St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-14
TOO CONFIDING WOMEN.
How They Arc SwindIed by the
GWOrk ut HOme', Firms.


ssWOrk at Homer Firms.
One cannot take up newspaper of any
sort nowadays without finding therein from
one to a dozen advertisements which offer
work to women to be done at their own
homes. These advertisements are as varied
as possible, but certain Oft-recurring phrases
are generally TO be found by means of which
one can detect the fact that they all belong
to the same class. In the first place they
are usually eouched in rather mysterious
language, as if the writer had most valu-
able secret in his possession, which he
might be induced to impart to favored
few, but which he was afraid would be
found out by too many If he spoke more
openly. This semi-confdential tone and
air of mystery is of itself enough to pique
the curiosity of the ordinary mind. Then
it is never stated in exact terms just what
the proposed work is; or if a pretense of
giving a name to it is made it is sure to be
some vague term, which either
CONVEYS NO IDEA
whatever to the mind, or a very misleading
one. The labor is easy" slight. "agree-
able" artistic" mo canvaSsing," ''may
be done in the leisure moments of afternoon
and evening"" left at any time" and a
dozen and one other enticing things. One
and all unite in promising vast returns for
this labor. ''S7 to SIS per week made
easily" ''S5 per day frequently made in
this work." etc, etc. They neglect to state
who makes the SIS per day, but it's safe TO
assert the poor victim who eagerly sends on
her dollar for outfit never does. For there
is always fee to start with, and this is
another family resemblance among this
brood of cheats; in fact the fees they re-
ceive in this way is the only real and sub
stantial feature of the whole thing. This
is sometimes asked as the price of materials
sent to begin work upon, the firm
agreeing to purchase the work when COM
pleted for large sum of money. Some
times it is on the pretence of instruction in
the work, for postage or express, or on
various other
FAIR-soUNDING PRETEXTs.
Some clever advertisements do not ask
for a fee or postage stamps at the outset,
but ask merely that persons desiring thi:
work shall send their names on a posta
card. This only removes the matter by one
step, however, as in reply TO the card circu
lars are sent i'm which the work is praised
and a fee demanded in the old familiar
terms.
Now, what happens if you do send you
| dollar, more or less, to one Of these places
| From a knowledge of hundreds and hun
dreds of such cases, the reply can be given
with absolute certainty. Either you will
receive no answer at all, or the materials
sent will be found to be utterly WORTHLESS:
and useless, like six little bottles of colored
water CD in a pasteboard box, or tn,
work" will be impossible TO do; or If YOU
succeed, in spite Of all difficulties, in paint
| nf o. nv nar ri mrs hot
ever it may be, it is always mysteriousl!
broken in sending, or refused, If presented
in person, for some trivial and trumped- III
reason.
These firms are very numerous, and they
change their name and place of business a
least once a quarter, a thing easily done, a
their capital and stock in trade usual.
consists of
A HIGH SOUNDING TITLE.
often constructed so as to be confoundet
with some honest firm and a postoffice DO,
or some den of a room where letters can b.
received. But one thug should always b
remembered, In this as in every other bust
ness matter-it is foolish TO expect fabulou
returns for little or nothing. 1t is not onl
silly but dishonest TO wish so to do. Indeed
one has but 10 use little common sense
see through this work at home business
NOulu any IelldDlc BUSINESS nTm IN any
our great cities. swarming with unemploye
men and women, be obliged TO advertis
North, South. East and West Cor people {
do work which is stated 10 be at once S
agreeable, so easy and so remunerative
Why, If business man wants boy, or
clerk, or a bookkeeper. he has but TO pu
one line 10 that effect in any large dali
paper to be literally besieged with appl
cants for the place.
Another trick of the trade Is TO purchas
commercial lists, !" or use town dlrectorie.
or hire people to furnish lists of names
different places and then send to those az
dresses confidential" circulars, in who
special terms and special offers are mad
TO you lin small capltals). This is alwa!
a very taking form of appeal, touchin
ones vanity and disarming ones suspieio
at stroke.