Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-02
THE FAKIRS ARE HERE.
Curb-Stone Dealers i'm Badges, Pictures
COrn-Salve, and Jewelry.

COrn-SalVe, ana Jewelry.
HOW THEY INTEREST THE cRowp-soMR WHO ARE
HONEST AND SOME WHO MIGHT TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THE UNwARY-THE GOODS THAT THEY SELL
AND THEIR WAY OF SELLING THEM
The street fakirs are quick to take advantage
OF the opportunities opened to them by the in
augural celebration. The name s'Fakr" sug-
gests something crooked or dishonest but it
does not necessarily follow that all fakirs are
dishonest. There are exceptions to every rule.
There are great variety Of fakirs. The upper
tendon of the fraternity is made up of the
young men-the clever young men-who travel
from town to town, wherever there is a cele-
bratlon, or fair, or grand occasion Of any sort
that brings crowd, selling mementoes of the
occasion. The whole family of fakirs makes up
curious and interesting group. They are all
glib, and their glibness is their fortune, or at
least their livelihood. They are the silver
tongued orators of the street, and they are
fully as clever if not as learned, as the ''spell-
binders" or any other of the elevated orators
who live by voice and vocabulary. They are
able to misead many an unsuspecting stranger
or to induce them purchase trinkets at prices
profitable to the fakir.
OCCUPYING THE GOOD PLACES.
When the crowd comes in they occupy almost
every available spot on the principal thorough
fares. either in a vehicle, on dry goods box
or on the cold ground according TO the amount
| of capital or the prospects for a good harvest.
The fakir begins by telling jokes and funny
stories. In this way he attracts his crowd, and
he is sure to find some with little money to
| spend in his wares
81 will show you a little trick" he says to the
| few boys who are usually the first to stop with
| their friend the fakir. He is always amusing
| them and they are useful to him to start the
crowd. 81 have something to show you," he
| says again slowly, something to show your
| Significantly and mysteriously he repeats this
six or eight times, until he has fair audience
work upon ON t Then tine he explains Fla his little
reached a hundred or more and he
makes startling statement about something
! that he is about to "give away" He means
| that he is going to sell them at remarkably low
hgures, but there are some of the credulous
who take him at his word. Their eyes appear
as large as saucers and they wonder how he
| can give things away and still live "How can
! he afford to do it?" they ask each other
Easily enough" echoes the fakir. Then he
will tell them that his father who is a million
aire manufacturerof some.article, desires to get
his goods before the public, and to do so he is
willing to give among the good people thou
! sands of dollars worth of goods. In order that
the receiver might show good faith he charges
/
article, which is worth double the money
THE DIAMOND" JEwELRY,
or a writing outfit, is given as a present.
Under the gaslight the jewelry sparkles, and
its deceptive rays catch the eye of the inno-
cent
just think of it; all this jewelry for moth
| ing. Who wants the first lot?'
Here me; this wayr' cries the crowd. Then
there are quick sales and large profits
III how Of loo =.
grease out Of clothing is handed out with an
/ envelope filled with jewelry The purchaser is
well satisfied and if he thinks the .'fakir" is
less SO he is mistaken. go home put it on
your corns and if it don't cure I'll refund your
money. This is set promise that they all
make, and none keep. He signs no iron-clad
agreement, and there is no way of collecting
the money even if you should find him again
But he is such pleasant and such funny fell
low 1t is but natural to laugh over his tricks,
even at your own expense.
THE HABIT OF BEING vIcr1M1zEp.
You may think that one deal with a fakir
would be enough for any one. Not so; men
get in the habit of being victimized and learn
to like the excitement. They gamble with
fakirs and always lose. The jewelry they get
is purchased by the barrel or ton and will turn
red, white and blue after being worn for few
days.
''What is the corn salve made OFF,"
Axle grease or some other cheap compound
generally! They try to make it harmless but
1t may not always be safe to use This COM
pound is put up in small pill boxes. bought
wholesale, making the cost of each trick" very
little, so that his profits are large, and another
article often sold by fakirs is preparation for
taking grease spots out of clothing. That is
a useful article in every household and for that
reason the ''fakir'' handles it. He understands
his business well enough to know that some
needy articles must be sold to attract general
attention. what does he do?" Why, he takes
piece of cloth and presses piece of fat ham
on it, making grease spot that anybody can
see. Then he takes some of his preparation,
which is nothing more nor less than rosin soap.
He applies it to the cloth and to all appearances
the grease spot disappears, but when the article
spread. But, then, it answers the purpose for a
sale and that's all the fakir wants.
WEEK AHEAD.
AS early as a week ago the fakirs in large
numbers began to arrive in Washington and to
attract crowds along the Avenue. They keep
the police busy resisting their encroachments
upon the public rights. Each day brings
many more, and on the 4th of March the city
will be fairly alive with them. The handker-
chief and badge men are also here. They have
come in large numbers, and are all active busI-
ness men In their way. They usually bring
their supply with them, and can sell cheaper
than those who have to buy from small dealers
Pictures OF the outgoing and incoming Presi-
dents are plentiful. The demand for the latter
is great, and money is being made out of them.
The competition, however, is SO great that the
pictures and badges are sold at reduced figures
some as low as cents each. The latest badge
is in the form Of a rosebud, to be worn in the
button-hole. 1t bears the picture of the Pres
ident-elect with his name. The price varies
according to the number of statesmen found
when the purchase is made. II is the same
with all the other inauguration mementoes
The boys size up the purchaser and charge ac-