half to one
A man who is stuck on himself does n't last long , it matters not how good the stuff is that he sells . Yet , once in a while he lifts up his bristles . `` Well , sir , a few seasons ago I sold a man -- you all know who I mean -- about half of his spring bill , amounting to $ 600 . He gave the other half to one of the rottenest lines that comes out of this country . When I learned where my good friend had bought the other half of his bill , I felt sure that the following season I would land him for his whole order ; but when I struck him that next season , he said , ` No , I 've bought . You ca n't expect to do business with me on the sort of stuff that you are selling , ' and he said it in such a mean way that it made me mad as blazes . Yet I threw a blanket around myself and cooled off .