Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-11-21
The Drummer From Boston.

Ahipii6 wv l''ooViSCIo VII a. l. mia
delphia train coming north the other
day were several New York drum.
mers. One OF the latter was a colt
ish young man, who prided himself
on being student Of human nature.
Where number of drummers are
gathered together there you will
hear Boosting and Dragging, and
each and every one will put forward
his particular speciality as the best
joke or trick of The season. The
young mans speciality was by and
by duly explained. Said he:
"Gentlemen, | have little scheme
which | have named the John Hen.
ry' scheme. 1t is worked entirely
on the farmer and it furnishes one
with a wonderful insight into the
characteristics of the horny-handed
sons Of toll. Perhaps you didn't
know that the faimer is naturally
the most suspicious person in exist
ence, albeit he is oftenest made the
victim of sharpers Z"
Two or three OF the crowd doubted
the truth Of the assertion, which was
just what the coltish young man de-
sired, and he continued:
81 propose to prove what | have
said. | have made a study of the
farmer, and l know him from head
to heel. You all see this watch? 1t
is Il bang-up timepiece and cost $3.50.
If had Waterbury works and a
plated case, and was worth about Sc,
could sell it to a farmer Tor $15 as
easy as rolling off log. AS it is
straight goods it would scare far
mer to death to offer it to him for
ten"
81 think he'd snapit up" observ-
ed one of the boys.
"That shows you are not posted.
There is probably at least one farmer
in the coach ahead. I'll just bet you
an even $40 that l will offer him this
watch for an X and he will take me
for fakir and refuse to invest"
After some hesitation the stakes
were put up, and followed by two of
the party, the young man entered a
day-cOach. Almost the first passen-
ger in sight was a middle-aged far
mer. He had on an old straw hat,
was without collar, and one of his
Cowhide boots rested on the other
seat as he interested himself in a
newspaper.
"My FRIEND" begun the young
man, AS he smiled bland and seduc-
tive smile, II have met with misfor-
tune and am obliged to ="
II haint got no money to give
away" interrupted the farmer.
81 do not ask for charity" contin-
ued the young man. II have fine
watch here which 1 propose to dis
pose of for cash to relieve my tempo
rary embarrassment"
Don't want no watch"
"But let me explain. Here is a
watch worth $3.50. 1 will sell it for
SO. Take it and look it over"
The farmer hesitated for a while
and then took it, held it to his ear,
shook it once or twice and said:
~ don't claim to be the sharpest
man in this world, but 1 do hate to
he taken for a hayseed."
70 "No one takes you for a hayseed,
my dear fellow. l simply offer to
sell you my $3.50 watch for $1O."
ooh, that's it Ell? Wall, l guess
I'll take it ~
He dropped the watch into his
pocket, fished up ten-dollar bill,
and continued:
"Half the wheels may be gone
when | come to examine it, but q
IeIler must take some chances in this
world"
Then the coltish young man turned
red and white and blue, and he
smiled and suffered and stammered
and his bland smiles faded away q:
he explained that it was all joke
The other wouldn't have it that way
however, aud he finally closed the
argument by splitting on his hands
and rising up to fight the whole
crowd He kept the watch, and the
young man from Boston will have