Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1893-04-13
+ the Herald and Tribune.
MORE OLD TIMERS.
"reminiscences of Some Old Time
Merchants.

"reminiscences of Some Old Time
Merchants.
Among the merchants who did busi-
ness here in the long, long ago was
Simon Hancock. He was from Vir-
ginia and therefore was not thoroughly
posted as to the business methods OF
this part of the country; but wishing
to get into the good graces of the
people, he undertook to buy all the
eggs, butter etc., they would bring
him. And the result was that along
about June he was largely overstocked
with eggs-many of them rotten ones
at that, which he could neither sell,
give away nor ship away, as that was
before the days of railroads in these
parts. Simon was an irritable man /;
SO he quit buying eggs and went
to cussin'. His store was along about
where Mr.. Elsea now keeps. One day
some one came along, hunting eggs,
and stopping at Hancock's door he
called out Have you got any eggs,
Mr.. Hancock 7" Hancock, thinking
that the fellow was guying him, an
swered back mo dam you, nor don't
want any!"
But by far the best one we ever
heard was how Jake Adler sold old
Mr.. X an overcoat. Adler and Cone
were Jews, and first class business
men. They came here along in the
early "fifties" and opened out in the
clothing business-came just as ready
made clothing was taking the place OF
home made; and consequently did a
good business Adler said that along
in the winter of 1866, Mr.. X, good
substantial farmer from down on the
river in the end district came to town
a number of times and tried to buy an
overcoat from him; and there was one
coat in particular that Mr.. X wanted
to try on every time he came to town,
but somehow it was not just the thing
he wanted. 1t was either too long or
too short, any way it didn't quite suit
Mr.. X. So in the spring of '56 Adler
packed the coat away in smoking to-
bacco to save it for the fall trade.
Along in October here came Mr. X,
and said, "Well Adler, have you got
any good overcoats?" Adler had none.
Mr.. X. then went ON to say that there
was to be big Democratic mass meet
ing over at Fall Branch and that Gov.
Andy johnson was expected there to
make speech and that he was very
anxious to go, but had no over coat
and asked Adler if he could not write
to Cone, then in N. Y. buying a new
fall stock-and have him get him
good overcOat and have it here in time
for that big speaking. Adler promis-
ed to have good overcoat ready for
Mr.. X in time to hear Addy Johnson
speech. In telling about it Adler
says, but mind you l never wrote to
Cone to bring coat for Mr.. x"
In about week here came Mr.. X
again, anxious to learn something in
regard to the coat, Adler assured him
it would be here on time and set day
for him to come after it. And few
days before the time set for Mr.. KS
return, Adler took out his last winters
stock of clothing and brushed and
smoothed that one particular coat up
nicely and had it all ready for Mr.. X.
MIR. X was on time, and said has nv
coat come YETI" Adler told him that
it had, "and most excellent one it
was, tool" Mr.. X tried it on-the same
coat he had tried on half a dozen
times the winter beforehand was de.
lighted with it, He said ''now this is
the kind of coat have been wanting
all the time; Cone knows how to pick
coat for man."
The result was that Adler sold Mr.. X
that overcoat for "a more than he
had priced it to him the winter be-
fore And Mr.. X never knew any bet
ter