The Merry Past 



pennyworth of tobacco. He would soon be followed 

 by a queer-looking fellow with a bag, having the 

 appearance of a dealer in old clothes. Stepping up 

 to the sailor, the latter would accost him with : " Well, 

 shall I have it, or not ? " " No," would be the reply, 

 with a shake of the head. " Well, I'll give you half a 

 crown more." '' No, I tell you, it won't do." " I'll 

 give you five shillings more, I'll make it up to two 

 pounds five shillings, and if that won't do, I wish you 

 a better customer." The sailor being to all appear- 

 ance determined not to part with his shawl, the old- 

 clo'man would then disappear. 



The shopkeeper, as likely as not, would be fully 

 awake to all that had passed, and whilst the customer 

 was rolling his quid, would enquire of him whether 

 it was the shawl bound upon his arm for which he 

 and the Jew had been bargaining. The sailor, 

 shaking his head, with a sigh, would then afiswer : 

 " Yes, I bought it for Sue, but she is false-hearted 

 and shan't have it ; howsomdever, I won't sell it 

 neither." " Then," in nine cases out of ten, would 

 rejoin the shopkeeper, " you had better give it to 

 your mother or sister, if you have one, for you will 

 dirty and soil it by carrying it about in this way." 

 " No, I have neither a mother nor sister, and Sue has 

 played me false, and I can't help it." At this period 

 of the farce the clo'man would return and say, 

 " Well, to be sure, it is not worth more than I offered, 

 but I must say the article is uncommon good, and I'll 

 stand another half-crown, and that is my last word ; 

 you had better let me have it." " No, I tell you, I 



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