Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-10-21
The Boston Drummer.

Among the passengers on Phlladel-
phia train coming north the other day,
says NJ Quad in the Evening World,
were several New York drummers.
One Of the latter was coitish young
man, who prided himself on being
student of human nature. Where
number Of drummers are gathered to-
gether 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 specially was by-and-
by duly explained. Said he:
"Gentlemen, I have a little scheme
which I have named the John Henry
scheme 1t is worked entirely on the
| farmer and it furnishes one with Won
derful insight into the characteristics OF
the horny handed sons of toll. Per-
haps you didn't know that the farmer
is naturally the most suspicious person
in existence, albeit he is oftenest made
| the victim of sharpers ?'
Two orthree of the crowd doubted the
| truth of the assertion, which was just
what the coltish young man desired,
| and he continued:
| 81 propose to prove what have said.
| [ have made study of the farmer, and
|
ali see this watch? 1t is bang-up
time piece and cost $3.50. If it had
! Waterbury works, and a plated case
and was worth about S6, | could sell it
| to farmer for SIS as easy as rolling Oft
log. AS it is straight goods, it would
scare a farmer to death to offer it to
| him for $40"
81 think he'd snap it up" observed
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 | will offer him this watch for
an X and he will take me for a fakir
and refuse to invest"
After some hesitation the stakes were
put up, and, followed by two of the
| party, the young man entered day
coach. Almost the first passenger in
sight was a middle-aged farmer. He
had on an old straw hat, was without a
collar, and one Of his cowhide boots
rested on the other seat as he inter
ested himself in a newspaper.
My friend" began the young man,
as he smiled bland and seductive
smile, Il have met with misfortune,
and am obliged to-"
81 hain't got no money to give
away" interrupted the farmer.
- do not ask for charity" continued
the young man. 81 have a fine watch
here which l promise to dispose Of for
cashto relieve my temporary embarrass-
| ment."
Don't want no watch"
"But let me explain. Here is a
watch worth $50. | will sell it for $40.
Take itand look it over"
The farmer hesitated for a while and
then took it, held it to bis ear, shook it
once or twice and said:
4 don't claim to be the sharpest
man in this world, but l do hate to be
taken for a hayseed -
''No one takes you for hayseed, my
dear fellow. I simply offer to sell you
my $3.50 watch for $10.'
"Oh, that's it, Ell? Wall, [ guess II
take tip
He dropped the watch into his poe
ket, tished up q ten-dollar bill, and con-
| tinued:
Half the wheels may be gone when
/ come to examine it, but teller must
! take some chances in this world"
Then the coltish young man turned
red and white and blue, and he smiled
and suffered and stammerec, and his
bland smiles faded away as he ex-
| planned that it was all a joke. The
other wouldn't have it that way, how
ever, and he finally closed the argu-
ment by splitting on his hands and ris-
ing up to fight the whole crowd. He
kept the watch, and the young man
| from Boston will have an armful Of sor-
row to hug for a year to come. He
doesn't know that one of the New
Workers, having heard of the trick and
expecting he would work it, had that
farmer posted half an hour in advance.
| If he did it would break his young and
! conf ding heart.