The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-03-28
., y CAIRO, ILLINOIS. WEDNESDAY, MARCH % 1877
Ihe Bu!letin.
sos, nav der and Human Nasur.
BY THOMAS CHANDLER HALLIBURTON.

BY THOMAS CHANDLER HALLIBURTON.
In the course OF a Journey which Sir.
slick performs in company with The re-
porter OF his humors. the latter asks him
how, in country so poor as Nova scotia
lac contriyes to sell 80 many clocks. MIR.
Slick paused continues the author. las
If considering the propriety OF answering
ttequestion, and. looking me In the face,
said, in confidential tone /: why, don {
care il do tell you, sor the market j.
glutted. aud shall quit his circuit. IL
/ u done bv a knowledge OF soft satcde,' and
human natur. But here is Deacon Flats,
said he: 4 have but one clock left, and 1
CUES will sell il TO him"
AT the gate Of a most comfortable
looking farmhouse stood Deacon Flint.
q respectable old man, who had UNDER
stood the value OF time better than most
of his neighboTs. II one might Judge
from the appearance OF everything aboat
him. After the usual salutation, an in
yitation TO alight was accepted by Mr..
Slick. who said he wished to take leave
Of Mrs Flint before he lefC Colchester
We had hardly entered the house before
the Clockmaker pointed to the view
from the window, and addressing him
sell 10 Tue, said: iii was to tell them In
t'onbecticut there was such farm as
this away down east here
in Nova Scotia. they wouldn't
believe me Why, there
amt such location in all New England
The deacon has hundred acres OF dixie
-----'Sevebty,' said the deacon. only
seventy We'll, seventy; but then there
IL your fine deep bottom; why, / could
run a ramrod into 1t. Then there is that
waite privilege, worth three or four
thousand dollars, twice as good as what
Governor Cass paid fifteen thousand for.
! wonder, deacon, you don't put up n
carding mill on it: the same works would
carry turnlng-lathe, single machine,
a circular saw, grind bark. and'-'Too
DID, said the deacon. too old for all
those speculations.' OLD repeated the
Clockmaker, not you; why, you are
worth half dozen Of the young men We
see now-a-days.' The deacon was pleased.
Your beasts, dear me. your beasts
must bc put in and have iced : saying
which, he went out TO order them TO be
taken To the stable. A. the old gentle
man closed the door alter him, MIR. Slick
drew near ~ me. and said in an under
tone: That i. what call soft sa'cder.
An Englishman would pas thai man as
a sheep passes hog In pasture-with-
out looking at him. Now. ! find"-Here
his lecture on soft sawder was cut short
by the entrance Of Mrs. Flint. .Jist come
to say good bye. Mrs. Flint. What.
have you sold all your clocks" YES.
aud very low, too, TOR money is scarce.
and wish to close the concarn !: no. ! am
wrong in saying all, for have just one
LETT. Neighbor Steele's wife asked to
have the refusal OF IL, but l
guess won't sell IL. had
but two OF them, this one and
the teller vi IL, that ! sold Governor
Lincoln. General Green, secretary OF the
state oil Maine, said he'd give me fifty
dollars for this here one--it has compO-
sition wheels. and patent axles; il Is II
beautiful article real first chop-no
mistake, genuine superiine: but guess
I'll take il back; and, besides, Squire
Hawk might think it hard that did not
give him the Offer Dear me, said Mrs.
Flint should like to sec il; where is III
1t is la chest of mine over the way, at
Tom Tapes store; guess he can ship il
on 10 PASSPORT That's good man.
said Mrs. Flint .jist lets look at it,.
Mr.. Slick, willing 10 oblge. yielded 10
these entreaties. and soon produced the
clock--a gaudy, highly vanished.
trumpery looking affair. He placed II on
the chimney.piece. where its beauties
were pointed out, and duly appreciated
Ly Mrs. Flint, whose admiration was
about ending in propo al,
when Mr.. Flint returned from CIV
ing bis directions about the care OF the
horses. The deacon praised the clock
he, too, thought il a handsome one; but
the deacon was q prudent man; he had
watch. ne was sorry, but he had no oc-
ca sion tor clock. 'Iguess you're in the
wrong furrow this time, deacon it amt
tor SALE said Mr.. Slick; and If it was.
reckon neIghbor Steel's wife would have
il. for she gives me no peace about it,
Mrs. Flint said that Mr. Steele had
enough to do. poor man. 10 pay his in
terest, without buying clocks tor his wife.
Its no consarn OF mine, said Mr.. Slick,
AS long az he pays me. what he has 10
do; but | guess don't want to sell II:
and, besides, 1t comes 100 high; that
der lortv dollars. Why, it amt
possible said the Clock
maker, in apparent surprise. looking at
his watch why, as I'm alive, it Is four
o'clock. and if haven't been two hours
here-how on airth shall | reach River
Philip tonight? I'll tell you what.
Mrs. Flint: I'll leave the clock in your
care till return ON my way 10 the states
I'll set it agoing. and put it TO the right
time As soon as this operation was
performed. he delivered the key to the
deacon with sort Of serio-comic injunc-
ton TO wind up the clock every Saturday
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 il.
THAT" said the Clockmaker. as soon
as we were mounted, 'that call huD,ai
Hatere! Now, that clock Is sold for
forty dollars-it cost me just six dollars
and fifty cents. Mrs. Flint will never
let Mira. Steel have the refusal-nor will
the deacon learn until call for the clock.
that having once INDUCED in the use of
a superfiuety, II is difficult to give it up.
We can do without any article of lux
ury we have never had, but when once
obtained, it Ia not in human natur to sur
render it voluntarily. OF fifteen thous-
and sold by myself and partners in this
province, twelve thousand were left i'm
this manner. and only ten clocks were
ever returned-when we called for them,
they invariably bought them. We trust
to soft sawder to get them iatO tho
Il.