The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-06
Got Caught at It.

Among the passengers on a Philadelphia
train coming north the other day were several
drummers, says d. Quad in the New YORK
World Most Of them were from New York
but one Vas cO,tish young man from Boston
VINO priced himself on being a student OF hu-
man nature Were a number of drummers
are gathered together there you will hear boast
Ing and Dragging, and each and every one will
put forward his particular speciality as the best
JOKE or trlcN OF the season. The young man s
Speciality was by-and-by duly explained. Said he:
Gentiemen- have a little scheme which 1
nave named the John Henry scheme II is
~orkea entirely on The farmer, and it furnishes
one with wonderful insight into the charac-
teristlcs OF the horny handed sous of toll Per
maps you didn't know that tie farmer is natur-
any the most suspicious person in existence
ems"
Two or three Of the crowd doubted the truth
OF the assertion. which was Just what the coltiSh
young man desired, and he continued:
I propose to prove what have said have
made estudy Of the farmer. and know him
from head TO heel You all see this watch? II
Is oang-up timepiece and cost $50. If it had
waterbury works and a plated case and was
worth about Sc, | could sell it to a farmer for
So as easy as rolling of log. AS it Is Straight
goods. It would scare farmer to death TO offer
Il 70 him for $40"
Il think he'd snap It up observed one Of the
boys.
That shows you are not posted There is
probably az least one farmer IN the coach ahead.
watch for an X, and he will take me for fakir
and refuse to invest"
After some hesitation the stakes were nut I'D.
and, followed by two OF the party, the young
man entered a day coach. Almost the first pas,
senger IN sight was . middleaged farmer. He
had on an old straw hat. was without a collar
and one of his cow-hide boots rested on tine
other seat as he interested himself in a news
paper.
My friend" began the young mau, as he
smiled bland and seductive smile, Il have met
with misfortune, and am obliged to"
Il han't got no money to give away" inter
rupted the farmer.
I do not ask for charity" continued the
young man. 81 have fine watch here which
| propose TO dispose of for cash to relieve my
temporary embarrassment"
Don't want no watch"
But let me explain Here is watch worth
$3.50. will sell it for $40. Take 1t and look it
The farmer hesitated for awhile and then
took 1t, held il to bis ear, shook it once or twice
and said:
II don't claim TO be the sharpest man in this
world but do hate to be taken for hayseed"
No one takes you for hayseed my dear
fellow | simply offer to sell you my $3.50 watch
'Oh, that's it, chs Wall, 1 guess I'll take 1t. "
he dropped the watch into his pocket fshed
up $40 bill, and continued:
Half the wheels may be gone when come
to examine 1t. but a Teller must take some
chances in this world"
Then the coltish young man turned red, and
white, and blue, and he smiled and suffered
and stammered, and his bland smiles ia ell
away as he explained that 1t was all Joke. The
other wouldn't have it that way, however. and
ne nnally closed the argument by splitting on
MS hands and RISING up TO fight the whole
crowd; He kept the watch and the young man
from Boston will have an armful of sorrow to
mug for year to come. He doesn't know that
one of the New Workers, having heard Of the
trick and expecting he would work it, had that
farmer posted half an hour in advance II he
did It would break his young and confding
heart.