Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-08-26
DROVE THE FLY orr,
Hebrew Junk Dealer Didn't Want 10
Pay For Insects Weight.
Augusta Lady Meets One Of Those Really
Economical Gentlemen.

There is lady in Augusta who Il;
firmly convinced that she has strucl,
the most economical specimen of hu-
mainly on the Western hemisnhero
She was telling Journal man. the
other day, her experience. She said she
had heard of people who talked
through their nose for fear of wearing
their mouth out as matter of econ
omy, but never had the good fortune
to run across any of this class although
she had met some few on this earth G
crust who were pretty near the bark
and tighter than a cork in a molasses
jug: but the gentleman of the Hebrew
persuasion she had dealings with the
other day for right down close listed
ness beats all previous records and
when Gabriel blows his trumpet at the
last great day it will be well for him
to keep tight grasp on the bugle or
the Hebrew will have the horn
There are Hebrews and Hebrews,
but this one in particular was a recent
importation from Boston who had come
down with Rebecca and the children to
spend the heated term in Maine and
being of a thrifty turn, had brought
the implements of his profession, a
brass cheek and a pair of steelyards
with him, and made up his mind that
while the gentle zephyrs were putting
the blush of roses on Rebecca's ala
bastcr brow and the wind vas signing
through his viskers." somebody must
pay the freight. so he commenced to
dicker and trade with the GentiIes and
long before the festive lark had made
his morning toilet our horn bill friend
with his gunny sack on his shoulder
was travelling through the byways and
hedges and with a voice two octaves
above high G. was yelling to beat the
band: old rubbers. old rags, old bot
ties" etc
Business began to come his way and
long before the high noon hour arrived
his gunny sack was filled full enough
to burst and he looked like old Atlas
with the world on his shoulders. Still
he struggled on. looking for more. At
last lie run up against my back door
and deposited his pack. | had a few
ventilated rubbers that | was willing to
part with for a money consideration
and after some backing and filling
while the fluctuations of the market
were discussed both pro and con. Il
bargain was struck.
The old scale. that ancient emblem Of
justice or injustice. guaranteed to
weigh within three quarters of a pound
% correct. was brought forth and the
weighing and delivery process COM
menced He impressed on my mind sew
eral times or at least tried to. that he
" n M
take advantage of woman" He en-
phasized his remarks with some ges-
lures so characteristic of the race. You
know they saw you tie Jews hands
and he can't talk. He kept both hands
flying like a wind mill and gave me a
very good history while busy with the
old scales. of his family from the early
start in Jerusalem up to the present
time. How his boy Isaac was a chip
of the old block and how the boy
wanted some apples out of the bucks
| ter's cart near his home but his finan-
| ceS being low. was obliged to make
| faces at the huckster until he threw
| apples at him. which young Isaac
gathered up and ate. And thus young
| Isaac saved his money.
All this history of the rise and fall
| OF the Hebrew race was fired at me
without money and without price. AS
| he proceeded to weigh the rubbers i
| large fly lit on the pile being weighed
| Our Hebrew friend caught sight of the
| fly and after cycling him moment OF
50. said: 60 way; | can't afford to pay
six cents a pound for you. and drove
the fly off. Considering it would take
| about 5000 flies to weigh an ounce and
at six cents a pound this winged in
sect would only cost the Hebrew abou
a thousand part of a cent. my mine
| is unchanged that for downright econ
omy and fine figuring the gentleman
| from Jerusalem takes prominence a:
| first among the galaxy of stars in tht
economic arena.