Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-19

The Peculiar Transactions Of a
Wealthy Cincinnati Nan.


All the cranks are not In Washington The
gymnastics Of piece of home talent have been
entertaining several Cincinnati merchants and
tradesmen for weeks past. much to the profit of
some The Enquirer of that city thus tells of
them
About three weeks ago. a well-dressed man.
apparently nearing his fiftieth birthday. but
with natty. somewhat juvenile foot Onsambe
"a they say IN Bucktown. dropped into fash
ionabIe tailorin" shop on Vine street. The spry
attendants received him with distinguished con-
sideFatOn Ii seemed TO please him. He liked
i: that way. Daintily taking from his vest
pocket an ordinary pantalOOns BUTTON he hand
ed it to the clerk. with the remark: 81 will
thank you sir. to- finish this pantalOOns for me
a. speedily possible"
The clerk took the button. and laughinely
asked was il all the gentleman had toward the
new trousers. To his great surprise the
customer replied it was. and pulling out his
purse demanded how much the balance would
Cost. The clerk. with more wit than ne was
aware Of pulled out his pencil. and, after fgur-
ing SOME moments, replied 1896.
Then YOU only allow five cents for what
have suppiicd:" queried the gentleman. but
quickly added that very reasonable. come
To think of it. at the same time handing the
clerk 500 bill. He was promptly given his
Change. and the clerk suggested that this
strange customer had better pick out the style
OF Cloth tn 70 into the pantaOons, and have
his measure TAKEN all OF which was readily con-
sPnted To and the gentleman departed. saying
that he would call for the garment at the time
promised for delivery.
Promptly AT the appointed time he called and
found his button stuck OF part of the trousers
where it will be speedily missed when its time
comes to drop.
That clerk considers the whole transact on
coupled with the unniStakable earnestneSs of
tine strange customer ineXpcable-
However funny the clerks experience may
seem To him. it does not equal the trade we'll
known florist and piScat0riaI artist on 4th street
had with the same customer. A week ago Sat
urday carriage drove up TO this miniature
aquarium dealers establishment. from which
this man of the button ali"hted The rig was
every way well-appOinted, a liveried footman
being one of the appenda@eS thereto. The oc-
cupant of the carriage took from it a pair of
twO-gallon fin cans. with handles attached. so
that it might be carried IA are water buckets.
These he conveyed into the store, enc at time.
He then proceeded to discuss the price of an
aquarium which seemed to take his fancy. The
price was So.
.'AE right" said the gentleman '.I'll take it,
But" lie added. pointing to his cans I've
brought water for the tanks with me, and
suppose you will make due allowance on that
account"
The florist-fishman looked at his customer
with the regular trade laugh and remarked that
water was unusually high this winter: that Oh
the whole wasn't bad joke. The seriousness
of the customer. however. appalled, the sulogica
considered fair price for the water, The gen.
teman said there We're four gallons. and he
Thought i've cents q gallon would be square
figure. This was agreed to. and the balance
S3lS0. being paid. the gentleman left, saying
he would send for the whole business.
The cans bore the imprint of Central avenue
hardware dealer. where it was ascertaned they
were made to order for man answering the
description of the man with the buttons.
At no place has this strange individual left
trace of his identify He iG anparpOtiy a
man of wealth and refinement and aside from
playing the young thing i'm feeble way he hes
no apparent marked pecuarities of manner. No
doubt there may be many episodes like the above
wherein the same individual has figured here.
From all that could be ascertained he appears
to be a resident of Cincinnati.
The strangeSt story about this man comes from
Main street gunsmth. A customer answering
MS description called one day last week at this
gunsmiths and inquired whether the tradesman
made guns to order. Being answered in the affima-
tive ne began 20 undo lone. slender package. from
which he produced a pasteboard continuance
thrty-ive inches long and about an inch IN
diameter. There was a lid extending
the whole length Carefully opening it he took
out an invisible something. and said to the gun
smith: Il would like you TO make me a gun to
this bore I've measured it, and | think you'll
find it just thirty-twO inches long and six
eighths OF an inch in diameter"
- If | understand you rightly said the gun
smith, who thought the fellow crazy You
want me to build gun around this hold:"
Exactly was the quick response. '.How
much will il COST
The tradesman got to figuring and presently
answered: Ill make you a singie-barreled gun
with this bore. for SIS and deducting fifty cents
for the bore furnished the bill will be Sl75 50
Judge of the surprise of the gunsrlith when
his customer promptly paid the bill. and, saying
be would call for the gun. departed.