Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-17

THIS spring two former owners of notable
L stables were discussing the prices they
had got for their town carriages
brougham had brought $50 and Glcns
Falls three scatter 500, the double harnesses
from SO to So. | tucked this information
away in my mind with an eye to the old
blackboard, and when ! got back to our
farm l casually let it be known that | would
sell our blackboard for $40 or little under.
The little under was the bait for my
hook. and ] waited with no very great ex-
pcctation of n nibble, since both the garbage
and milk man had acquired wheeled vehicles
of an ancient and durable vintage elsewhere.
But this morning the nibble came.
Feeling the occasion to be momcntous one
| treated 1t with all the solemnity could
command. although | was so anxious those
boys should possess that dear old vehicle
that it was all I could do to make them
buy it and not give it to them.
But they had obviously come as purchasers
and also as hagglcrs-and MS they were
agents. and not spenderS of their own, |
realized that it would be great come
down if presented them with what they
wished to bargain out of me. So we began
afar off on quite another subject
They were in factor rather the pro-
fcssor's wife was in fact-rcntng the old
barn from me at Sl5 for the season, SUBJ
ject to its being left clean when the bows
removed their old white pony for the return
to town.
Nv LdSSIIuS DPSUH on inc subject OF tho
barn. They f"l that they only needed half
of it and in that case what rebate was I
prepared to offer?
i SAID that they were using the whole
of 1t, having the pony and the white horse
and two carts and their bicycles
They gazcd at me with cxprcssonloss
faces and said, How about the other things
stored thoro not thcirs?"
asked them il they meant the buck
board They nodded SOlclnnly
hy hot I
though YOU pay for the barn you have not
the entire use of it,
That was what they meant. After n
du" silence they took up the matter of the
burkhoard. They said they might not have
| horse another year, so that buying seemed
| to, them problcmatical. They might con-.
| slider renting it.
moved too rapidly for them Mt tbot
point, | said that they could have it for
~ meant buy 1t, but they thought |
meant to rent it for that
They remarked therefore that as I had
| they understood. put $40 on it as a selling
| price 81 as my rental for part Of the season
| seemed too much.
saw that ! would have to break If
| gently to them that the selling pricn was
! now SO, including harness and umbrella
! 10 save my reputation with them as a fc.
| mai" of some sense | fell baCk ON tbn fact
OF my using the barn aS a storage piore
without having stipulated that right on
'''''''S '''' l'''l'l ~ So lIlHt II fCDutp
| in order. ! would therefore take 81 If
| the rental and sell the blackboard for SO,
| "r, tax" 81 off the blackboard and sell it for
| 81 whichever they preferred
| TNiEl Withdrew TO consult their mother
L In about an hour there was tho rattle
| Of wheels on the drive and the professors
| two sons and two girls and third hov
on sagging blackboard rounded the curyG
| 1hcy mad come for the cushions and the
| umbrella. '"'
While the males withdrew to the garrett
in search of these things the two fairs dis.
| mounted and chatted
Il am glad they got il" said.
"NcS, said one Of tho girls. 'and so are
they. They said they picked it up at a
very low price,
Just then the boys appeared with all tbe
old belongings, and in buzz of pleasant chat
fling from tn" girls outfttcd the vehicle
As they drov" off down the Hill | could
hear them boasting of its possibilities AS
though they had owned it all their young
| lives. ''s