,-J;/ rupnblislicd Ma iiii script of /'"rank Forest ct's. 



3^3 



honorable importer of sound and good 

 articles, almost beyond what it is pos- 

 sible to imagine — so strongly prone to 

 gullibility is mankind, and so eager are 

 the masses to be cheated, when the 

 cheating seems to jump with their 

 desires, or minister to their self- 

 importance. 



For instance. I have often witnessed 

 some such transaction as is embodied 

 in the following sketch of gun selling: 



Scene — A gunsmith's shop; enter a 

 stout, hardy, rugged, somewhat green- 

 looking individual, wanting a gun. 

 Having -determined to give no more 

 than twelve or fifteen dollars for it at 

 the farthest; and convinced that he 

 oiight to get, for that sum, at least 

 as good a gun as his neighbor, the 

 District Attorney of the State, got up 

 from York last fall for a himdred and 

 fifty dollars. 



Gunsinith. — "Good morning, sir. 

 Can I serve you to-day? " 



Green One. — "Well, yes, if we can 

 deal. I'd like to see one of your first- 

 rate gams." 



Gunsmith, (handing him a plain solid 

 workmanlike and sportsmanlike piece 

 of domestic work, barrels and locks 

 imported in the rough). "Here is an 

 excellent piece of stuff, sir, one I can 

 recommend." 



Green One — "Well, it is handy, cer- 

 tain. But it's mighty plain. Hain't 

 you got some with engravings on the 

 locks, and silver mountings? " 



GnnsmitJi — " Certainly, sir ; but if 

 they are of good quality those come 

 very high. Now this is a good, sound 

 gun; one, as I said, that I can reconi- 

 nicnd. It is cheap, too." 



Green One — "Well, and what is the 

 price of it? " 



Gunsmith — "Thirty dollars, sir." 

 Green One — "Call that cheap, hey? 



Why, my neighbor. Squire Biddle, 

 bought one down to York last fall, more 

 nor twice as handsome as this, for 

 twelve dollars. And, look ye here,, 

 this here's New York made, and 

 Squire Biddle, his'n was rael imported 

 — London, made by Harrisbun^, or 

 some such name." 



Gunsmith — "Lancaster, I presume 

 you mean, sir. But it could not have 

 been a genuine Lancaster at such a 

 price." 



Green One — "Oh, yes, but it was 

 though; the gentlemen he bought of 

 gave him a warrantee, as it was, and as 

 good as any. Hain't you got none 

 such?" 



Gunsmith — "Yes, sir, I have. But 

 I can't recommend them, though I'm 

 forced to keep them. There is one at 

 twelve, and here is one at sixteen," 

 handing out two painted Brummagens, 

 with those dangerous barrels, six or 

 eight lines of mosaic gold across the 

 short, patent breech, and great German 

 thumb pieces and escutcheons. 



Green One — "Well, I swar! them's 

 beauties, and this is a Manton, too! " 



Gunsmith — " So it is engraved. But 

 I would be sorry enough to warrant it 

 one. It is a Birmingham gun, and 

 that's all I can say about it." 



Green One — "Well, then, I don't 

 think much of no man, anyhow, that 

 sells guns marked London and has the 

 face to tell people as they're Brumma- 

 gem articles. I don't like no such 

 doings." Exit green individual in a 

 huff. Stalks down the street and soon 

 comes across a flash-hardware shop, 

 windows full of two penny iron, 

 Wedgebury skelp, and Shamdamn iron 

 explosibles, in the full splendor of var- 

 nish, plating, lacquering and what not ; 

 with lots of gim-crack implements, 

 powder-horns with green cords and tas- 



