The Meeker herald., 1896-05-02
the MENoAc,rv or VANITY.
A Druansr Adopts . MstAsA - settle
Q Dispated Point

n DTonnef Ao0Pfa 3otho4 - ooteie
. Dbpated PeiAI
From the Washington Star: A Star
reporter was contending the point that
however vain q person might be. es-
pecially 4 woman, her vanity was not
strong enough to destroy her sense
Of truthfulness. The opposite side was
defended by a New York travelling
man, commonly known as a drum
mer," and he was not only stylish
fellow, but he had the nerve that Is
sometimes ascribed to that peripatetic
fraternity.
Come with me-" he said. "and III
prove my point
ing. and the conversation was OCCUR
ring in an ONCE on F street.
Howl" inquired the reporter
I'll show you how. II you'll come
with me-
The writer agreed to the proposition.
and the drummer escorted him to dry
goods store where women oHgregate
and led him inside. They moved atoIl
the place for fifteen or twenty minutes.
OF the strange manoeuvres every TIM
he had chance. and getting no sat!5-
factory answers. Finally the drummer
overheard lady tell clerk size wan
ed her packages sent down to the trai1
in time for her to get them there ana
carry them home with her The next
minute. as she turred away. he rusae
up to her with his hand extended. and
the lady shook hands with him.
How do you do?" he said in tho
friendliest way.
How do you do?' she responded. bur
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 l met you at the German am
bassad doris not long ago. and also at the
dinner dance at the Brices. and again
at the Assembly,"
She hesitated moment, looking him
over as she did so.
why. yes she said. smiling very
pleasantly. Il remember you quite well
now. but I wasn't expecting to see you,
don't you know. and didn't recognize
you at first. You know how 1t is in
Washington
She smiled again and he smiled and
chatted with her a while, then they
parted. and the drummer came back to
the writer and took him out on the
street.
Now. what do you think Of it?" he
asked.
Think of what?"
"Of my proof that was on the right
side of that discussion"
Il don't see any proof. You merely
met lady whom you had met before
and recalled yourself to her. There
wasn't any proof in that"
Wasn't there?" and the drummer
laughed. Think a minute. You know
I don't know anybody in Washington
outside of three or four merchants
sell to here. and them only in a busi-
ness way. never was at the German
ambassadors in my life. nor any OF
those other places mentioned. I
have read Of them in the newspapers,
that's 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 well-dressed man Identifying her
as a member of the fashionable set of
the capital. and knew the clerks and
other women were hearing 1t. too, she
let 1t 60 at that and never said a word
to correct me. She never was at any Of
those places any more than was, but
she was too vain to deny 1t. even
though she had to lie to maintain her
position. See?"
The writer saw very clearly. but he
never would have seen II the proof had
not been presented In such unmistak-
able form.