When most of the citizens of Lanark County kept a pig or two, the practice was to buy the pigs when they were a month or two old from a farmer. They would feed them until the late fall, then slaughter them and salt the meat away for Winter.
One day William McCall came to town with a wagon full of young grunters. Knocking on doors began to go up and down the streets of Carleton Place offering his piglets for sale. Nearly all of them were black Berkshires and the best that could be bought in Lanark County. When Mr. McCall called at the home of Jim Shiels he only had three left: two Berkshires and one runt.
Jim said he would take the rest of them at the usual price of two bucks each, but Bill hung out for a price of $2.50 each as that was the price he got for the rest of them. Well, the prospective buyer stated he did not intend paying more than the going price.
It looks like a deadlock was developing and old Bill, well, he was ready to drive away, until Hollie Shiels, Jim’s son, came out to tell his father that dinner was ready. Hollie saw what was going on and took it upon himself to act as a kind of referee between the two.
He gave his Dad a wink and told Mr. McCall that in his opinion the black Berkshires were definitely worth $2.50 a piece. A suggestion from Hollie was that his father buy the two black ones for that price, and surely Mr. McCall would throw in the runt for a dollar. Not thinking too clearly the seller thought this new deal was quite acceptable, money was exchanged and the wheels of commerce turned once again. Mr. McCall rode down Town Line that night towards home thinking he had the best of the deal. He hadn’t been born in a barn but there was no question that no one got the best of him in the art of the deal– until he got home later and thought really about it.
Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place and The Tales of Almonte
-
Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun Screamin’ Mamas (USA) and The Sherbrooke Record
lindaseccaspina 