Evening journal., 1897-05-19
THE MAGNETIC HAMMER.
A Travellers Tale of nm Uncommon
Episode in a Country store.

store" said traveller, 81 saw drive upa
travelling dealer who carried his stock
with him, his turnout being of kind
more commonly seen years ago than
now, in these days of easier railroad
communication and more frequent
drummers. The wagon was big and |
heavy, but the body hung gracefully on
platform springs, the rear hanging a |
little lower than the forward end. The |
running part was stout but well de-
signed and finished. The body of the |
wagon was like a long. deep box, the /
top being fixed and permanent. For a |
space of perhaps three feet forward |
from the rear end the body was built |
up little higher with a vertical face az
the front down to the roof; it was as
though the rear end of the wagon had
been carried up low story higher than
the rest. Midway between the face of
this higher rear part and the drivers
seat there was another higher section
extending across the roof from side TO
side, but narrow.
"The sides of the wagon body were
paneled off. The holdings marked the
spaces into which the interior was di-
vided, and access to the compartments
was had by doors in the sides and the
end. The seat at the forward end of the
wagon was capacious and comfortable,
and there was over It n substantial
leather top that would keep out any
weather. Attached to this wagon there
was a pair of big, good-looldng, we'll
fed horses that could haul it anywhere.
Take it all together the outfit had an
air of solidity, combined with no small
degree Of rakishness; it was an outfit
such as any man might reasonably be
proud of.
81 don't remember what nc was sell
ing, but it was something packed in
Aoxes. He brought in sample-he
was q rather tall man with beard, with
q good-humored eye, and n quiet man.
ner, and the merchant bought some,
Then he went out to his wagon again,
and brought in the goods, and he
brought with him a cardboard placard
which evidently he intended to put up
in the store.
"Rising in the center Of the store was
a large, square wooden pillar support
ing overhead a big cross beam upon
which, suppose, the inner ends of the
floor beams rested. When he had laid
the goods down on the counter he
picked up the card that he had brought
in with them and turned toward the
square pillar in the center of the store;
he had located it when he came in, or
guess he knew it; he and the store.
, keeper didn't talk very much. but
, thought they seemed to know each
other; no doubt he had been there be
fore.
- "The big, square post was covered
with Just such cards as he had brought
in, tackled on all over, all around as higl
: as a man could reach, and 1 couldn'
see where he was going to get his carr
2 I'M; but he walked over to the post jus
as though there was plenty of room
o there. He took a paper of tacks out o
d his pocket and sifted out four into tn
palm of his left hand and then pu
. them into his mouth. Then he place.
his placard against the side of the post
. and pushed it. up until the bottom of j
= was clear of the top of highest card oi
- that side. He could do this because h
e was pretty tall, and he was simply hold
j. ing on to his card at the bottom; but
i couldn't see how he was going to reac
Il up to tack it at the top.
: "But he trued it up on the face Of tn
post with both hands calmly, and theT
X holding it with one hand he reached in
e to his outside coat pocket for his han
IS mer. It was just a small tack hamme
s with rather a long handle. He carrie
the head of the hammer up to his moutl
and when he withdrew it there was
y tack sticking to the face of it. TIL
r head of the hammer was magnetize'
VI and the smooth, fat top Of the head {
= the tack stuck to its face, the poiI
10 projecting in line with the hammer
al bead. All he had to do was TO reach NJ
d. With a single tap he drove the tao
to through the card at one corner away Il
~ at the top easily. Then he drove
A. tack through the other upper corner
AZ the same manner, and then he drove
s n couple of taeks at the bottom an
~ dropped the hammer in his pocke
es Then he went out and got on his wage
20. and drove off."-N. Y. Sun.