The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-07-26
AN EXPOSURE.
One Who Knows Gives Away Por=
trait Sharks.

IOuuulLS UOWuS, WdS 1Ouuu III one OF
our hotels. Those who have been
swindled, and others who might like
to be put on their guard, will probably
find it interesting.
To make the letter well understood,
it is necessary to exhibit a few of the
vain tricks and dark ways for which
the portrait fiend is peculiar. Space
allows only one instance: He calls at
a house and inquiries of the lady if she
has photo she would like enlarged
explains that the company he repre-
sents will, for the sake Of the popu-
larity and future patronage thus
gained, enlarge any photo she might
turn over to him, free Of charge. The
proposition is sugar-coated with hon
esty and wrapped around. clean out of
sight, with long strings of evidence in
its favor. The result is, generally,
that the lady turns over to him the
most prescious picture she possesses,
some fond remembrance which she
would not lose at any price.
The enlarged picture, set in cheap
frame-sometimes of knotty pine--is
delivered by a sinister-eyed, mean
looking cuss, who has a face like
lemon-squeezer and jaw, when in
motion, not unlike an old fashioned
corn-shelling machine-a being who
has been specially hired to squeeze
money out of stubborn people who
have the audacity to protest against
the swindle. The lady is asked to
pay So or 81 for the frame in which the
free-Of-charge picture is set. She
promptly refuses and demands the re-
turn of her own photograph, but is in
formed that, in order to obtain it, she
must buy the enlarged picture. That
settles it. She buys back her own
picture, with the other rubbish
thrown in. Here's the letter:
DEAR Boy: At lastyou have done
what | have so often advised-left
your position in the city, with it's pit
lance of a salary, and come out to Join
me in the struggle for hard cash. l
see by your letter that you have al
ready done fairly we'll, but am sorry
to see that you don't like your new
occupation very well. You seem to
have ScrupleS, and hint about poor
people, and conscience, and all that.
Now Joe, if l had considered you a
soft-headed sort of chap would not
have cOaXed you into the business.
But that is only one Of the awkward
things that you will soon get over
and which you must get over, to make
a good man. But it makes me mad to
read such foolishness from you. When
l come to think Of your practice on
old Limburger's cash piano, and your
escapades with those 16-year-old inno-
cents, | begin to think you don't have
much OF conscience-as you call it
after all.
But putting all nonsense aside, let
me give you few pointers to begin
with. Your first difficulty will be to
enter houses and gain a hearing
Door will generally be locked against
you; but in spite Of that you must
enter. If you get to be rattling
good man like me, you will glide into
a barricaded house just as naturally
as air enters vacuum. But | think
the easiest way for you to get into a
house now, while young in the bust
!, ness, is to pounce upon it unexpect-
eddy and get inside before the dear
old woman gets the screen door hooked
Don't act timid and school-boyish
among the ladies-if you do they will
only give you smile that is full OF
kindness and pity-but no order. You
must learn to be just enough persist
ent and mean, to make everything
come your way.
Be as dignifled as you can. When
you approach house carry y,'nr pros
pectuS as if it were mortgage on the
premises-make it appear as if you
had come for the seventh and last
time to collect back-rent. First of all
create the impression that you have
come to take the sewing machine
away, or something, then when they
find out what you are after, they will
be glad to get off so easy. If a lady
, can't give you an order because she
has no suitable photos, make her &C
and have some taken. Learn to make
use of neat compliment or good
cuSsing, as occasion may demand
, Neither, of course, applies to men,
, When you strike good town work
it for all there is in it. Get every
thing in sight and then make a stall
at what you don't see. Skin it to the
eyes and hang it up to dry.
II you fill big town so Shaving full
of machine-made chromos that the
milkman can't get into town, look at
the money you are making! Pictures
, So and 81 apiece, 80 per cent profit
Holy Mackinaw!
Well, my boy, | hope this will dc
you some good. When you have mas
tered the main points l will put you
, onto the finer tecilRipueS.
} Yours, ETC.,
OLDTIMER.
In towns where the local artist:
keep themselves before the public
through the newspapers, these swind
lers generally find hard row to hoe
1 And that is as it should be. If the
portrait firms who do business in al
honest way would look to the public
= press for protection, their business
would not go to the dogs as it Otter
does. CARL NELSON.