St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-11-10
UNCLE BILLS BARGAIN.


| NJ The Faaf TAing.
"Bill wus old Jedge Hiram Cadwell's
oldest boy-you reoollect tho Cadwell's
used to live on tho road near the
cemetery. Old Jedge CAdwell was
about 81 shifless . man q ever see.
but Blu he'd . great bizness head
calc'late he must hev inherited it from
bis mother. who como Of tho finest
stock in Hampshire County. When he
wuz boy. Bill wuz always tradin' an
swapin'. an I s'pose he started out in
life with moro jack-knives than'd stock
. store. An Bill preserved in man
hood all them talents which he ex-
hibited in youth. Whenever you meet
q man at looked o. II he'd been run
through sieve you'd feel mighty safe
in bettin' that he'd been havin' bizness
dealin's with Bill CALDWELL.
''One day Bill came into Eastman's
store an allowed Is how he's be power
full glad to git . knittin' needle. His
wife wanted one he said.
Mr.. CALDWELL sez Eastman, =
knittin' needle will cost you jest one
cent
''Bill looked kind NV surprised like.
and seq: .knittin' needles must hev
gone up sence I come in fur ono last
winter
"'Wall.' sez Eastman, after payin'
freight nd one thing md another. I
can't afford to let knittin' needles 60
fur less'n cent apiece
'.Bill didn't say any thing for min
nit or two. but after lookin' out Nv the
door at the scenery. he turnt round and
sez: Look here. Mr.. Eastman, I'll
tell you what Ill do; Ill trade you an
egg fur knittin' needle
Eastman shook his head. why
not" sez Bill. You don't suppose at
q darned old knittin' needle is wuth ez
much ez an egg. do YEP
i never heerd Nv any body payin'
freight on hens seq Eastman; he wuz
the most sarcastic cuss in the town.
ship, Eastman wuz.
g No, nor I never hcerd NV feedin'
knittin' needless sez Bill. 1t don't
cost nothin' to raise knittin' needless
"Well, Bill an Eastman argued an
argued fur more'n hour about hens
an knittin' needles an things. until at
last Eastman give in an seq: Wall.
s'pose 1 might jest ez well swop ez not.
although l hate to let any body get the
advantage NV me- So Eastman give
Bill the knittin' needle and Bill give
Eastman the egg.
"But when Bill got to the door he
turnt round an come back again an
SEE: Mr.. Eastman, amt it the Gus
tom fur you to treat when you've set
tied with a customer? You an me
hev he'd our dispute, but we've come
TO . settlement and-an understandin'.
Seems to me it would be the handsome
thing for you to treat
Eastman didn't see 1t in just that |
light, but Bill hung on SO an wuz so
that finally Eastman hand |
ed out q tnmbler an the bottle o. Med !
ford rum.
~ don't want to seem particular
sez Bill. pourin' out half tumblerful |
NV the liquor, but l like to take my
rum with an egg in it,
'.Now, this come pretty near
Eastman's heart. He he'd
laid the egg on a shelf behind the
an he reached for it an
it to Bill sayin': Wall, I'm in
Tor it. an there's no use Nv of kickin'.'
''Bill broke the egg into the rum.
md 10 an behold. it wuz a double
yelk egg! Gosh, but Bill wuz ex-
cited!
":Mr. Eas'man.' sez he, 'you'v' been
} takin' an advantage over me-
"'How SOP asked Mr.. Eastman.
"'Why. this egg has got two yelks.'
"'What Nv that? sed Eastman.
"'Well, simply this sez Bill. that
4 you're inclined to do the fair thing
,ou'll hand over another knittin'
,eedler r"-Eugene Field, in Chicago
Netcs.