Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-25
DRUMMER BADLY SOLD.
Some Ways in Which Travelling
Men Play Practical Jokes.

From the Pensacola F7G.l Comm ere a..
! Last saturday two parties arriving in
! this city registered at the Merchants
| HOIel az Frank Pruyne and father, OF
New Orleans" The boy was ABOUT !
years of age. The elder of the two, the
! father of the 'skid," is the gent eman for
whose benefit Smith Bros. d Co. run a
wholesale grocery on Poydras street in
the Crescent City. Father and son SAL
lied forth during the day, and, on
PslatoX street, the former, spying an old
friend, A. j. Carlisle, a shoe drummer
from Baltimore, who was in conversation
with another gentleman, reached forth
his hand and said in the joking spirit In
which he knew the remark would be
taken: "Carlisle, old boy, glad to meet
you; if you have your samples pretty
handy, Pll go over and look at them;
need. about this time, $4,000 worth or
Shoes" Here he was interrupted by Car
Isle, who saw a prospective practical
joke on one of the fraternity,
ana who said, in introduction:
Mr.. Pruvne, Mr.. Bottlestopper-Mr.
Pruvne," turning to BottlestoPper, sis
the buyer for the Muscogee Lumber Com
pany's business-Mr. Bottlestopper'-
turning TO MIR. Pruyne-"represents the
largest clothing house in New York"
Bottlestopper bit like a red snapper.
He was happy to NEE: Mr.. Pruyne, and
the latter, dropping to the game at once,
led the sucker on until the biggest sale
for many dav could be seen through the
optics OF the New York man.
Begging TO be excused. when the job
was ripe, Pruyne walked down the street,
and Carlisle, turning to BOttlestopper,
said Bottle old map, you can work
that fellow into buying big bill if you
60 about it in the right way. He's stop
ping at the Merchants; go up there and
offer to take him to the theatre, and when
he goes over 40 the City Hotel to inspect
your sampiess make his little boy
present of a suit of clothes"
Bottlestopper by this time had swal.
lowed the hook, and he lay in wait for his
man. Carlisle put Pruyne on to the snap,
and when the latter was asked little
later IL Ae with his little boy would not
like to take in the matinee, he pleaded no
time, but finally consented and went.
Across the street from the theatre the
City Hotel is located, and when the show
had been concluded, over went the
pair, with the little boy, and into the
sample room they were in a jiffy. The
boy, after a show of refusal on the
part OF the father, was fitted In a hand
some suit of clothes, Pruyne bought a
big bill, and together the three walked
do IN the street. They hadn't gone very
far when up stepped q drummer known
to all hands. Bottlestopper, before his
companion had been recognized, imme-
diately introduced the newcomer to "Mr.
Pruyne, the buyer for the Muscogee
Lum Der Company "Muscogee hip
said Mr.. Newcomer, "thavs Ray
mond Pruyne, secondhand gro
Gerry drummer from New Orleansp'
Bottlestopper stood dumbfounded, while
Pruyne and the kid made a quiet sneak.
At last accounts Carlisle was hid in
back room of the Merchants, Pruyne was
walking to Pensacola Junction, carrying
the kid in his arms, and Bottlestopper
was promenading Palatox and Govern
ment streets with fowlIng piece belong
ing to the proprietor of the City Hotel
seeking whom he might devour.