Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-07-16
4 Chicago Drummer,s Joke.

From the New York Commercial Advertiser.l
Sometimes drummers perpetrate practl-
cal jokes on one another. 1t is some time
before green drummer's eyes are opened
to the kittenish pranks Of his fellows. A
friend OF mine was once drummer, but
retired from the profession rs soon AS he
had collected various trihing little sums
which many of his brethren had Dor
rowed.
/ remember a joke which was played on
my friend by four dry goods drummers.
He will always remember it, and conf
IDENTIFY expects some time or other to see its
perpetrators looking sadly through prison
bars. He was young and green. 1t was
his first trip. In st. Louis he fell in with
Chicago drummer. Mr.. friend had been
complaining of the high rate of railroad
fare.
"Whyv' asked one of the gentlemen
mention: "don't you belong to the
Agents Cooperative Beneficial Self-sus-
tanning Commercial Association ?"
NO. said my friend "what it is 2"
"By Jove! it's a SPLENDID thing" said
the other. "Every agent belongs to it.
No member of the "A. c. b. s. c. A ever
pays any fare. They have secret signs
which all the conductors recognize. Bet
ter join. Wea officers, and will initiate
you. 1t costs only twenty dollars"
"AlI right" said my friend {; "Ill join.
Here is u draft for twenty dollars on my
firm"
In the evening my friend was invited to
q champagne supper, and the secret sign
was divlged. He had only to run his mid
die finger over his cheek and nose, and ut
ter the sounds "Chesbung- wung-wang-
wung," and the conductor would pass on,
unless he stopped to offer him cigar and
pull at the flask. The next morning the
trio boarded the grain. The Chicago and
I,o I &c Ont IaI1inH fri
When the conductor called for my friends
fare, he made the appropriate signs and
said, "Che-bung-w ung-wang." The con-
ductor smiled at my friend and at the two
drummers, and passed on. My friend in
formed his employers of his good luck and
said he thought he. had expended the
money profitably.
The two drummers soon left the train.
My friend finished his business, and. res
turned by the same road. He got on the
train at midnight. 1t was forty miles 10
the next station. He had only ten cents
in his pocket. He intended to draw on
his firm at the next village. He settled
himself in his seat and soon the conduc-
tor called for fares. My friend went
through with the necessary signs, and
said: "Che-bung- wungwang-w ung.o
You man, want your fare" said the
conductor peremptorily.
My friend repeated louder than before,
"Che-bung-wung-wa ng-wung."
"You can't play the insane dodge on
me-" growled the conductor; pay or I'll
put you Off"
Expostulation was Intellectual. My
friend and his valise were deposited at II
crosa-road, twenty miles from civilization,
on clustering January night.
Shortly afterwards he met the Chicago
agent on his native heath. He gave him
a sample of Eastern English, and demand
ed the $50 out of which he had been
swindled.
"Ohr' said the Chicago man, "there
must be some mistake. Which hand did
you make the sign with?"
My friend said he had used his left.
"Oh!" said the Chicagoan, with the
GOODNESS of a cucumber, chats where the
trouble is. You ought to have used your
right hand.n
My friend made sinister motion with
one of his feet, and the Chicago man dis
appeared around the corner.
Nevertheless the drummer is a necessa-
ry evil. He coins brass into mOney-for
himself and his employers. What more
would you have?