Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-12-16

Chicago Politicians Fall Easy Victims IA
tho Persuasive FaLir.

Chicago Politicians Fall Easy Victims .,
tho Persuasive FaIkir.
The other evening as representa-
tive Of The Post walked down the cor
ridor leading to the Mayors Office he
met Private Secretary O'Neil vending
his way homeward The genial Tom
carried under his ann a lengthy and
somewhat peculiarly shaped parcel.
! On being asked passingIy what it con
tanned Mr.. O'Neil blushed, but, like
the father Of his country. he couldn't
lie about It. 10 in low tone he an
swered:
ITS bar of soap"
A moment later Deputy Comptroller
Frank Barrett was encountered. He,
too. carried parcel The curiosity of
the reporter was aroused. Whats
thatq' Frank was asked. Mr.. Barrett
glanced around him, and he replied
hastily:
"Oh, it's only bar of soap"
Just then Alderman John Summer
field was stepping out of the city clerks
Office Deputy Clerk Van Cleave
brushed past him quickly; both carried
parcels.
'Bet a quarter can tell you what
you've got under your arm" shouted
the alderman after Vans retreating
figure.
"I'll go you" said Van.
Its bar of soap" interrupted Mr.
Summerfeld.
Fright you are" interrupted the
deputy city clerk. 81 owe you quar-
ter"
SOS mine," mutered the alderman,
as he decended to the street floor
A scene enacted in the mayors Office
in the early morning explains this mys-
terious occurrence. About nine o'clock
a picturesque looking gentleman, carry
ing huge cage, entered and placed
the cage on John Fitzsimmons' desk.
John took look at it, and then beat
a hasty retreat The object that had
disturbed the equanimity of Mr.. Fftz-
simmons was bat of enormous dmen-
sions, with gauzy, fllIny wings. each at
least two feet long, and the head and
body of monstrous rat.
Whats that2r exclaimed Tom
O'Neil in horror stricken accents.
1.-The great vampire of South Amer
lea, whose food is the blood of sleeping
victims and whose home is'- and the
gentleman with the cage talked until
he ran down.
What do you feed it onr' asked Al
derman Summerfield, who had just
happened in, and was glancing tinor-
ously at ele cage Raw beef and
liver" was the prompt reply.
BY this time crowd of goodly pro-
portions had gathered round the vam-
pire and its owner. Just then the lat
ter drew from his pocket a long slab of
something that looked like a sheet of
cork and placed it against the cage. 1t
was gnawed ON one edge, and every
body thought it was the vampires food.
With that wonderful unanimity which,
like the proverbal ''touch of nature"
often shows the whole world to be kin,
the entire crowd cried out;
Whats that9"
This was the vampire mans oppor-
tunity. THAT, gentlemen he ex-
claimed, while a ray of luminous intel
ligence played round his countenance,
"is piece of bark of the soap tree of
South America. From it has been
manufactured preparation unrivaled
in cleaning gloves, taking grease spots
from hats And before any one could
break away the fakir had the respect
i've hat of at least six in the crowd,
diligently rubbing away at them with
his preparation. That's howthe alder
men, the deputy city clerk, the mayors
private secretary and the deputy comp
troller went home that evening each
with a bar of soap under his arm
Chicago Post.