The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-03-17
A Queer Spanish Merchant.
I entered . small shop whore q

i entered small shop where groat
bullying oil-iars of dark shining green,
with a deep projecting rim and three
curved handles. stood in rows; the walls
were lined with shelves bearing dark
red terra Gotta water-cruses, with taper
necks and trefoil lips, others of de-
licious cream-colOr, covered with a
graceful incised design. and others del
icately beaded over with raised pat
tern: some had one arm akimbO, or a
long, eccentric spout. L lost my head
over this display. and recklessly or
dered big pieces by the pair and small
er ones by the dozen. Nv imagination
showed me the steps of familiar coun-
try house, thousands of miles away.
flanked with the great green jars hold
ing oleanders and pomegranate shrubs,
and an old mahogany sidebOard adorned
with the ivory-tinted water coolers, and
the hearts of aesthetic friends made
glad by small reproductions of the more
exquisite shapes. The GYPSY merchant,
only degree more brown. stately and
silent than the ord nary Andalusian.
betrayed no emotion at my prOdigality,
although am persuaded that he had
never made such sale before, for the
bill amounted to several hundred reals,
which reduced TO pesetas was Just
twelve dollars. The purchases were to
be So ely packed in 4 strong box, sent
down the river TO CadiZ, and
shipped for America. The next day,
doubling his promptness, made a
second expedit on to the Triana to
see if he had been as good as his word.
Sure enough, there in a Little grass
grown yard were three cases, about rs
large and as strong rs common tea
chests. A borr bic vision of rough
Stevedores, and custom house officers
not a whit less sly and sharp than gyp-
sizes, rose tH my mind, and | said that
there must be but one box and that a
strong one, IS these wOull hardly hold
together to reach the river. The mas
ter of the shop lighted a cigarita and
began TO discuss the matter. his part of
the argument consisting in almost total
silence. Presently his wife joined us;
then an old man who was smoking in
the shop; then an old womIn they
called tine carpenter. At last there
were seven persons sitting on the..dOor-
steps or slowly pacing about the pack
lng-caseS, as if measuring them for n
carpet 1t was pronounced impossible
TO make larger or thicker boxes, and
that if male they could not be lifted by
mortal men. My kind artist friend.
who played interpreter with 4 patience
that eNasperated me. represented that
grand pianos and colossal statues are
packed in single boxes and sent around
the would; but the Spaniards paid no
attention to anything that we said.
MonosyliabicO OBJ ectiOns. insuperable OBJ
stacles expressed in n single word. were
their only answers. For three-quar-
tiers of an hour the debate was carried
on until finally broke off negotiations,
declaring the Portland vase itself was
not worth SD MANY words. The Span
lard imperturbably professed himself
ready TO refund the money and forfeit
the value of the cases, which were ON
the bill. but not to make another box.
L had not brought the bill with me, and
asked him TO refer to his books for the
There were no books, no
slate. no memorandum of anv sort. He
promised TO cali 1T the Fonda de Mad
rid that evening, see the bill, and re-
pay the amount. departed. skeptical, |
but preferring to lose the money rather |
than more time; but that evening the |
grave shopkeeper presented mself,
he transaction was annulled, and he |
-epliei to my renewed regrets at losing
he pottery by saying that he must lose |
his cases. An English friend, who was
by. said that he would take
he big green jars, which could be
shipped direct to London. The shop
keeper answered that to transport those
ars and nothing more the boxes must
Re made smaller. which would not be
worth his while; and wishing us good
evening with the utmost courtesy, ne
contented TO his unsold wares.
some friends who have lived long in
spain witnessed this scene and found
nothing extraordinary in it; they said
hat most Span ards would rather starve
han work and that even the indus
rious would rather lose mnch money
han take a little trouble. -Ada1lttc
Monthly.