me, what
he has to do; but I guess I don't want
to sell it; and, beside, it comes too
high; that clock can't be made at
Rhode Island under forty dollars. Why,
it amt possible!' said the Clockmaker,
in apparent surprise, looking at his
watch; why, as I'm alive, it is four
o'clock, and if L hayn't been two hours
here-how on airth shall reach River
Philip tonight? I'll tell you what, Mrs.
Flint Pll leave the clock in your care
ill return on my way to the States
I'll set it agoing, and put it to the right
.ime.' As soon as this operation was
he delivered the key to the
ieacon with sort Of serio-conlic in
junction to wind up the clock every |
night, which Mrs. Flint said
she would take care should be done,
and promised to remind her husband
Of it, in case he should chance to forget |
It.
"That," said the Clockmaker, as
soon as we were mounted," that | call
!