CASE OF MEANNESS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1072, 11 May 1882, Page 4

CASE OF MEANNESS.

I was telling to Uucle Rufus Stebbins, not long since, the story of a mean wan. It happened up in New Hampshire, at old Dean's store in Eaton. It was at a time when money was scarce, and when all sorts of trading at the country stores was done in barter. One day a man named Sipper—an old sponge from CrabHollow—called at the store and wanted a darning needle in exchange for which he offered an egg, and furnished the needle. ‘ Wai,’ said Sipper, ‘ arn’t ye goin’ to treat ?’ ‘ What ?’ cried the storekeepers, in surprise—‘on that trade'?’ ■"Sartin. A trade’s a trade, ain’t it ? -Somes big, an’ some’s little ; but the little ones may be big ones by ’m-by.’ 5 Well, what’ll you have ?’ Sipper said he’d have a glass of wine; aud the wine was poured out. ‘Say, Mr Dean, wouldn’t you jest put an egg into that ere wine ? 1 like it better that way. Keday now to humour such a mean man in any way, Dean broke into the man’s glass the identical egg which, had been paid for the needle, and as it fell into the wine, proved to have a double yolk. ‘ Hi!’ demanded Sipper. ‘ This ’ere egg’s got a double yolk. Pont you think you ought to give me another dar-ning'-needle r ‘ Poety all-fired mean, that ” said Uncle Rufe ; ‘ but 1 think we’ve got his beat up in Sagadahock. Sam Porter his name is. Skimmin’ milk on the top, an’ then turnin’ it over an’ Skimmin’ the bottom ain’t a circumstance. Why, one day Sam happened to be loafin around Zaek Marston’s •cooper shop, and he found a stray bunghole; an; blam’ne if he didn’t have the cheek to go in and ask Marston to give him a barrel to Jit that ere Aung-hule.