Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-05

versation. the middle cart acting as
a gramophone for the rest.
THE UBIQUITOUS JOKER.
Every trading community has its wng,
and when he comes to town there Is fun
on the road A short time ago cele-
brated specimen Of this very annoying
class Of beings succeeded in teasing one
of his fellow travellers IN cart behind
until the tortured man was I'm q frenzy.
He was a great, overgrown fellow, ana
as he boosted. so he might whip a cow-
pen full of such fellows as his tor
menters He bore his torture as long
as he could. when, with q bound, he was
out Of the cart. Look here, sir" he yell
ed, 'if yau git out OF that cart I'll beat
the life out'en YOU" The torwenting
individual was now thoroughly fright
ened and he knew his only chxhce was
to make the great fellow laugh. SO with
face pale from real fright he arose IN
the back of the cart to a slightly stoop-
ing posture, and while his knees beat the
accompaniment, exclaimed: Il amt go
ing to git out here, though"
The effect OF the. speech and his comica'
attitude drew the angered youth into q
fit OF laughter, and when they reached
the city no set the wag up the drinks
FIRST ON THE GROUND.
OF course, the old principle OF the man
and his meal is observed, and whoever
gets to the market first gets the choicest
position. This ambition, and worthy
one IL is. for there is honest money In
il. often brings many to the city at sun
down who otherwise would not come
until late In the night.
After the carts are drawn up, or rather
backed up. against the curbing OF tne
sidewalk, and their horses stabbed ana
fed. the good fellows come back ana De
gin to unload placing the melons IN ono
pile, corn In another. while letting the to-
matoes remain in the boxes they Drought
them in. Suppers are then produced, anu,
when eaten. good friends gather ABOUT
the bag OF peas, and In turn smell them
until far into the night. 1t Is sight OF
nightly occurrence 10 see an old father
with three or four OF his boys, whom no
IL teaching his craft, about him, and they
are breaking the pcapods. These are
bright boys, aud besides going TO schooi.
are wonders OF help to their fathers ana
mothers. and TO come to the city Is the
dearest dream OF their lives
But in this life Of exposure, and, 10
them, adventure. they receive a substai-
tial training and tutoring Of self-reiiance
that serves them well through lie.
NOT so GREEN" THOUGH.
The word green Is frequently heard
applied to country people by some SELF
| suflclent city folks, as well as the term
.'hayseed," but the traders have their
saw. too, and there are few OF these COM
placent city denizens who, either them
selves. IL they are old enough, or their
fathers. have not felt their pockets
! losing weight unduly because OF their
! sharp, quick intellects and good 1uds-
ment. There are men who come from
! Henrico and Hanover to the Old Marker
/ every day Of the 313 who would put 70
shame the sturdIest of the operators on
| Wall street. =,
Pleasant intercourse Is kept up until II
O'clock, or later, when each fellow be-
gins to look about for some place &c
compose himself for the night. Many are
I'm their shirt sleeves. and without a YES
| tlge of other clothing than they nave
| worn all day, and with only grass Daa
| for a pallet, they lie down on the street
| for repose. Often, in passing late az
night one can see them lying between
the shafts of their carts, with only tne
hard. cold stones Of the street beneath
them. and the clear sky for their only
| drapery