Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-01-14
THE HONEST FARMER.
He Is simple "srd i'n>u~l.cctIng. hut Scoop
the Tian0 Drummer.

He Is simple "srd i'n>u~l'cctlng. hut Scoops
the Tiauo Drummer.
Talk all YOU want 70 about the
bunko stcorers and ether sharpers
of tho metropolis, remarked n
drummer tho other evening at a
down town hotel to u reporter, but
some of tho sharpost of the sharps
arc to DO found IN tho country; out
among tho folds and lambs and
sheep and other innocent things,
don't you know"
That's because you don't expect
to find such sharpness among the
rurals, explained tho reporter. who
was born and raised in tho country
and didn't like to SEQ his fellow
oountrymon hboled.
Expecting it or not, insisted the
drummer, Tho sharpness is thore
just the Same, and it is just rs sharp.
For instance and the drummer
fixed himself for longer heat
some years ago, when i was a
drummer in pianos, I'll tell you
what an experience had. Our house
was ono of the big ones, with an adj
vertiSoment in every newspaper in
the country, and the way we sold
pianos was caution to snakes"
Also tip to alleged business
mon who don't advertise" inter
ruptod tho reporter.
Your also is sustained" said
tho drummer, and proceeded. LAS
1 was saying, wo sold pianos right
and loft, and, as might be expected,
we picked up n bad customer at fire.
Qucnt intervals. Ono of these had
got n $500 piano on small spot cash
payment, balance monthly, on tho
strength Of farm We thought was
his, also on his general reputation,
which up to this timo had been as
| good as anybody's in the commu-
nifty"
Like Evo's in tho gardenP" ven
tured the reporter.
Exactly" smiled the drummer.
IF tho devil had not tempted that
hitherto exemplary female, sho
would have come through in good
shape, and just SO with our custom.
or. A $500 piano was more than he
could stand, and no went down be-
fore it. After his first payment he
failed to respond, and we waited as
long rs was our practice and then
sent word TO him to return the pi-
ano, as per contract. In duo time the
piano box, in as good trim ms when
we sent it, came back and we put il
in stock. a month later it was ship.
ped to another customer, and we
heard from it soon to the effect that
there wasn't any piano there, but
that the box was filled with pieces
of wood and iron of about the pianos
weight and wedged solitlly into the
box. Ordinarily We would not have
been SO careless, but we were rushing
things and had to neglect details.
Now We had to make up for that
neglect, and went after our bunko
friend in tho country. He lived zoe
miles away and ut n short distance
from tho small town to which we
had shipped the piano, which was ON
tho railroad
'Wel, l got there one morning
about IL O'Clock, and, tackling the
first driver | saw, asked him if he
could take me TO Jim Peters place.
de was anlce, honest appearing sort
of chap, and he told me Jim had
moved to another place, about &c
miles away, and that l could only
get there by driving over five miles
to another road ana going ahead on
that to Jim 5 station. ! paid him a
dollar to drive me over, and he told
me, rs had never seen Mr.. Peters. to
ask anybody and he would be point
ed out. rs every body knew him. The
station whero he caught tho train
was only crossing, and my driver
Tagged INC accommodation, the con-
ductor noudlng tnmiliarly to him as
got aboard. AS the train moved off
my driver drove Lriskly away, and
when the conductor came around
ten minutes later | asked him if he
knew Jim Peters, and he almost
topplod over ON mo in his surprise.
"hy-why, ho stammered, that
was Jim Peters driving you Then
1t occurred TO NO that the piano card
on my satchel had given me away,
and MIR. Peters had done the rest
We tried to get the piano again, "
continued tho drummer, but we
lost all trace of it and finally gave
it up, and Mr.. Peters, l presume,
went with it. w ashington Star.