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Bechtel, John Hendricks, 1841-

"Slips of Speech : a Helpful Book for Everyone Who Aspires to Correct the Everyday Errors of Speaking"

Depew, President of the New York
Central Railroad, about demand and supply. I said the price of any
commodity is always controlled by the demand and supply.
"Not always, Eli," said Depew; "demand and supply don't always govern
prices. Business tact sometimes governs them."
"When," I asked, "did an instance ever occur when the price did not
depend on demand and supply?"
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"Well," said Mr. Depew, "the other day I stepped up to a German
butcher, and, out of curiosity, asked:
"'What's the price of sausages?'
"'Dwenty cends a bound,' he said.
"'You asked twenty-five this morning,' I replied.
"'Yah; dot vas ven I had some. Now I ain't got none, I sell him for
dwenty cents. Dot makes a repudation for selling cheab, und I don't
lose noddings.'
"You see," said Mr. Depew, laughing, "I didn't want any sausage and
the man didn't have any; no demand and no supply, and still the price
of sausage went down five cents."
"Well, there are strange things in this world," I said. "Now, take the
words manufacture and make. I always thought that both words meant the
same thing."
"Why, they do, Eli," said Mr.


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