Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/117

Rh of even the worst sort; especially during the late few years of distressed trade, when manufacturers were in the habit of raising the wind, by sending goods to be sold for what they would fetch,—be that much or little. But here double destruction awaited them; the auctioneer proposes to give his acceptances at once for the sum total; or what is still worse, incites the deluded men to go on making more goods, to an immense amount; but before the bills become due, the acceptor decamps; the, (as such places are called) changes hands once or twice into the possession of his coadjutors, and after undergoing other transmogrifications, it is at length shut up.

This was precisely as it happened at the famous Mart outside Temple Bar, kept by little Williams. He "did the natives," as he used to term it, two or three times, transferring his business to one or other of his colleagues. The last time was that in which he took in a poor hatter for a thousand silk hats, and another for twice the number of chip ones; a Yorkshire man for a great quantity of second broad cloths; another for kerseymeres, and pelisse cloths; and others for pipes of beer and of wine. The first description of hats, were sold at three shillings each less than cost price: the cloths in somewhat the same