The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-04-30
MEN WITH DlG FORTUNR1 M
] T0EGR VEST ROCMHTa.

AS.e@ -
Ny life is anything but life of ease
and pleasure said . veteran travelling
salesman for ono Of the largest diamond
hoeses in America, seated in an sasv
chSir at an uptown club. have heen
on the road For over twelve years, and
have travelled al over America and
Europe" continued be, taking an easier
position on his chair and lighting cigar.
10 sometimes wonder to myself 10
think of what have been through and
lived. Ispend ten months out of the
tw we on the road, and live nearly al
ways on the train or boat. / seldom
stop ata city longer .than two or three
days. l must stop at the best hotels. on
account OF the valuable property carry.
l Start out on my trips twice year, from
New York. in May and November, taking
slao,OOo to 100000. worth of stones
With me each trip. l have q regular
route that | go over once . year. take
ths West in on my May trip and go
Soeth as far rs Mexico in November.
aHa:treated much more courteously than
the; ordinary jewelry salesman By the
people to whom l sell. In the first place.
my having such an enormous amount of
property in my pockets commands a GER
tam kind of respect. There is a curious
fascination about diamonds that few men
car resist. Nearly everybody loves to
look at them and watch the different ef-
iects Of light on them in various positions.
when diamond drummer enters a store
and makes known his business, he is gen.
orally invited back into q private room
and asked to show his stock. If a stone
suits customer, instead of ordering so
many by sample, he buys at once, gives
hls note and the transaction is complete"
How do you carry your diamonds 20
" In cases like this" replied the sales
man, taking out Russian leather case
shaped like common envelope 1t was
about six inches long by four broad and
sewed together with strong silk thread.
Ii Eas lined with oil silk, and fitted on
the inner back with two compartments
also envelope shape. When folded up
ewo heavy bands Of elastic held the laps.
1t booked like an ordinary pocketbook.
" That little book" continued he. Twill
carry about $4,000 worth of diamonds.
Nice pile, eh =? | have my vests especially
made to accommodate these cases. have
seven of them and pockets for each one.
All the pockets are ON the front of the
vest and strongly protected from pick
yockets. An effective protection against
the knife of the pickpocket is fine gauze
OF steel Sc ved next to the cloth Of the
vest. Very few can go through that in
the short time they have to work. 1 never
take my vest of, even while I am sleep
ing. l have never lost a dollars worth
by robbery or otherwise"
"Of course you go armed ?"
:" Well, slightly" replied he with q
quiet smile, reaching back of him and
bringing out an improved Colts revolver,
SO -calibre. carry two of these with
re or two Colts derringer pistols when
on the road. Ipractice shooting regularly,
and think can hit FIVE cent piece at
fifty PAGES"
:" can tell you the life of a diamond
eFekrr deaf 81 hffafpdeis:ea ID qrrf66s Tie West
last summer, on my way from Denver to
Chicago, l discovered 1 was followed by
a man who had got wind of my vocation
and the diamonds carried with me. l
had an alligater-skin travelling bag, which
had put up in the rack over my head in
the railroad Car. He evidently thought
was tool enough to put my diamonds in
thai bag, by the way he eyed it. At a
little way station, about one hundred
miles this side of Denver, we had twenty
minutes for dinner. l went out with The
rest, leaving the bag in the rack. Instead
Of going to the dinner table / took MP
my stand by the window looking toward
the cars. saw this fellow walk up to
the rack, take down the bag and throw
the strap over his shoulders. With a
satisfied smile he walked down the steps
Of che car, and started out through the
station. A shot from my revolver caused
him TO stop and nearly frightened him to
death. He gave mp the bag, which only
held some soiled linen and such things,
aud let him go. Ihave some adventure
evecy time go out, and some day 1
SUPPOSE someone will kill me-" and be
laughed lightly and turned to other sub
iecka - Npsa Yo~k Ne.ro