Evening star., 1896-02-22
THE MENDACITY OF VANITY.
Method Adopted by a Drummer I,
Settle n Disputed Point.


II A Star reporter was contending the point
that however vain a person might be, es-
pecfally woman, her vanity was not strong
enough to destroy her sense of truthfulness.
The opposite side was denfended by New
York travelling man, commonly know as a
drummer" and he was not only a stylish
fellow, but he had the nerve that is some
times aScrihed to that peripatetic frater-
nifty.
Come with me-" he said, land I'll prove
my point"
1t was about II O'Clock in the morning
and the conversation was occurring in an
office on F street.
"How?" inquired the reporter.
I'm show you how If you'll come with
me-"
the writer agreed to the proposition and
the drummer escorted him to a dry goods
store where women consresate, and led
him inside. They moved about the place
Tor fifteen or twenty minutes the writer
asking for an explanation Of the strange
maneuvers every time he had chance
and getting no satisfactory answers Final
iy the drummer Overheard a lady tell a
clerk she wanted her packages sent down
to the train in time for her to get them
there and carry them home with her. The
next minute, as she turned away, he rush
ed up 10 her with his hand extended, and
the lady shook hands with him.
How do you do:'' he said in the friend
liest way
How do you .lo?" she responded, but
with some doubt in her voice.
Il don't believe you remember me-" he
said in hurt tone.
Your face is quite familiar. but don't
quite place you"
Don't you remember he explained,
that met yon at the German ambassa-
Gor's not long ago, and also at the dinner
dance at the Brices, and again at the
Assembly,"
She hesitated nom ent looking him over
why, yes" she said, smiling very pleas
antly. Il remember You quite well now.
but l wasn't expecting to,see you, don't
you know. and didn't recognize you al first.
You know how ii IS in Washington"
She smiled again and he smiled and
chatted with her awhile. then they parted
and this drummer came back to the writer
and took him out on the street.
''NSw what do you think of it," he
asked.
Think of what"
''Of my prof that 1 was on the right side
of that discussion"
Il don't see any proof You merely met
lady whom you mad met before md re-
called yourself 10 her There wasn't any
proof in that"
Wasn't there?" and the drummer
laughed Think a minute You know L
don't know anybody in Washington out
side of three or four merchants l sell to
here, and Them only in business way. 1
never was at the German ambassadors
in my life, Tor any of those other places
l mentioned. 1 have read of them in the
newspa pers,-@thats all. And the lady?
Why. she doesn't live in this town at all.
Didn't you hear her order her packages
sent to the train to meet her? l never saw
her before Just the same. when she saw
a wel-dres.ed mln identifying her a
member of the fashionable set of the capi-
tai, and knew the clerks and other women
We're hearing it. too she let it go at that
never was at any of those places any more
than l. was, but she was too vain to deny
it, even though she had to lie to maintain
Eer position. See?''
The writer saw very clearly. but he never
would have seen if the rroof had not been
presented in such unmistakable form.