Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-05-25
SLICK DRUMMER.
HOW HE RECOVERED VALUABLE DIA-
MOND STUD.

81 don't know whether the X-ray will
ever revolutionixe science, " said a carpet
drummer to some friends, who were
standing around the bar at the st. Nlcho-
las, ssfor that's out Of my line; but It
might be used TO advantage In Grimm
aCriminology! Howg' chirruped his
friends In unison.
"I'll have to tell you my experience
few weeks ago to illustrate. l was on
my way to San Francisco. In my tie |
wore this sparkler. One morning took
It into my head that wanted to change
my dark tie for q lighter one, and
thought had transferred the headlight
from one to the other. suppose /
didn't, but laid It down somewhere In
the toilet room. Some time afterwsrd
missed Il. I asked the conductor and
the porter TO look It up for me, but they
said their search proved fruitless after q
while.
Irather suspected that the porter had
It.. He was yellow-skinned coon with
an unprepossessing countensnce, and
from the time had reported my loss
he seemed to hover about me constantly,
trying to brush my clothes and resheet-
Ing my pillows four and flve times day.
Then I conceived an idea. preached II
to two of my travelling companions, and
they said they'd gladly help me.
I'VE got together In one section aud
commenced to talk low, but not so low
that the porter Ia the section behind US
could not understand every word.
told my friends OF the loss OF my stud
and said that had an infallible remedy
which would bring It back to me as soon
MS II got dark. Then | took from my
sample bag tin box, In which | carry
an expensive line Of carpet tacks.
"'fhis,' said, 'is an X-ray machine
and rs soon as II Is dark am going tc
turn II on everybody and everything IL
the ear. No matter where that stone !:
| shall see it. Even II IL should have
been scraped up with the dirty clothes
aud put In bag and locked up In thu
closet my X-rxy machine will turn II up.
fright you are" said one OF my
friends. The other day when ! was II
New York man was arrested for steal
ing a diamond ring. He was suspected
OF having u on his person, but wheI
searched In Inspector COTS office moth
ing WAS found on him but piece OF thu
cIumb OF loaf Of bread. The inspector
surmised at once that the prisoner hat
swallowed the ring In the bread. Ill
ordered the X-ray gotten out and focus
ed on the mans stomach.
"You ate that diamond yelled TN
Inspector. can see IL sparkling RICH
now inside OF you. Better own up, or
shall send for the stomach pump. and
won't do little thing TO you, whei
once | get 1t down your throat Tn
man confessed.
1T was good story for my friend q
tell 10 hearing of the coon, and after
few more hair-sblitting examples Of th'
efficacy Of the N-ray box We gave tn
darkcy time TO digest What he had hear
at was just about getting dusk, ant
the lamps had been lighted, when tn
coon came up 10 me from the back par
of the car.
Say, boss, found that stud q
yours. Where do you suppose it was
Il said nothing, but looked astonishcd
AID held my sparkler up In the light.
"'Iou gemmen must have showed
under the carpet In the Mushroom, 10
when lit the lamp stood close TO tn
wall, and feeling some hard substance
under my foot stoops aud picks up thi
yere sparkler from under the carpet
Now, this little experience OF min
makes me think that the N-ray might b.
used TO advantage In criminology-witl
the ignorant, At least. st. Louis lie
public.