Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-08
EXPENSIVE sMARTNEss.
The Brewer Found out That the Vermont
Farmer Understood Human Nature.
From Che Ma - S,,Pk -TT4tnpa

The Brewer Found out That the Vermont
Farmer Understood Human Nature.
From the New York Tribune.
ut once cost me just 81 600, besides the
price Of three bottles Of champagne, to learn
that Vermont farmer was smarter than Iwas."
said the old fellow with q well-fed air, as he
lighted fresh cigar.
The speaker had been a brewer in his earlier
days. but he had retired after he had put by
comfortable sum, and, at the age of seventy
two, he was still enjoying life.
zone season." he continued, Shops were
scarce. and all the brewers were keeping sharp
lookout FOR any good ones which were put on
the market. Our agents in Boston telegraphed
to ME that a man down in Vermont had 100
bales Of just the kind that 1 wanted, and
started Immediately to buy Thorn.
NOW, II do say 1t myself, / do not take
back seat from any one when it comes to judg-
ing the quality Of hops. Well. arrived at the
place where the owner Of these hops lived and
inspected what he had for SALE They were
tho best hops that had seen that season. The
price which he asked for them. 60 cents
pound. was reasonable for hops OF that quality;
in fact, 1t WAS little less than the market
price. Not to let the old fellow see that was
too anxious to get them began to try and beat
him down a little on the price,
THE thought struck me that perhaps might
beat him down more il l could induce him to
go to town and get him a little mellow over a
bottle OF champagne. The town was not far
away and suggested that he go back with me,
as my time was limited, and if we struck a bar
gain on the way would pay him the cash for
the hops before leaving him
HE consented and to town we went We
stopped at the hotel 1 ordered bottle of
champagne and some good cigars We drank
the wine and smoked the cigars. I kept his
glass full and he did not seem at all bashful
about taking all that gave to him. Ho began
TO warm up and 1 thought was going to save
the price OF three or four cases Of wine at least
suggested that he ought to let me have those
hops Tor about 90 cents pound. / declare he
raised the price instead of lowering it, and said
he thought they were worth 81 cents.
Il laughed, but it was no 20, and he insisted
on 81 cents the price.
81 ordered another bottle Of wine. Again he
drank all gave to him. and poured nearly
all of it in his glass. When this bottle was
finished the price of hops had gone up to 81
cents q pound. Things were getting interest
ing. The wine had flushed the fnce Of the old
fellow, but he would not come down q quarter
of cent.
"In desperation 1 tried another bottle of
vine and more cigars. The sparkling fluid
went down his throat like water down q rat
hole. He became more and more laxative, and
l gained courage once more
We'll said, we'd better close the bar
gain on your first offer of 60 cents
well. think them hops are worth bout IS
cents, he replied.
Il argued and threatened not to take them ct
all, but it was no use He was sharp enough to
detect the fact that L wanted those hops and
wanted them badly. He would not bulge q bit
and had to pay 65 cents for them. That ad-
dluonal cents on pound made difference
OF $40 on every bale and 81 900 on the hundred
bales, besides my wine and cigar bill Of nearly
So"