HINDRANCES AND HELPS. 265 



and a fifty there, Squire, tant worth talkin about ; 

 I ll split the difference with ye, and take the hoss.&quot; 



&quot; Patrick, put him up.&quot; 



At which the customer is puzzled, hesitates, and 

 the horse is entering the stable again, when he breaks 

 out explosively 



&quot; Well, Squire, here s your money ; but 



you re the most thunderin oneasy man for a dicker 

 that I ever traded with I ll say that for ye.&quot; 



And the horse is transferred to his keeping. 



&quot; S pose you throw in the halter and blanket, 

 Squire, don t ye ? &quot; 



&quot; Give him the halter and blanket, Patrick.&quot; 



&quot; And, Patrick, you ant nary old curry-comb you 

 don t use, you could let me have ? &quot; 



&quot; Give him a curry-comb, Pat.&quot; 



&quot; Squire, you re a clever man. Got most through 

 y r hayin ? &quot; 



&quot; Nearly.&quot; 



&quot;Well, I m glad on t. Had kinder ketchin 

 weather up our way.&quot; 



And with this return to general and polite con 

 versation, the bargaining is over. It may be amus 

 ing, but it is not inspiriting or elevating. Yet very 

 much of the country-trade is full of this miserable 

 chaffering. If I have a few acres of woodland to 

 Bell, the purchaser spends an hour in impressing upon 

 12 



