St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-12-31
Selling a Watch.

Selling a Watch.
"Yes,' said the auctioneer, =" stand
ing up here and selling goods hour aft
err hour and day after day as | do, a
fellow gets so that he can tell whether
man wants to buy anything, or wheth-
er he merely comes in to .gawp around
the show cases. Now there's a man
coming in to whom you couldn't sell
silver dollars at fifty cents apiece
The stranger carried black leather
yalise with the glazing Worn off at the
corners, and, though respectfully dressed,
there was a shiny appearance to the
sleeves of his coat that indicated a long
forgotten tailor He looked longingly
at the yellow watches, but finally, and
with evident reluctance, moved along
down the showcase, past the hunting
cased silver watches to where the cheap
open faced o1es were displayed. Here
he paused, and commenced scrutinizng
them as if computing their probable
values, and how much his pocketbook
would have 10 shrink to effect pur-
chase.
Hanged i l don't think the snoozer
wants white superr exclaimed the
auctioneer I'M low tone as he darted
around behind the counter and assumed
his professional smile and voice.
"Wish to by a watch this morning,
sir?'
Il would i'll could afford it
"Anybody can afford to buy these
watches. 1t IS actually cheaper for a
man to buy one of them than to 90
without. Yot don't believe it, I'll
prove it to you. The other day fell
low who was going out into the country
for a few days came in here and bought
one of these soEd filled hunting-cased,
stem-winding and stem-pushing, thir-
teen-jeweled, Howard movement
watches of me for fourteen dollars
Fourteen lollarsr' exclaimed the
stranger, in a one of surprise, now re-
garding the Yellow fraud with new in
terest.
Eyes, fourteen dollars. That's all
they cost. HI was only gone three
days, during which time he became en-
gagged to MARI, girl worth forty thou
sand dollars, aid when he came back
he had swappd that watch off for a
four-year-old oltthat he sold for eighty
five dollars. lie came right in here and
got three moreof the watches, and has
gone out into ne country to swap them
off with an old farmer for pair of BAY
mares, six yeas old, that can trot better
than 2:40 in ouble harness. Expect
him back to-da."
"He did nry wrong" said the
stranger, sentatiously.
"Eh! Oh, ofeourse! Certainly. I told
him so. Told i'm he ought to tell the
farmers that thy could get the watches
here of me for fourteen dollars, but he
is one of those lid, specializing fellows,
and | couldn't control him. Will YOU
have one of then, sir?''
The strangess right hand started
toward his pocht, hesitated a moment,
and then drewforth a well-worn but
very corpulent Wallet. Eyes, I'll take
one," said he, hsitatingly. "You see,
am going up nto the Lake Superior
country to prech among the lumber
camps this wintr, and watch will be
a good deal company for me.n as
he laid down nj money on the counter.
=" Are you Peacher,n inquired the
auctioneer, witha look of surprise on
his face.
" A very unworthy one,' was the
meek reply.
why in blaes didn't you say so,
then! | always ell cheaper to preach
ers. That waite only cost me S11.25,
and you can haze it at cost. Yes, con-
found it! for SD, and here's a chain
into the bargain Now git outr' as the
stranger began ttering thanks.
After he was rell outside the door,
the auctioneer 6plained: s.rd rather
a-given $40 thanhave that fellow buy
that watch. nver cheated parson
before. Confoun it! won't be able
to sleep all night How he did take me
in. Who'd thoght he was parson?
if l did1t think he was either
an out-and-out sed or green police
man playing detective. Wellr' with a
little nervous laYh, 'sif he breaches by
that watch, he'lbe tried for hetero-
doxy within a month. -DetroH Free
Press.