Читать книгу Twenty Years of Hus'ling - J. P. Johnston - Страница 24

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CONTINUING THE JEWELRY AND SPECTACLE BUSINESS ALONE—TRADING A WATCH CHAIN FOR A HORSE—PEDDLING ON HORSEBACK—TRADING JEWELRY FOR A HARNESS AND BUGGY—SELLING AT WHOLESALE—RETIRING FROM THE JEWELRY BUSINESS.

After dissolving partnership I returned to Columbus, replenished my stock, and started out alone. I took the first train out from the city and stopped about ten miles distant, at a small country village, and commenced operations. My success was gratifying. I walked through the country, peddling from house to house.

After my third day out, I came to a spacious looking farm house just at nightfall, and asked the lady if she would keep me over night. She said she had no objections, but her husband was prejudiced against keeping peddlers or agents, and she was sure he would object. I asked where he was, and she said he was away on a horse trade.

While we were talking he drove up with a handsome bay mare, and called his wife out to show her what a "bang up" trade he had made, adding with much ardor and excitement that if the fellow he had traded with was horseman enough to get the other horse to pull a pound he would do more than any one else had ever done.

I asked him to keep me over night, when he turned on me with a volley of oaths sufficient to color the atmosphere blue for some distance around.

I assured him, in the blandest manner possible, that I was no horse thief nor burglar, and that I had plenty of money and expected to pay my bills.

His wife reminded him that they had plenty of room, and as it was late he had better let me stay.

He then consented, asking at the same time if I was a good "story teller." This of course gave me an "inkling" as to the best means of getting in his good graces. During the evening I lost no time in arriving at a point in our conversation where I could relate a few of my latest stories, which pleased him greatly. He became so much interested in me and my business as to propose to go into partnership with me, he to furnish the traveling conveyance and half the money, and I to do the selling.

His wife ridiculed the idea and laughed at his foolishness.

He then leaned forward in a very familiar, friendly manner, and took hold of a long neck chain I was wearing, and asked what I would take for that chain.

"Oh," I answered, "I don't want to sell it."

"Well, but you would sell it, wouldn't you?" he asked.

"A man would be a fool to refuse to sell anything he owned, if he got enough for it," I replied, "but I have no desire to sell this particular chain."

The next morning, while I was trading with his wife, he again mentioned the chain, and remarked that he would rather have that than all the jewelry in the box.

I said: "I should think you would."

He then said: "Look here, young feller, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll give you that bay mare I traded for last night, even up, for that chain."

I asked if she was sound. He assured me that she was.

"Well, then," said I, "oughtn't she to fetch two hundred and fifty dollars?"

"Yes sir, you can bet on that," he answered, excitedly.