Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1880-05-18
Mls lsCELLAREouS US.
HOW SHREWD SPECTACLE sEr-
LER PAID HIS BOARD,

SaOR ways that are dark and tricks that nre
not vain, the Yankee pcddler can give
the heather Chineo points. A bright Young
fellow who was driven not long ago to trav>
cling country roads with basket over b,s
arm selling little articles on which there was
Just tribe over two thousand per cont
profit, fell in, down in the wilds of New
jersey, one day. with one of these. Interests
ing specimens. THAT man." saws the vorne
fellow, taught me more about peddIine in
the fow days We travelled together than I
ever knew before. He could turn n iack
knife into horse and wagon Late one af.
ternoon we were making for the little tay
etn, kept by en- elderly woman, where we
intended to pass the night. The Yankee a.
We passed little pile of pebbles stooped
down and picked up two round white ones.
one about twice as large the other. 81 nm
going to pay for my supper and lodging"
said he, with these two pebbles" He put
them in his pocket, and I thought no more
about them till after we had eaten our sun
per- we were seated in front of comfortable
hre-the Yankee, the Iandlady and T. He
was spectacle peddler, and carried his
wares in little green box. To had charm,
ing habit of saying to people whenever he
got chance, Your eyee are in a prettv had
way. They won't last long" He said this
to the landlady, and she replied that she was
afraid that was true. for they had been troub-
ling her good deal lately.
Then tue spectacle man brought out the
larger Of the two pebbles. ttLook nt that
madam said he. What do you thing Of
that?"
The landlady said she thought it looked
like any other white pebble that could he
picked up anywhere. The spectacle man.
laughing at the poor womau's ignorance. said
if she could pick up few stones like that
she'd soon make her fortune. 7. was n
genuine eye pebble imported from GERMANY.
IL make an eye-water from these rebbles,"
said he. that strengthens The eye and re.
stores the falling sight. That stone will
dissolve to nothing in ten minutes in salt and
water" The old lady was incredulous. and
for some time nothng more was said obopt
IT. Presently she asked: "Is that eve, water
of yours very explosive?" "No." he said
mot very explosive" "Then," said she
81 guess I'll have to get you to make me a
bottle of it."
The peddler told her to bring in n tum,
bicrfull OF lukewatm water with a ,ablespoon
OF salt in it. end teaspoon. The articles
were soon brought, and the rcddler, drop-
ping the larger pebble into the glass. began
to stir it with the teaspoon with grost delib
Grafton. For fully FIVE minutes he continued
to stir, the pebble, of course, showing no
signs Of dissolving.
II thought" said the old lady, "that the
little stone would dissolve"
at does seem little stubborn, that's a
TACT, said the spectacle man, ''but the trou
BILE Is you haven't put in quite enough salt.
Jest get me teaspoontul more salt, and j,
will soon be all right" The old lady left
the room to get the salt, aud the peddler
quickly whipped the large pebble out Of the
tumoler and dropped in the small one 81
declare" said she, when she returned and
saw the diminished size of the pebble. sit is
takin' hold, after all, amt it?" "Certaiply."
said the spectacle man, looking very wise,
aud pouring in the remainder of the salt, SIT
will be done now in about five minutes, and
you'd better have bottle ready to pour it
in, for it spoils to stand in the air."
The landlsdy had him this time, for the bot
tie was standing on the mantle shelf. Itwss
necessary to get her out of the room once
moro to remove the little pebble, so he
asked, "Hsven't You a colored glass bottie?"
No. she said, she hadn't one in the house.
Then, said be, "you had better paste some
dark paper around this one, for the light
weakens the eye-water, and in tine spoils
It. The old lady went out in the kitchen to
hnnt some thick paper, and out came the
the little pebble, the eye-water was made.
"Rub your eyes we'll with this three times
day." he said. as he corked the bottle.
and by the next time come around you'll
have new pair of eyes in your head"
Next morning, as We were about to nav
our bills, the landlady inquired how much
she owed for the eYe-water
"Is will be dollar for the pebble, just
what it costs to import them from Germa.
n.y." said he 81 won't charge you any thing
for making IL"
A dollar was just what he owed tbe hotel.
He aud the i'ndlsdy we're square"