THE TIMES, NEW BLOOM FIELD, PA., FEMtUAltY 0, 1877. Fur " Tho Tim." TOO SHARP, FOR MR. SHARP. SOMK years ago, Peter Punctual, nn honest and Industrious young follow fromk'ankee land, came Into New York ami attempted to turn a, penny and get an honest living by procuring subscrlb ore to various magazines and periodicals, on Ills own hook. That Is, lie would re oclve a quantity of magazines from a . distant publisher, at a discount, and get up Ms own lint of snhseilbcrs about the city, nnd eerve them through the year at the regular subscription price, which would leave the nmount of the said dis ount a clear protlt in his pocket, or rather a compensation for his time nnd labor. There are many persona In the city who obtain a livelihood In the same way. rotor's commissions Inlng email, and liis capital still smaller, he was obliged to transact his business with great -care and circumspection, in order to make both ends meet. He adopted a rule therefore to make all of his subscribers pay their year's subscription In advance. Such things could be done in thosedays, when business was brick, and people 'wore strangers to " bard times." In vanvasBing for subscribers, one day, through the lower part of the city, and in the principal business streets, he oh. -erved store which had the sign, Solomon Sharp, Importer." Tctcr entered the premises and showed liim copies of his magazines and re quested his subscription. Mr. Sharp took up one of the maga zines and after looking at it said, " what are your terms, I don't know but I would subscribe for this." " Five dollars a year in advance," Bald Peter, " to be delivered carefully every :'non(h at your store or house." " Put I never pay In advance for these things,'' tald Sharp. " It Is time enough to pay for a thing when you get it. I'll .subscribe for it, If you have a mind to veeeive your pay at the end of the year, :ind not otherwise." " That's against my rule," said Peter ; -' I have all my subscribers pay in ad vance." " Well, it's against my rule to pay for uny thing liefore I get it," said Sharp ; " so if you haven't a mind to take my subscription, to be paid at the end of the year, you won't get it at all. That's the long and the short of the matter." Peter paused a little, and queried with - i!nwelf as to what he had lietter do. The man was evidently doing a large business, and was undoubtedly rich a wholesale dealer and importer there could not possibly be any danger of los ing the subscription in such a case; and would it not be better to break over his rule for once, than to lose so good a sub scriber ? ' Well, what say ?" said Sharp ; " do :is you like; but those are my only terms. I will not pay for a thing before I get it." On the whole," said Peter, " I have a good mind to break over my rule this time, for I don't like to lose a good sub scriber when I can find one. I believe I'll put your name dowu, sir. Where will you have it lefty" At my house," said Mr. Sharp, which was about a mile and a half from his store away up town. The business being thus concluded, Peter took up his magazines, bade Mr. Sharp good moruing, and left the store. No further personal intercourse occur red between them during the year. But Peter, who was his own carrier, as well as canvasser, regularly every month de livered the New England Magazine at Mr. Sharp's door. And in a few days after the year expired, he made out his bill for the five dollars, and called at Mr. Sharp's store for the money. He' enter ed with as much confidence that he should receive the pay at once, as he would have had in going with a check for the like sum into the Bank of the United States, during that institution's palmiest days. He found Mr. Sharp at his desk, and presented him the bill. .That gentleman took it and looked at it, and then looked up at Teter. "Oh! ah, good morning," said he, ' you areihe young man who called here on this business nearly a year ago. Well, the year has come round, has it V" Yes, I believe it has," said Peter. Well, bills of this kind," said Mr. Sharp, 'are paid at the bouse. We don't attend to them here ; you just take it to the house, any time when you are passing, and it will be settled." " Oh, very well, sir," said Peter, bow ing, and left the store. "Doing too large a business at the store, I suppose," he continued, to himself, as he started up the street, " to attend to little things of that kind. Don't like to be liothered with 'em, probably." But Peter thought he might as well make an end of the business, now he was out; so he went directly to the house, and rung at the door. A servant girl soon nSde her apjiearanoe. " Is Mrs. 'Sharp within ?" said Peter. ' Yes, air," said the girl. "Just carry this bill to her, If you please, and ask her If she will hand yon tho money for It." The girl took the bill Into the house, and presently returned with tho answer that ' Mi. Sharp says she doesn't pay none of these 'ere things here you must carry it to the store." Please to carry it back to Mrs. Sharp," he answered, and tell her Mr. Sharp desired me to bring the bill hero, and said it would be paid by her." This message brought Mrs. Sharp her self to the door, to whom Peter raised his hat and bowed very jtolltely. I haven't nothing at all to do with bills here at the house," Bald tho lady ; they must be carried to the store that 's the place to attend to them." 11 Well, ma'am," said Peter, "I car ried It to the siorc, and presented it to Mr. Sharp, and he told me to bring it to the house and you would pay It here, and that he couldn'ts'attend to it at the store." ' But he couldn't mean that I should pay it," said Mrs. Sharp, " for he knows I haven't the money." ' But he said so," said Peter. 11 Well, then there must be some mis take about it," said the lady. 41 1 beg your' pardon, ma'am," said Peter, " it's possible there may be," aud he put the bill in his pocket, bowed, and left the house. " It Is very queer," thought Peter to himselas hewalkedawaya little vexed. " I can't conceive how there could be any mistake about it, though it is possi ble there may be. There couldn't be any mistake on my part, for I'm sure I un derstood him. May be he thought she had money at the house when she had not. I guess it will all come out right enouglrln the end." Consoling himself with these reflec tions, Peter Punctual thought he would let Mr. Sharp rest two or three days,and not show any anxiety by calling again in a hurry. He Mould not bo so unwise as to offend a good subscriber, and run the hazard of losing him, by an appear ance of too much haste in presenting his bills. Accordingly In about three days, he called again at Mr. Sharp's store, and asked him in a low voice, so that no one should overhear, if it was convenient for him to take that little bill for the magazine to-day. " But I told you," said Mr. Sharp, to carry that bill to the house; I can 't at tend to it here." "Yes sir, sol understood you," said Peter, " and I carried it to the house.and Mrs. Sharp said she couldn't pay it there, for she had no money, and I must bring it to the store." 41 Oh, strange," said Mr. Sharp; well, she didn't properly understand it then. But I am too much engaged to attend to you to-day ; you call again, or call at the house sometime, when I am there." Upon this, he turned to his desk and began to write with great earnestness, and Fcter left the store. The affair be gan to grow a little vexatious, and Peter felt a little nettled. Still, he supposed that people doing such very large busi ness did find it difficult to attend to these little matters, and doubtless it would be set right when he should call again. After waiting patiently a couple of weeks, Peter called again at Mr. Sharp's store. When he entered the door, Mr. Sharp was looking at a newspaper ; but on glancing at Peter, he instantly drop ped the paper, and fell to writing at his desk with great rapidity. Peter waited respectfully a few minutes, unwilling to disturb the gentleman till he should ap pear to be a little more at leisure. But after waiting some time without seeing any prospect of Mr. Sharp's completing his very pressing business before him, he approached him with deference,and ask ed if it would be convenient for him to take that little bill for the magazine to day. - Sharp turned and looked at Peter very sternly. ' I can't be bothered with these little things," said he, when I am so much engaged. I am exceedingly busy to-day a good many heavy orders waiting you must call at the house, and hand the bill to me or my wife, no matter which. He turned to his desk, and con tinued to write, without saying any. thing more. Peter began to think he had got hold of a hard customer; but he had no idea of giving up the chase. He called at the house several times afterwards, but Mr. Sharp never happened to be at home. Once he ventured to send the bill again by the girl to Mrs. Sharp, who returned for answer, that she had nothing to do with such bills ; he must carry it to the store. At last, after repeated calls, he found Mr. Sharp at home. He came to the d(Kr, and Peter presented the bill. Mr. Sharp expressed some surprise and regret that he had come away from the store, and forgot to put any money in his pocket. Peter would have to call some other day. Accordingly, Peter Punctual retired, with a full determina tion to call some other day, and that not very far distant, for it had been several months that he had been beaten back and forth like a shuttlecock between Mr. Sharp's store and Mr. Sharp's house,and he was getting to be rather tired of the game. Having ascertained from tho girl at what hour the family dined, he called the next day precisely at the dinner hour. He rung at the door, and when the girl opened it, Peter stepped Into the hall. "Is Mr. Sharp in?" asked Peter. " Yes, sir," said the girl; "he's up stairs. I'll speak to him If you want to see him." "Yes," said Peter, "and I'll take a seat In the parlor till he comes down." As he said this, Peter walked into the parlor and seated himself upon an ele gant sofa. The parlor was richly fur nished with Brussels carpet, the best of mahogany furniture, a splendid piano, &c.,&c.,;nud in the back parlor, to whl?h folding doors were open, every thing appeared with corresponding-elegance. A table was there spread, upon which dinner seemed to be nearly ready. Presently the girl returned from the chamber, and informed Peter, that Mr. Sharp said " It was Just the dinner hour now, and he would have to call again." " Please go and tell Mr. Sharp," said Peter, " tliat I must see hiin, and I'll wait till he comes down." " The girl carried the message ,and Mr. Sharp soon made his appearance in the parlor. A frown passed over his brow as he looked at Peter, and saw him sit ting so much at ease, and apparently so much at home, upon the sofa. Peter rose and asked him politely if it was convenient for him to pay that little bill to-day. " No," said Sharp, " it is not ; and if it was, I wouldn't take it at this hour. It's a very improper time to call upon such an errand just as one is going to sit down to dinner. You must call again; but don't come at dinner time; or you may drop into the store some time, and perhaps I may find time to attend to it there." Well, now, Mr. Sharp," said Peter, with a determined look, " I can't stand this kind of business any longer, that's a fact. I'm a poor man, and I suppose you are a rich one. I -can 't afford to lose live dollars, and I'm too poor to spend any more time in running after it and trying to collect it. I must eat, as well as other folks, and if you can't pay me the five dollars to-day, to help me pay my board at my regular boarding-house, I'll stay here and board it out at your table." " You will, will you?" said Sharp, looking daggers, and stepping towards Peter. " If you give me a word of your impudence, you may find it'll be a long time before you collect your bill." It's been a long time already," said Peter, "and I can't afford to wait any longer. My mind is made up; if you don't pay me now, I'm going to stay hero and board it out." Sharp colored, and looked at the floor, and then at Peter. - "Come, come, young man," said, he, advancing with rather a threatening at titude towards Peter, " the soonei you leave the house peaceably the better." Now, sir," said Peter, fixing his black eyes upon Sharp, with an intense ness that he could not but feel, " I am a small man, and you are considerable of a large one ; but my mind is made up. I am not a going to starve, when there's food enough that I have an honest claim upon." So saying he took his seat again very deliberately upon the sofa. Sharp paus ed ; he looked agitated and angry ; and after waiting a minute, apparently un decided what to do, he left the parlor and went up stairs. In a few minutes the servant rung for dinner. Mrs. Sharp came into the dining room and took her seat at the head of the table. Mr. Sharp followed, and seated himself op posite his lady ; and between them, and on the right of Mrs. Sharp, sat another lady, probably some friend or relative of the family. When they were all seated, and Mr. Sharp was beginning to carve, Peter walked out of the parlor, drew an other chair up to the table, and seated himself very composedly opposite the last mentioned lady. Mr. Sharp colored a good deal, but kept on carving. Mrs. Sharp stared wildly, first at Peter, and then at her husband. " What in the world does this mean ?" said she. Mr. Sharp, I didn't know we were to have company to dinner." We are not," said the husband. This young man has the impudence to take his seat at the table unasked ; and says be is going to board out the amount of the bill." " Well, really, this is a pretty piece of politeness," said Mrs. Sharp, looking very hard at Peter. "Madam1 "said Peter, "hunger will drive a man through a stone wall. I must have my board somewhere." No answer was made to this, and tho dinner went on without any further ref erence to Peter at present. Mr. Sharp helped his wife, and then the other lady, and then himself, and they all fell to eating. Peter looked around him for plate and knife and fork, but there were none on the table but what were in use. Peter, howover, was not to be bafllcd. He reached a plate of bread, and tipping the bread upon tho table cloth, appro priated the plabo for his own conveni ence. He then took possession of the carving knife and fork, helped himself bountifully to meat and vegetables, and commenced eating his dinner with the greatest composure imaginable. These operations on the part of l'eter had tho effect to suspend nil operations for tho time on the part of the rest of tho com pany. The ladhjs had laid down their knives and forks, and were staring at Petor In wild astonishment. "For mercy's sake, Mr. Sharp," said the lady of the house, "can't wo pick up money enough ubout the house to pay this man his live dollars and send him on"? I declare this is too provok ing. I'll see what I can find." With that she rose and left tho rdom. Mr. Sharp presently followed her. They returned again in a minute, and Mr. Sharp laid a five dollar bill before Peter, and told him he would thank him to leave tho house. Peter examined the bill to see if it was a good one, and very quietly folded it and put it into his pock et. He then drew out a little pocket-inkstand and a piece of paper, laid it upon tho table before him, wrote a receipt for the money, which he handed to Mr. Sharp, rose from tho table, bowed to the company, and retired, thinking as he left tho house that ho had had full enough of the custom of Solomon Sharp, the importer. Tetcr Punctual still followed his voca tion of circulating magazines. He had no intention of ever darkening the door of Solomon Sharp's store again, but but somehow or other, two or three years after, as he was canvassing for subscribers In the lower part of the city, he happened to blunder into the same store accidentally, without notic ing the name upon the door. Nor did hediscovcr his mlstakc,until he had near ly crossed the store and attracted the at tention of Mr. Sharp himself, who was nt his accustomed seat at the desk where l'eter had before so often seen him. l'eter thought, as he had got fairly into the store, he would not back out ; so he stepped up to Mr. Sharp without a look of recognition, and asked if he would not like to subscribe for some magazines. Mr. Sharp, who either did not recognize Peter, or chose not to appear to recog nize him, took the magazines aivd look, ed at them, and found a couple he said he would like to take, and inquired the terms. They were each three dollars a year in advance. " But I don't pay in advance for any thing," said Shavy. " If you have a mind to leave them at my house, to be paid for at the end of the year, you may put me down for these two." "No," said Peter, "I dou't wish to take any subscribers, but those who pay in advance." Saying this, ho took up his specimens, and was going out of the door,when Mr. Sharp called him back. " Here, young man, you may leave those two at any rate," said he, " and here's your advance," handing him the six dollars. " Where will you have them left?" said Peter. " At my house, up town," said Mr. Sharp, describing the street and, num ber. The business being completed, Peter retired, much astonished at his good luck. He again became a monthly visit or at Mr. Sharp's door; where ho regu larly delivered to the servant girl the two magazines. Two or three months, after this, when he called one day on his usual round, the girl told him that Mr. Sharp wanted to see him, and desired he would call at the store. Peter felt not a little curious to know what Mr. Sharp might have to say to him; so in the course of the same day be called at Mr. Sharp's' store. " Good morning," said Mr. Sharp as Peter entered ; " come, take a chair, and sit down here." Peter, with a "good morning, sir," did as he was desired, " Ain't you the young man," said Mr. Sharp with a comical kind of a look, who set out to board out a subscription to the New England Magazine at my house two or three years ago ?" ' Yes," said Peter, ' I believe I'm the same person who once had the honor of taking board at your house." Well," said Mr. Sharp, " I want to give you a job." What is it ?" said Peter. Here, I want you to collect these bills for me," said Mr. Sharp, taking a bundle from his desk, " for I'll belong ed if can ; I've tried till I'm tired." Whereupon he opened the bundle and assorted out the bills, and made a sched ule of them, amounting In Hhe aggre gate, to about a thousand dollars. There," said he, I will give you that list ten per cent, commissions on all you collect; and on that list I'll give you twenty-five per cent, on all you collect. What say you, will you under, take the job V" Well, I'll try," said Peter, " and see what I can do with them. How soon must I return with them?" Take your own time forit," said Mr. Sharp; "I've seen enough of you to know pretty well what you are." Peter accordingly took the bills and entered on his new task, following it up with diligence and perseverance. In a few weeks he callcd again at Sharp's store. "Well," Bald Mr. Sharp, have you made out to collect anything on those bills yet ?" " Yes," said Peter. " There were some of tho ten percent, list that I thought It probable you might collect," said Mr Sharp. " How many have you collected ?" " All of them," said Peter. "All of them!" said Sharp, "well, fact, that's much more than I expected. The twenty-five per cent, list were dead dogs, wasn't it ? You got nothing on them, I suppose, did you ?" "Yes, I did," said Peter. "Did you, though? How much?" said Sharp. " I got them all," said Teler. " Oh, that's all a joke," sold Sharp. " No, it Isn't a Joke," said Peter. "I've collected every dollar of them, and here's tho money," taking out his pocket-pocket and counting out the bills. Mr. Sharp received tho money with the most perfect astonishment. He had not expected that one half of the amount would ever be collected. He counted out the commissions on tho ten. per cent, list, ud then the com missions on the twenty-five per cent, list, and handed the sum over to' Peter. And then he counted out fifty dollars more, and asked Peter to accept that as a present ; " partly," sakl he " because you have accomplished this task so very far beyond my expectations, and partly because my acquaintance with you has taught me one of the best lessons of my life. It has taught me the value of per severance and punctuality. I have re flected upon it much over since you un dertook to board out the bill for the mag. azlneatmy house." "Why, yes," said Peter, "I think perseverance and punctuality are great helps in the way or business-" "If every person in the communi ty," said Mr. Sharp, " would make it a point to pay all of his bills promptly, the moment they become due, what a vast improvement it would.makein the condition of society all mind. That would put people in a condition, at' all times, to. be able to pay their Mils promptly. We might add, that PeUc Punctual afterwarL opened a store in. the city, in a branch of business which brought Mr. Sharp to be a customer to him and he has been one of his best customers ever since, paying all of his bills- promptly, and wheaever Peter requires it, even paying in advance. How Plug Tobacco fa, Made. The operation of making plug tobac co is very interesting. Tlie leaf i first taken out of the hogshead, the leaves separated (as they are tled.ii "bands" or bundles), according to colacand texture. If they are unsound, they are entlrely discarded and sent to another factory, to be used in connection with, a very com mon quality of smoking tobacco. If sound, they are classified, dipped in a. large vat full of licorice solution. After being thoroughly saturated, there are taken out, hung upon sticks and per mitted to evaporate the moisture, to avoid its becoming funky," or moldy. When thoroughly dry, it is put into large bulks and allowed to "draw" un til ready for use. Tho leaf is next car ried to a table where the stem Is extract ed, and then formed into lumps or rolls an operation that requires almost as much skill as cigar making, and fe males are generally employed, as their fingers are more nimble. The lumps are next passed to the mills and shapes, where the perfect ones are put into iron cells or boxes, of which the shapes are composed. When filled, the shapes are covered by a board, having followers to set im mediately over the tobacco and when a set" or twelve of the shapes are thus filled, they are fastened together In a " retainer," and secure a pressure of 000 tons, under a hydraulic press. They are then run from under the press upon a rail tramway, and allowed to stand for several hours. The plugs are then taken out of the shapes, and each lump care fully repacked in a finishing press,wheu it is again placed under a 200 ton pressure. O An ardent lover was once pressing his suit. The lady said: "I like ytu exceedingly, but I cannot quit home ; I am a widow's only darling, and no hus band could equal my parent in kind, ness." She may be very kind," replied the wooer, " but be my wife ; we will live together, and see if I dou't beat your mother !" She sold she would.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers