"The statute of 1846 (chapter 244), repealing the earlier statutes, imposed a penalty on 'every hawker, peddler or petty chapman, or other person, going from town to town, or from place to place, or from dwelling-house to dwelling-house in the same town, either on foot, or with one or more horses, or otherwise carrying for sale, or exposing to sale, any goods, wares or merchandise' (with certain ex" . . . .