Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-03-12
Other Peoples Letters.

those jolly good fellows who receive
goodiy number of missives from tn,
fair sex, and tine note was only forma
declinstlon of an invitation, so there
was no indelicacy in showing it.
''Oh, yes, it's Il nice haud-yery pret
~ writing" sud the plrty addressed
"but it's fact that [ have receivei
notes from fifteen 10 twenty different
women in the last six months, all al
dressed AMI written in precisely the
same hand. The truth of it is that
there is nan in this city making &
fortune writing other peoples letters
''The deuce you sayI Who can il
be?'
"a young man named Markeson,
who has his headquarters on Walnut
street."
To the reporter who heard the con-
versation enough was learned to giya
HIM an idea he at once determined
to cali upon him and learn the particu-
lars OF his strange calling. Mr.. NJ. was
found in rather dinghy little shop on
Walnut street, the entrance to which
was partly barred by the balletin boards
containing display copies of flash liter
ature, while the show window was
packed w'th dime novels and hight read
ing. The frizzly headed youth who
stood behind the counter when the re-
porter inquired for Mr.. Markeson
pointed toward a gentleman in the rear
OF the store who was busiiy engaged at
q desk with notes piled up on every
side.
"What can 1 do for you?" he asked
politely, but still with the air of q man
who don't want to he bothered.
81 want you to write me a note.''
Have You a copyY he asked.
"No. but | will dictate to YOU"
"All right. but proceed quickly, for 1
have lots of business on hand. What
do you want, business hand?"
"Ies. business hand will do"
"On commercial note?"
"Yes."
well, go ahead"
In very few minutes the letter was
written, addressed TO fictitious person,
and sealed. 1t was writ su in beautI-
full business hand, every letter being
almost perfectly formed.
How muchY' asked the reporter.
Twenty-Five cents, please"
The amount WAS pad, and the letter
writer was asked when he would be at
liberty for few moments. Half an
hour later was appointed, and tue Jour
nalIst returned
"Now L wish you would tell me how
you became ietter-writer, and hoY you
worked mp sucu u business as you seem
to have?"
ION, that Is easy to explain. Six
Years ago L was a common card writer.
and went to the cou ty fairs and exhi.
bltions writing s.ards. For a while 4
wrote cards on the streets in Cincinnati.
and eat many people employed me
to write letters for them. 1t struck me
that 1t would be good idea to WORK up
trade OF that kind, and 1 got a little
ahead financially and bought out this
stand. 1t began little slow at first,
but people began to fiud me out, and
there Is not a day that do not ~rite
number OF letters. Sometimes L have
more than l can attend to, Us you saw
to-day"
''How did you manage to work it
up?"
'Women-that tells the story. One
or two women get a letter written, and
then they tell others about it. Nearly
all the nhterate women in the city en-
ploy me to write their notes, and they
are the best paying class, and then
there are numbers of educated women. |
Some of them write really nice, legibIe |
hands themselves, but for some reason |
or other they prefer notes written il |
some other hand. Poor servant girls |
have notes written and want them with |
all the hourishes that can be put into |
writing by a master. A great uany |
have me draw a bnd or deer's head to |
make the letter attractive aad pretty. |
Sometimes they come and tell what 1
they want themselves, but not frequent
ly. / have written some of the most
sickenIng stuff you ever heard tel OF
for love-sick girls, and have been put in
charge OF lnnumeraDle secrets. L have
no regular charge, the lowest price be-
ing quarter, aud from that on up TO
81. The more ignorant a woman the
louder sounding sine wants the letter
and the brighter colored she wants the
paper. Look here, Tor instance show
lag brilliant red-tInted sheet OF paper
with gold-embossed edge anu a stamped
monogram Oh top that WAS written for
u coiored woman, who is a COOK il a
ten-cent Restaurant, and goes to u dusky
lover. 1 charged her only quarter.
a woman WHO had more money to
throw away L would nave charged one
dollar"
TO whom are letters generally writ,
temp"
"Men of ali classes. Actors come in
tor the great snare. During the week
Fanny davenport showed here | wrote
thirty letters TO one OF the actors III
Fedora for different women, protesting
ali sorts of admiration. A great many
are written to gamblers and faSI young
men. A party who recently figured
N Cincinnati newspaper sensation
good many notes written by
me-"
do you write many letters for
nen?"
mot nearly SO many as for women.
The men are generally those who can't
write themselves or want anonymous or
letters written SO that they
,annot be detected by their chirography.
have had AL Inkling of curious aud
,taltiing facts that would create a sea- {
'atlon II known, but never ask ques
,ions, and consider everything rs strict |
y confidential. would, perhaps, make
LII interesting and valuable witness In I
many divorce cases If t'other party only q
Knew me" 4
lis the business proftabIe?' queried {
he reporter. {
''Weil, L will give you the figures. 1
began d little over five years ago with 1
! lew hundred dollars. L now have '
property which Can convert into cash /
IA Three days notice, aud have lived in 1
,ood style, 50 you eau Judge tor yonr- {
elf. But dou't pdDlish that, for nave 6
! monopoly now, ard IL may start com- c
,etltion."
On the desk were pile OF notes ,
Waiting to be copied, so the reporter &
withdrew.
Everybody seems to consider him. ,
II L