ff gray Petersham..................................... 02

AUG. 15.--To wearing double-padded bobtail frock, (thermometer 106
in the shade)............................................. 25

AUG. 16.--Standing on one leg three hours, to show off new-style
strapped pants at 12 1/2 cents per leg per hour............. 37 1/2

AUG. 17.--To promenade, as usual, and large customer brought (fat
man)..................................................... 50

AUG. 18.--To do do (medium size)................. 25

AUG. 19.--To do do (small man and bad pay)....... 06

TOTAL [sic] $2 95 1/2

The item chiefly disputed in this bill was the very moderate charge
of two pennies for the dickey. Upon my word of honor, this was not
an unreasonable price for that dickey. It was one of the cleanest and
prettiest little dickeys I ever saw; and I have good reason to believe
that it effected the sale of three Petershams. The elder partner of the
firm, however, would allow me only one penny of the charge, and took it
upon himself to show in what manner four of the same sized conveniences
could be got out of a sheet of foolscap. But it is needless to say
that I stood upon the principle of the thing. Business is business,
and should be done in a business way. There was no system whatever in
swindling me out of a penny--a clear fraud of fifty per cent--no
method in any respect. I left at once the employment of Messrs. Cut &
Comeagain, and set up in the Eye-Sore line by myself--one of the most
lucrative, respectable, and independent of the ordinary occupations.

My strict integrity, economy, and rigorous business habits, here again
came into play. I found myself driving a flourishing trade, and soon
became a marked man upon 'Change. The truth is, I never dabbled in
flashy matters, but jogged on in the good old sober routine of the
calling--a calling in which I should, no doubt, have remained to the
present hour, but for a little accident which happened to me in the
prosecution of one of the usual business operations of the profession.
Whenever a rich old hunks or prodigal heir or bankrupt corporation gets
into the notion of putting up a palace, there is no such thing in the
world as stopping either of them, and this every intelligent person
knows. The fact in question is indeed the basis of the Eye-Sore trade.
As soon, therefore, as a building-project is fairly afoot by one
of these parties, we merchants secure a nice corner of t