.1 ^ , !. 



harness should have as much, if not more, consideration 

 than the remainder or most expensive part of the " Turn 

 Out," particularly as we are aware of the fact that the 

 welfare of the whole lot depends entirely upon the sound- 

 ness of the merest strap, which it is an easy matter to 

 overlook in purchasing a second-hand, or cheap, common- 

 made new set. 



The writer's interestedness in his business has caused 

 him to be many times amused and surprised while reading 

 the very tempting baits advertised in the daily papers, 

 emanating from persons whose original trade or profession 

 has nothing whatever to do with the article they profess to 

 laud up ; and whose clever endeavour it is to force upon 

 the public common goods, totally disregarding the business 

 man's pride in legitimate trading. Here is an advertise- 

 ment, emanating from a large manufacturing town, which 

 the writer read four days in succession, and ultimately 

 followed up to the end : " Extraordinary bargains 

 50 Sets of Silver Harness, Complete all sizes best 

 quality to be sold cheap No reasonable offer refused 

 as the lot must be cleared out immediately, the manufacturer 

 wanting money." 



The writer went by the first train, on reading 

 the above, to prove the genuineness of the number of 

 sets advertised, having an idea that the extraordinary 

 bargain existed only in the fertile brain of the puffing 

 shark (as these worse than Cheap Johns are called) who 

 put forth the bait; and so it proved to be. On arriving at 

 the shop, he was surprised to find nothing in the 

 window or premises, as far as could be seen from the 

 street, appertaining to harness ; or that the proprietor 

 had anything to do with, or knowledge of, the goods he 

 professed to deal in so plentifully, and sell so cheap. 

 Certainly, the entrance was plastered up with catalogues, 



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