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which seemed to have done good service, being much 

 soiled, their details appearing to be manufactured for the 

 express purpose of standing for a considerable time. 

 The writer entered the establishment ; then the business 

 began between the principal and assistant, in certain side 

 glances at the visitor, and undertones between themselves, 

 (which is easily detected by the intruder;) their anxiety 

 being to determine without delay whether they had 

 secured a C. C. or O. T. which means a " Caught 

 Customer " or " One of the Trade," viz : a harness 

 manufacturer. Had they have decided him to be an O.T., 

 then the visitor, by virtue of their suspicions of his superior 

 knowledge of that special article, would have been told 

 that all was cleared out about an hour ago by a firm in 

 town ; but thanks to the disguise assumed, the writer was 

 ushered into the cellar or underground stock-room 

 which seemed more like a lumber-hole and the gas 

 being turned on, to see not fifty sets, but a hundred and 

 fifty oddments, (not altogether confined to the Saddlery 

 trade,) including broken boxes, old and rusty hames, 

 second-hand gears, cheap pilches and ladies' saddles, any 

 amount of damaged cart collars, all smothered with dirt, 

 and the first invitation was said in a light and happy 

 tone; " Buy the lot! Clear me out!!" but on being 

 asked for a view of the fifty sets, the expression of the 

 man (whom, being the seller, we will call Mr. S.) was 

 altered, and a more patronising and whining or 

 whimpering voice was assumed, the excuse being that his 

 assistant had made a mistake in advertising ; the number 

 should have been five instead of fifty, four of which he 

 had just disposed of, at the same time opening a rough 

 box which contained the only complete set upon the 

 premises. On wishing or preferring to see it out of the 

 box, the writer was told that if he had any knowledge of 

 his requirements he could tell at a glance as the harness 



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