The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1894-08-30
HOW eAN,cs ARE STARTED.

HOW eAN,cs ARE STARTED.
An Ep,so,le Which shows How tho Fl.
nancial String~ncy Finds Its Victim.
A few mornings ago Mr.. Weed. 4
popular uptown tobacconist. was sit
ting in his store, says the N. r. Herald;
when iu walked Mr.. Snip, the fashion.
able Harlem tailor. Mr.. Weed greeted
Mr.. Snip with eff0sive cordiality.
Mr.. Snip bought his cigars by the
box. and smoked none but the finest
imported brands. No wonder the
smile on the tobacconist's face rivaled
that of hotel clerk during the busy
season. On the other hand, Mr.. Snip
seemed to be gloomy and depressed.
"Let me show you new brand OF
Havana cigars that are a little ahead
of anything in the Market" said Mr..
Weed, breaking open box.
mo, l thank you, Mr.. Weed" said
Snip, making "get thee behind me,
Satan" sort of a gesture. mo more
cigars for me. l can't afford it these
hard times. I'd feel as if was taking
the bread out of my children's mouths.
I've GOT to come down to pipe"
The tobacconist looked very much
orieved, but he lost no time in spread
inc out before his customer an assert
ment of beautifully carved meerschaunl
pipes. and was beginning to tell all
about their being the genuine article
when Snip checked the flow of elo'
quence by asking for a cheap briar-
root pipe.
His request was complied with, and
after he had selected one for Is cents
he purchased dime package OF to-
bacco and took his departure after a
few more dismal lamentations about
the hardness of the times and the folly
of people who INDUCED in extrava-
gance.
After Snip had taken his departure
the tobacconist drew deep breath
and said confdentially to himself: 81
wonder how much longer this panic is
going to last? When prosperous
man like Snip has to give up cigars
and take to a cheap pipe it means
something. I was in hopes the worst
was over, but now l see it amt. l
guess III have to take in sail myself.
"rll have to tell Checkrein that !
can't buy that horse. l can't afford to
pay $500 for horse when people take
to smoking pipes instead of cigars"
He would have continued in this strain
for some time longer if several custom
ers hadn't come in. In fact, Weed is
doing as much business as he ever did,
but Snip had discouraged him with a
wet blanket.
Mr.. Checkrein, who keeps a livery
and sale stable near One Hundred and
Twenty-hfth street, was talking to a
reporter about the business outlook.
He (Checkrein) was in a cheerful
frame of mind.
Il don't see much signs of hard
times in my business" he said. "Peo-
pie hire teams just about the same as
ever at this season and the demand for
fast trotters is brisk. I've AS good as
sold splendid nag to Weed. the to-
bacconist. l expect to close the bar
gain with him today. No,l can't COM
Here Mr. Checkrein was interrupted
by a call to the telephone. The cheer
full expression on his face disappeared
like magic when he was informed by
Weed that times were SO confoundedly
hard that he couldn't think of buying
that horse.
"Whew!" calculated Checkrein, Il
thought the panic was over, but l was
badly fooled. Times are getting worse
and worse every day. When Il man
like Weed goes back on his bargains it
means the panic is still on. III have
to do little retrenching myself or I'll
not be able to make both ends meet.
just then who should come in but
Snip, the tailor. He looked quite
cheerful and had sort of an album
under his arm in which were Il num-
Der Of samples of cloth.
Il brought YOU the samples for fall
suits that we we're talking about the
other day. They are all wool and
carefully selected by myself when l
was in London"
"SuiN! Who the mischief thinks of
buying new clothes these 'panicky
times? Do you think Pm one of the
Vanderbilts? The man is fool who
increases his expenses when money is
scarcer than hens teeth. I'm going
to wear my old clothes from now on"
Snip closed his album with 81 Ugh,
and DER the tablet of his thoughts
came the same sad expression that he
wore when he bought the cheap briar-
root pipe. He strolled out "like one
stunned and of all hope bereft."
He will not know until he reads these
lines that he was hoist by his own pc
tard in the shape of cheap briar-root
pipe and l0-cent package of smoking
tobacco.