The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-11-22
The Trade in Trinkets.

Everybody has seen the itinerant vender
of patent artieles-some of worth, some
not, some for personal wear or household
utilitv-as he stands on the corner sur
rounded by group of curious persons. or
as he wends his way from house to house
with his bag of something new and in
dispensable,' Where she sproeGres his
wares is question often asked. To solve
/ the 41,.rs.ery was the work of a ssBoheIn-
ian'' yesterday morning.
In Broadway, near Duane street, he saw
small tin sign. reading, agents wanted,
Room IL Up narrow, .dingy stairway,
the searcher climbed, and upon a door saw
a duplicate of the sign below. Uncere-
moniously he entered the door of a very
small room, the very embodiment of a
s.euriosity shop Here, ina space of less
than ten feet square, was piled as peculiar
a collection of novelties as one could inn
agine. A middle-aged man glanced at the
reporter, and without word handed him
a circular. It contained a list of forty
three articles and Especial instruction TO
agents. The Bohemian read it carefully,
and then requested to be shown the goods.
with pleasure, sir, said the man. "The
panic, sir, has had a tendency to embar-
rass many branches OF trade, but it gives
me unbounded pleasure to assure you that
with us our prosperity never was greater.
Our agents are meeting with success un-
paralleled in the history of our peculiar
trade. This. sir, is - knife and scissors
sharpener, the most ingenious and useful
article in the world. BY it the lady keeps
her cutlery and temper unimpaired. This
vegetable parer and slieer needs no COM
ment. / see you are a man ofquick dis
cernment, and explanation would be SUI
perfiuous. The reporter was shown
needle casket, oil can, holder, button-
hole cutter, edle-threading tlimble,
grease extractor, window cleaner, solder,
comb cleaner, broom band, silver powder,
books. penholder and eraser, stationery
packages, starch enamel, ehromos, coat
supporter, insect powder, clothes hook,
glass cutter, bells and burglar alarms,
and large number of articles always
found In the hands of agents. ssNow,
sir,n continued the man, II wish TO show
you something that has fortune in it for
every man who will take hold IN its sale.
Come with me- The reporter was led to
back room. A small table, two chairs,
box labeled duryea's starch, and a
lounge constituted the contents of the
room. A small kerosene lamp stood on
the table. The man unscrewed the top,
lighted match, and applied it to the wick
underneath the burner. The man blew
the flame into the oil. ssDraw near: no
danger, sir-not the slightest, sir, assure
you upon my honor" said the man. The
reporter advanced at least foot, and lis
tened to the virtues of powder which rem
ders the explosion of oil an impossibility.
| In the front office was a crowd. Some had
satchels to refill, others to empty. Some
were well dressed, others scantily. An
agent of fifteen years experience gave the
reporter few facts. jersey he said,
| lis the State for us fellers. They bite at
anything over there, and If a thing is new
something they have never seen or heern
on-they will pay any price for it. The
best thingto sell2 Why justnow this ERE
starch is all the rage-goes like snap; sold
| four dozen yesterday clean profit Of -.
This ere sharpener was the first thing /
ever taekled-that was fifteen years ago
it's boss thing to sell yet. License ::
Well, Jersey requires license; but we
never bother our heads about it. Once IN
while feller gets pulled up. but he can
get off with little fine. Yes, business is
better now than / ever saw it. Women
/ don't get panicky, and they are the easiest
/ persons in the world to sell to. just show
a woman something new, ike this thread
! er. for instance. and it's her'n before you
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