The Old Man in the Corner; or, the Pedler’s Pack.
Not long since, an old man—a very old man—came into the office of Merry’s Museum, and sat down in a corner of the room. He looked a little like old Peter Parley—but it can’t be that it was he, for some say Peter is dead—and, at any rate, he is not to be seen about these days.
After the old man had sat for some time,—saying nothing to anybody, and only looking about with a kind of mournful countenance,—he got up, and slowly marched away. When he was gone, one of the boys found a little parcel on the bench where the old man sat, addressed to “Mr. Robert Merry; care of Bradbury & Soden, 10 School street, Boston.”
On opening the paper, we found an old greasy book within, written full of tales, fables, sketches, &c.; some of them very good indeed, and some very queer. The title of the little book was the “Pedler’s Pack,” and it had the following motto:
Come, all my youthful friends, come near—
For every one I’ve something here:
Anecdotes for those who choose—
Rhymes for all who love the muse—
Riddles and conundrums—bless ’em—
For little folks who love to guess ’em;
Odd scraps have I from history torn,
Strange tales from other countries borne—
And many a story, true and funny,
Well worth your reading and your money.
So, all my youthful readers, come—
Boys and girls, each shall have some.
Walk up, my friends—Blue Eyes and Black—
And let us ope the Pedler’s Pack.
There was no note or direction, which informed us clearly what the Old Man in the Corner intended we should do with his book; but we suppose that he intended we should publish it in Merry’s Museum. This we have accordingly concluded to do. We shall insert such articles as seem suitable for our columns—making occasional notes of an explanatory nature. The first article we shall insert, is entitled The Blues; and in order that our readers may understand it, we must premise that when people are sad, or unhappy, on account of troublesome thoughts, they are said to have the blues, or the blue devils. The same thing is meant by the terms, bad spirits, the vapors, low spirits, &c. The Old Man in the Corner seems to think that these troubles may be avoided by a proper course of life.
Here is his queer article about