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Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 107, 10 April 1885, Page 4

w . Wanderer " m the Hawera Star gives the following story about a Patea trader. He says " Some time ago a person m Patea wished to sell out his business. He placed it m an agent's hands m Wellington. That agent wrote and wired about terms and particulars m such a way that the vendor thought that there was a purchaser m the wind. Yes, there was a person who was rather taken with the speck, and the agent hoped to sell the business. Strange to say, soon after the matter dropped and no further word was heard from Wellington. Visiting the Empire City some month or two afterwards, our friend inquired of the agent the reason for the sudden stoppage of negotiations. "How was it ?"" said the agent. "Why, you old fool, you did it yourself. The would-be buyer wished to see for himself, and went off to Patea without my knowing it, and called m at yonr shop casually asking you yourself how was trade, and you said — * Very bad ; that Patea was ruined ; that the place had gone to pot with the railway," 1 and this frightened away your own would-be buyer."