St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-08-24
EMBRYO DETECTIVES.
The Country Il Full of People Who
Long to ba Eleuths.
Uamsreaee Between the Literary and the
Practical Detcctlve-The Latter
Doesn't Have So Good
Timo ~ the Former.

''You would be surprised" said the
manager of a well-known private de-
tective agency. Ito see the large mum.
Der OF applications we receive from
people anxious to engage in our work.
Men will present themselves rs candi-
dates utterly devoid of all knowledge
Of or qualifications for the business.
and expect us to jump at the chance
they offer us. It is wonderful how
conceited some people are"
''Has any cause ever been assigned
for this craze?" asked the reporter.
''So-called detective stories and an
overweening self-confidcnce are tine
two main reasons" was the reply. ut
is strange how many Of these worthless
yarns have been published and eagerly
read by a cOntiding public. The authors
are not required to know any thing
about the subject on which they write;
that would only be a drawback to them.
All that is needed is a mysterious crime
for plot. a detective supernaturally
gifted with strength and intelligence.
two or three beautiful girls for him to
fall in love with, and the groundwork
of Old Sleuth. the Lightning Bug De
tcctive,' is completed. Young idiots
read these stories. see what an easy
time those who detect crime have ION
paper), and. of course. want to achieve
fame and money through our channel
TO show you." continued the speak
or, what peculiar ideas some people
have look at this letter. " and he showed
the reporter the following missive:
DETROIT. Mich. May Ia-Dear Mr.. -: I
an employed here in job printing once. but
have long Thought was cut out for . detective.
There are several agencies here. but would
not like to work for them A. they are n. q.
want TO be with somebody where could be-
come known. Now what I want is this: am
sixteen and know nearly all the detectives and
pol cemen in this city, but the detectives are
N. G i. and II you will let me be your agent
here whenever there is any big crime will get
the work for you and will either do the job NV
self or tou can send help. Please write soon.
Yours respectfully, ---
Pretty good. eh?" calculated the
criminal hunter. I'VE get lots of let
tiers. but that's little out OF the ordi-
nary run. A sixteen-year-old boy
wanting to be superintendent OF q
branch Office at the start Don't it
strike you that he flies rather high?"
..But the most peculiar visitor ever
had" remarked the detective, slowly,
"was Edgar Van -. a small-sized.
shabbily-dressed. whisky-impregnated
individual, who called at my Office
some two years ago and applied for a
job. Twas not greatly pleased with
his appearance and gently intimated
that had more men on hand than /
needed"
".But am an extremely valuable
man. he protested.
Have you had any experience"
Lots
".Who with?
.Well-ah. i'm fact it has all been
in private cases of my own;' then no
ticing my lack of interest he hurriedly
continued:
IL have the best and most novel
way of shadOwing man that was ever
heard of. Kindly give me your atten-
tiOn a moment and he Strengthened
up. ..-t.
T" Suppose go out to follow an in
dividual. After awhile he may chance
TO see that some one is on his trail
He looks at me. 1 am a medium-sized
man, with two eyes. But wait and
he fumbled with his left optic mo-
ment. Now lookr he triumphantly
as he withdrew his glass
eye. The suspected party scrutinizes
me again. A man with one eye is fol,
lowing him and the two-eyed man is
not in sight; consequently you can
easily see how can be of great. of
very great value 10 your firm
..But. strange to say. didn't hire
him. a.. .... .....
Detective life is far different from
what it is pictured to b. 1t is q bard
row to travel with but small pay
and extremely long hours. A de-
tective on the trail does not
carry seventeen separate and distinct
costumes with him and make momen-
tary changes on the street to avert
euspicionL According to the novel
sketches .. good detective is char
.cter ~comedian,. = prize-6ghter. .
champion sptmmer and runner. gifted
With remarkable sight and hearing. !
and lastly possessing an 'education
that any eorsgs. man might envy.
This is the kcti0n detective. -
"A bons Aae.. common. ordinary.
everyday Aetective 3 q man possess
snp fair Intelligence and qHickness Of
perception. who is willing to work
iron, fourteen to sixteen hours . day