New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1894-05-30
rasthsn1A oveEwoGk and % On, and
charged me- 3 louik


tributorg brought me curious article,
it being q history Of trousers. past and
present I threw the article, into the
and came near breaking
with the unlucky author. a.
just as I was about to arrange: my
business for long vacation, having de-
cided to make q sea voyage and travel
In foreign lands, where my nightmare
would not appear to haunt me-the
highlands Of Scotland, for instance, OF
in central Africa-the Office boy-he
wore fresh pair Of trousers ushered
Demare into my presence with the most
profound Difference without even an
nouncing him !.
At the first glance saw that no wore
q ''hitherto unpublished" pair Of trou-
sers. OF course expected that, but
what considered as sudden aggrava-
ton of my malady was that he wore a
new coat. If coats were going to mix
themselves with trousers in my poor sick
brain, there was nothing left for me but
to arrange the details of my funeral.
With haggard face, I pointed to a
chair. $685., -.
"Old man." said he, knowing that
you take an interest in me, I have come
to tell you good news. I am engaged
permanently as financial editor of The
Gazette. So we are coworkers. Congrat-
ulate me"
murmured some feeble words of fe-
Hcitation. .:.:~: IT, -
II owe you some explanation of my
prosperity in the last few months" he
added. "You remember the day boz
rowed the louis from you and returned
it the same evening? told you at the
time it was for daisy financial stroke.
Now that my self interest does not COM
pei me to keep the professional secret I
will tell you all. It is pretty byplay
in metropolitan life. No, my boy, I
have not assassinated any old woman
who was incumbered with rent roll I
have not been adopted by an elderly heir
ess. have sold no political secret nor
pillaged an embassy. Ihave simply been
a dealer in trousers -
At the last word I bounded to my
feet. There was my nightmare again.
"Calm yourself" said he, land lis
ten:
1.-THE day before I made the demand
upon your purse I happened to be pres
emit at the first days sale at auction Of
an immense stock of new goods from
bankrupt custom made clothing concern.
The programme for the succeeding days
was the sale Of 10, 900 pairs Of trousers.
There were few at the sale, the necessity
Of taking the goods by lots, on account
Of the great quantity, shutting out
workmen and the class Of persons who
wear such garments. I remarked that
the trousers in lots of 10 cost about 2
francs each
by dire experience I know that the
pawnbroker lends upward of francs on
q pair Of trousers in good condition
The thing to do was plain enough to be
seen. With your louis bid off lot of
10. Soon after fastened to the pawn
shop, where I offered three pairs. en-
countered an obstacle the first thing.
They do not lend on unworn garments.
I argued my case with such eloquence,
representing that I had worn the hou-
sers, but that was very careful of my
clothes, that I gained my point. Of
course could prove that was not
tailor seeking to dispose of my stock. I
took two other lots of 10 at intervals
during the day, keeping the tenth pair
for myself. I received over a dollar
apiece for them. So you see it was
pretty good days transaction.
''The next day bid off two lots, aud
profting by my experience passed the
day and part of the night in wearing
the trousers, putting on one pair after
another. can assure you it was back
breaking then conceived the idea of
having others wear them for me, and
timidly at first, but soon boldly enough,
l lent the garments day by day to your
boys, to your clerks and to many Others,
asking nothing in return but discretion
told them that needed to have actual
proof Of their quality, as they were
made in great numbers in my shop for
shipment to South America. AS my
business increased I perfected my meth
DDS. I employed agents to dispose of the
trousers. [ bought as many as so some
days.
''All went well SO long as the source
Of my prosperity remained undiscovered
One day scented danger. One of my
agents found out by the mark Oh the
buttons where the goods came from, and
he bought lot of TO- l did not hesitate
a moment.
Il hunted up the receivers of the
stock. I told them that there were 5000
pairs of trousers unsold; that the 1000
pairs already sold Il had bought 5000
had overstocked the buyer, and hence the
present price could not hold. It would
be wiser to sell them all at once. In
conclusion, offered them 3, 900 francs
for the lot of 5000. The deal was closed,
and SO all attempts at competition were
efectually prevented. At the same time
I laid myself liable to the law which
Furnishes monopolies..
''Now it is all over with. The pawn
shops, glutted with trousers, rebelled
and threatened my agents with arrest
Eight thousand Of my garments rest on
their shelves, so did not complain. In