The age-herald., 1897-08-01
Who Got Into the Tolls of PraC-
 ticaI JokerS
AND A LOVELY YOUNG LADY
An AIabamian Who Beat tho Green Goods Men but Finally Was Bettered by Bu-
 lets from Ambush.

grown gray as travelling man, were the actors in an episode the other night that furnished oodles of fun for the first two and much embarrassment for the latter
 The story opens with the old gentle man walking down one of Brmingham's principal thoroughfares. Smiling into his face was a bewitching little bru- nette.
 The old gentleman whispered those lit tie witticisms, peculiar to the aged lover, and everything was as promising as the gold prospects in the Klondyke regions. Suddenly the old gentleman was filled with mysterious forebodings, the sweet smile was no longer charming and the "chit chat" was not so much like the lovers music of his halcyon days The secret service man was his Nemesis, fol- lowing close at his haels. In reality the secret service" man thought nothing of the old chap, merely making a mental observation of the beauty of his com panion.
 When the government officer reached the hotel the first one to greet him was the aged lover. He nervously irtr due himself, supper was taken together and the pair became better acquainted. Some HtHlAS Ntle5 IscQ oil luG OIl uldI uliiu and he unbundled it with little cere- mony
 Are you a detective?" he inquired
 Why. mo-" answered the gentleman, with a merry twinkle that showed fun was brewing.
 The old gentleman seemed relieved as he said: q thought sure you were a de- tective in the employ of my wife, when I saw you following me this afternoon. She is suspicious of me and I thought this was one time had been caught red handed"
 Well, sinceI have come to think about 1t, said the secret service man, "I be- lieve there is detective stopping here
 The old gentleman's ease of mind was short-lived and to make the matter worse the fun-loving drummer came along and was introduced. The old gentleman was taken aside and told this was the supposed detective.
 He grew frantic and resolved to leave town at once. A train was due in a short while and he made preparations. Imagine his chag grin on reaching the de- pot to find the fake detective on deck. He called the secret service man aside and offered him reward to get the de- tective off the scent Further develop ments showed that his shadow was to leave on the same train.
 It was a-show to see the old gentleman sneaking around his supposed pursuer. Ha scrambled aboard on the wrong. side and five minutes later the fuf-loving drummer took a train going in the op- posite direction
 'There is cute citizen down in the backwoods of Mississippi, who surpasses many of the slick city crooks we have to deal with" said postoffice inspector who was lounging around the hotel For years he worked such firms as the Doug lass Shoe company and other northern es iablishments without being dets cted."
 Whats his gamer" someone asked
 ;'Well," continued the inspector, 'ehe merely writes letter to soma, firm re- quisting them to send him a catalogue. The only thing out of the ordinary is that he regis ters this letter. Nothing more transpires until several months go by Then the country crook sits down and proceeds to write the firm very wrathy letter, citing the fact that he sen, them registered letter on certain date, con- faining certain amount for bill of goods, which, so far, had failed to ar rive.
 The proprietor looks up his records and finds regis cred letter was re- ceived on the date named. He suspects some crookedness on the part of his em- ployes and the order Is Shipp:d out. The courtry crook dsposes of the stuff at the best profit possible and is just that much in.
 '@rhe way -his fellow was first appre- hended was through his partner. He hit upon new scheme that so he told his partner, required small outlay of cash. Both put up SIS and the total of $30 had tc be sent away in a registered let .er, as the more unwary jay was made to be- lieve. The slick artist prepared two en- velopL just alike. The victim put the bank notes into one envelope. The other one then said he would mail -he letter. He put ilt in his pocket. Then he sudden ly Changed his mind and asked his vic tim to have the letter registered. The poor old jay stalked into the poetoffice and registered a letter without cen; in it, to some imaginary parties"
 speaking of confidence games reminds me of the thrilling experience of Jim Hafley a man who was we'll known in Limestone county, with the green goods swindlers of New York;" remarked gen. tleman who had been listening to the story about the Mississippi jay.
 Tt has been almost ten years since Jim. with a pail, whose name l do not remember, received some of the accus- tomary typewriter letters from New York green goods swindlers. Jim was just daring and reckless enough to be- lieve he could outwit anybody. Ac- cordingly he and his pal arranged date for meeting the New Workers. Dressed as typical settlers from the most intense y rural districts. Jim and his partner bought tickets for New York. They were armed with $500 fer which they we're promised 5000 of an article that could not be detected from that coming fresh from the mint They were also prepared for any kind of difficulty.
 ''On arriving in Nsw York, they were