Two ladies, rather good-looking. I rode outside nearly
all day, and was very sociable with the driver and another outside
passenger. Towards night, took up an essence-vendor for a short
distance. He was returning home, after having been out on a tour two or
three weeks; and nearly exhausted his stock. He was not exclusively an
essence-pedler, having a large tin box, which had been filled with dry
goods, combs, jewelry, etc., now mostly sold out. His essences were of
anisc-seed, cloves, red-cedar, wormwood, together with opodeldoc, and an
oil for the hair. These matters are concocted at Ashfield, and the
pedlers are sent about with vast quantities. Cologne-water is among the
essences manufactured, though the bottles have foreign labels on them.
The pedler was good-natured and communicative, and spoke very frankly
about his trade, which he seemed to like better than farming, though his
experience of it is yet brief. He spoke of the trials of temper to which
pedlers are subjected, but said that it was necessary to be forbearing,
because the same road must be travelled again and again.
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