Fair play., 1883-08-18
A YOUNG WOMAN DETECTIVE.

A YOUNG WOMAN DETECTIVE.
Pc.ldlers. like horse jockeys, have n
reputation for being tricky and for not
remembering the golden iulc. Al least
as lin-pcddlcr of iifty-nine Years
standing | deny the charge rs applying
i"p"ddicrs more than to any other class
of traders.
Not only do deny it for myself, but
for the majority of the men who are
engaged in TIE business including,
ofcourSc, the many selfstylcd agents.
those hawkrrs of patented articles who
are found in every State of the Union.
B,' in defense of the old fashioned tin
pcdtllcr. with horse and cart, pick up
the rulhsrlS
We were aS honest rs other men. and
| wish | could say rs much for all the
women we have to deal with. Not that
intend To be cdi>rcSpcctiui iu the ladies.
for | always en- joy trading with them.
Blu, during the last sixty years | HAY"
obtained some very queer glimpSes OF
the workings of the feminine mind when
il is intent upon making 4 bargain.
During the whole of my long career,
I can truly say that was never guilty
OF hut one trick of which | am really
ashamed; and in that | was ou,wittcd
bya youn" lady. She came within 4
hand turn of sending me To jail. Ii
had been Il handsome Young fellow. tn"
case might have been different, or il
, might not. | cannot say: but she WAS a
Young woman of good character, and
she was acting in defense of causc
which she believed 10 be Il Just one.
The story is against me, but am going
to tell it,
To begin with, | was not. in nv
Younger days, a temperance man.
was born in the old Bay State bcforr
the temperance movcm.n. began. My
folks. in common with all other fami-
lies. always had liquor in the house;
and when any of us We're not feeling
well. or were out in the cold and came
home chilled. mother would prepare Il
a little cup OF .'toddy" 10 warm us up
and prevent our taking cold.
SO grew up in the belief that it WAS
right to drink liquors now ANA then.
None of our family were drnnkards.
though must say that one of the boys
came very near to being one. lie saw
the awful preripice Just a. he came to
il. and stopping short. turned and eS-
capped it 1t i>n every one can do that,
50 don 90 too near.
When began pc1dling carried 4
bottle of West India tucked away in
nv cart. 1 did not drink. as | have
said. to excess, but used perhaps a
quart in a month. That was about the
Kind of person | was then, rs regards
temperance.
From 1850 to 1858 my ''round'-ani
by round mean the route over which
sold my goods-lay through Il portion
Of Southern New Hampshire and two
of the western counties of Maine. | had
no, been trading in this section very
lone. when the Neal Dow temperance
crusade began. and the Maine, law,
wholly prohibiting the sale Of all intox-
icatiny liquors. WAS cna ted. That wis
q law, too, rs many persons well re-
member. which WAS supported by Il
strong and enthusiastic temperance
party. law that had genuine igor to
enforce il.
Then came dry times in Maine Not
r drop Of liquor could he had legally
for love or money. and dilimcnt search
and chase was made for al Illicit sellers
and for drinkers, too. Iou NAV he
sure there was moaning among the
steady old topers. and not a little dis
content among the moderate drinkers.
L had 4 great many of both topcrS and
moderate drinkers anon" the people on
my route. Often. with 4 wi>tful look Il
man would hcckon ne aside. knew
what To expect. Haven't got Il drop
of a.ythiny in yer cart. have We. Mr..
k-?'
When / replied no he would turn
away in great sadness. or perhaps Wig
ororl>lv bcratc Neal Dow. OF urge me 10
bring him Il a.-quarl the next time |
came from ''over Hampshire way"
Svmpathizcd with these thirsty ones.
I did not favor the LAW, or any sort
of prohibitory law then. lookciu3on
prohibition rs 4 fanatical raid on every
mans rights, and hence had NJ com
FUNCTIONS in seeing the law cyadcd or
broken.
Bat the man who broke that law did
ii at no small peril. The temperance
people were alert and mcrcile>>. Every
where the State swarmed with Watch
men Clubs. Temperance Bands and
vigilance committees: Not only gen
tlcmcn. but often ladies. were GU these
committees. Some of the women. in
deed. were among the most successful
of the temperance police.
As have said. did not >vmpathizc
at all with this anti-rlim crusade. and
after a wear or two | hit on the follow
inc rus, for outwiiting the .'Ramrod>"
as the rcformer> were called hy the
toper>-and Of supplying some of my
thirsty Maine friends with an occasion
al dram.
l bought lot of hard->helled Gus
haws." or crook-necked gourds. is
some call them. These carefully pre-
pared By removing the inside cf the
gourds through small hole in the
stem end-not negiecting 10 preserve
the stem TO be used a. stopper. or
rather to b. placed over the stopper.
had dozen Of these hari->h,llcd
conrls. They held from quart 10
two quarts each. and the shells. when
carefully tir.ed and she!lackea, made
very good !ia-ks i9f wafer. or Any