The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1889-01-24
THE SECOND HAND SILVER MAN.
A Quaint Down fastener Who Found His
| Bonanza at Home

A Quaint Down fastener Who Found His
Bonanza at Home.
Down near Cape Cod spry little man
jumped out of dilapidated buggy and
ran into country store.
"Mor'n. Any plugged or clipped silver
to sell today?' he asked of the merchant.
"Wal, I'd no; hain't got time to look it
up. Next time you come along, mebbe."
"Oh! amt in no hurry; look round
some, will We, an I'll hang round spell"
oval, I'll see."
''Do you find the old silver business
profitable?" asked a young man who sat
on a soap box, smoking.
eyes, yes" answered the spry man,
sitting down socially and picking his
teeth with Taunton herring. "My ole
man was Calyforny forty miner, but I
find more OF bonanzy round these parts
than he ever fetched hum. This boss an
buggy O mine hez put up at every tavern
in eastern Massachusetts, and 1 make a
pretty fair thing out ont, year in an
year out. Ibuy this ere mutilated stuff
by Troy weight an sell it to the bullion
brokers'"
GLOW do you fix the price?"
"'Cordin' to market rates." said the
little man pompously. "Then get lots
of old teaspoons an things that's bent or
broke from some O the farm houses.
Tother day Teller thought he's goin' to
play smart on me. He'd lot of silver
odds and ends, and weighed 'em on
avverdepoy scales fore cum along.
weighed 'em OH these Troy scales, an
told him the ounces. Hold, on sez he,
there's moren't that, cause I weighed
it, an couldn't make the critter believe
I warn't tryin' to stick him."
ever get any antique silver thatisn't
broken upw
Sometimes, but folks gently hold
onter them old heirlooms. 'Taint long,
though, sence I got big, long, chased
spoon with twisted handle that looked
as though it come over in the Mayflower,
and cncet l got silver porringer or
christenin' cup, the teller called it when
sold it to him.
"My biggest holt is out to them big
piggeries round Dedham and Hyde
park. The hogs are fed on city swill,
and lots O forks an spoons gets chucked
in by careless help. A good deal on't's
plated stuff, an that don't have no call
to NEEDLE with. know an ole woman
that owns piggery that got half
barrel full O plated forks an spoons.
She can't sell 'em, an she's too mean to
give 'em away. Sometimes rings an
things gets in. Then, again, buy old
watch cases, pins an rings with stones
knocked out, or anything that's gold or
silver.
Say" continued the spry man, in a
fit of confidence, "I'll let ye look into
my box if you want to-"
He had a curious collection-pieces of
little thin, old fashioned teaspoons,
quaint time blackened jewelry with
deep chasings, old Spanish milIed dol
lars and pistareens; a heterogeneous heap
of worn, battered, clipped ard perforated
coins; the lid of silver snuff box and
the handle of a gold headed cane.
''Should think you'd be afraid Of get
ting robbed" SUI ggested the aGmiring
young man.
Lord! there hain't no hishwaymen
| about here" said the bonanza man, re-
provingly. "a Teller stopped me oncet
down in Plymouth woods, but | told the
durn fool ter git cut, an he did. | guess
he'd been drinkin' rum, an callated to
skeer me a little. "-Boston Herald.