"Of course I am, and I think I've earned it." "What! Earned fifty-five dollars in one day? Gracious Peter! I can hire good men on my farm for seventeen dollars per month." "Yes, but I didn't see any of them around yesterday who were handy enough to do your auctioneering." He became quite excited, and declared he wouldn't pay me more than fifteen dollars. I argued with him till about ten o'clock, when several men had come to take away their purchases and settle for them. After I had resorted to all sorts of methods and arguments to make him pay me, I said: "Well, sir, I am going to spoil all the sales made to these men." He anxiously inquired how I intended to do it. "Well, I don't suppose it has occurred to you that I am not a licensed auctioneer, and under the laws of the State you have no right to deliver or give a bill of sale for goods sold by an auctioneer not licensed." His eyes fairly popped out of his head, and turning to his wife with much excitement, said: "Mary, give him fifty-five dollars, and let him go." After receiving the money, I said: "I suppose you would be silly enough to believe me if I should tell you you ought to have a license to eat when you are hungry." As his boy had hitched up my old horse, I took my departure at once; and driving to the nearest town, sent the money to a wholesale notion house and ordered a stock of auction goods, which was promptly sent. I began business, working my way back north with a view to striking into Michigan in time for the County Fairs. During the whole time I had been skirmishing around with my old horse, after closing out my stock at Bodkins, I had clung to the old trunk and my street lamps. The second day after receiving my goods, while driving along, wondering what would happen next, I noticed a farmer coming from his house to the barn, and after looking down the road at me a moment, climbed up on the board fence and sat there apparently waiting my coming. As I drove up, he yelled: "Halloo, stranger whatcher got to swap?" "I'll swap anything I've got. What have you to trade?" [Illustration: A PROFITABLE HORSE TRADE--PAGE 476.] "Well, sir, I've got as handsome a little brown mare as you ever saw. She is too small to work on a farm, and as you've got a big bony cuss there that would make a good plow hoss, I'll give you a big trade." "Bring 'er out; let's see 'er." "Here, boy, lead that little brown mare out and let the gentleman see her." As the boy led her from the stable she came out with her ears laying back and her short tail switching; and I said to myself, "here will be a job breaking a kicker and balker." "How will you trade?" I asked, not leaving my seat in the wagon, but simply looking through and over the fence at her. Without leaving his seat on the fence, the man said: "I'll trade for five dollars to boot." "I'll trade even." "No, sir," he said, "I'm expecting threshers to-morrow, and have got to have some money to buy meat and groceries with."