, 1890-07-02
THE PEDDLER'S VISIT.

Not long since I called to spend the day
with an old friend by the name Of Duwley.
Dowley is a farmer Of the old stamp-lives
on the farm where his father was born,
and has been frugal, industrious and
thrifty. His farm is in excellent order, his
stock sleek and fat, his buildings In thor
ough repair, and his children stout, good
natured and healthy. Mrs. Dowley is just
the woman for a farmers wife-A busy,
bustling thing, with ambition enough TO
have everything in order, and pride enough
to have a few things rather nicer than some
folks have. We were sitting In the front
room, Mr.. and Mrs. Dowley, their daugh-
ter Rachel, a buNom lass OF II, and myself,
when we saw one Of those quaint looking
carts drive up into the yard which can be
long only TO n Yankee peddler.
There's one o. them 'tarnal peddlers,"
uttered Mr.. Dowley, with an expression
half of contempt, half Of vengeance. But
he won't make much here. Now mind,
Susan Ito his wife). we don't want nothin'
Of his truek-not a thing"
'.Sartinly we don't" responded the good
wife; and Won't have nothin' neither"
The last one that came along sucked us
in awfully, and | swore then AT I'd never
trade with another one OF 'em agin. Now
mind, Susan, snap i'm rite up ef he offers
yer anything"
Let me alone for that-the dirty, good
for nothingin returned the dame, smooth-
ing down her apron emphatically.
By this time the peddler had made his
way into the back room, and with a sGnil-
ing face he cnme into the room where we
were sitting. He was not one OF your tall,
link things, but n short, plump, good ma
tured looking fellow, and wearing upon
his really handsome face a continual smile,
which nothing seemed to ruffle.
"Well, neighbour" he said after he had
asked after our healths, couldn't / trade
with ye a little today"
mo, sir" empbatically answered Mr..
Dowley, swapping his words out almost
angrily.
Don't you want somethin'i' the peddIer
asked Of the dame in the same smooth,
smiling tone.
mo, sir, / don't-want nothin'.' The
last words dropped from the DANES lips
like the swapping OF n percussion cap.
well, well-nover mind, +" said the ped
dler, at the same time opening one Of his
trunks, and commencing to work as though
no were only arranging his things. Pm
one of them kind es never forces folks into
a trade, cause, don't ye see, faint no use.
/ say, let them trade us has a mind to. Now
some peddlers seem to think everybody's
bound to buy, an ef they don't manages to
make a trade, why they git hufy bout it.
But that isn't my way. | don't like to go
by a mans house without stoppin', cause
mobbe I'd have sumthin' they might want.
But eff a man says no-why, that's enough"
All this time he had been fixing up the
articles In his trunk, and speaking in one
OF the sweetest and most seductive tones
imaginable, md ms his smiles were bestowed
upon the host and hostess, | could see that
/ THAR frnyrna xy-ra VunutIy digNa1I.I ALL
during this time, ton. he had contrived to
fix his things so that a most tempting array
of articles was In sight.
How funny Il Is" the peddler resumed.
with the same sweet smile, and this time
directing his remarks to the gudewife,
'thnt folks will go a lifetime without a
simple thing that would pay for itself in
once usin'. shall never forgit what George
Washington said when he was ON his great
farm deown In old Verginny. Says he. "A
penny saved Is two pennies earnt.' And he
was right. Meow ye see, only this mornin'
| come across a man pacin' of a piece of
land where he was goin' to pillow. asked
him why he idn't measure IL. He said he
admit got. nothin'-his pacin' was rood
enough. You've paced this of, haven't
yef says l. Yes says he. How much
dye make Of its' says l. Jest an acre.
says he. It's jest a square acre Meow,
SO sec, l know'd he hadn't got an acre Of
land there, for could see at he didn't step
long enough. So I jest takes this ere
thing out OF my trunk, and says |. 'Let's
measure 1t right now"
Here tho peddler took from his trunk
ono OF those measuring tapes which roll up
In a neat, circular, polished leather case.
and which was Just two rods long; and, as
he went on speaking, he pulled out the
neatly figured tape, and then wound 1t
up ngnin by means OF the little brass crank.
so he took hold o. one end, an | took
the other, an we went reound that piece in
jest about ten minutes. BY lingo, the pieci,
wasn't only 'baout 'leven rods squnre-sell
short, ye see, sixteen rod, Now, says l,
Jest see heow ye get deceived. Next fall
yer naborsu laf at ye cause ye hain't
raised more corn on an acre, an they'll
swear yer land amt good, and yen have to
stand 1t, too He kind o. took what I'd
said, and he bought one o. these magic land
measurers rite OF. Meow, ye sec, he ken
measure his fcnces, an his land, an his
buildings, an, In fact, he can alters meas
ure anything, cause ye can carry this right
In yer pocket. Come away from home Jest
a week ago yesterday an had seven dozen
o. these farmers' measures-an' all gone
but this. rather guess I'll keep this for
pattern"
And Us he thus spoke he commenced to
stow II away. / saw that Mr.. Dowley eyed
the thing -nnnastl-Saxp axl9-nhn a
rod pole, a two foot rule and any quantity
Of small rope, with which he had always
measured of his land; but this thing took
his fancy. 1t looked so neat and handy.
Jest let me look at that" he said; and
As he took It he pulled 1t out and wound II
up several times. "How high docs this
conner" he asked.
Two dollars, I've been sellini 'em for
replied the peddler.
Amt that hight"
Hight Why, jest look at it-look at
the work, You can't git such ones rite in
Bosting for one cent off m fifteen shillin'.
fe see, l found q man sellin' of at auction
"a man as was goin' to California, an /
got these for considerable under cost. So /
can afford to put 'em cheap"
You couldn't say Mint shillings, could
yoin
WE'LL don't know. E / ever do sell
cheap it's TO nm honest old farmer, who has
TO work hard for n Twin. But look here
ef yen solemnly promise not to lisp a word
70 anybody how cheap | let ye have It, IN
pay nine shillin's But | hadn't ought to
Il hadn't-that's n fact."