The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-08-12
HE DRUMS UP TRAVEL.
Novel EmprOyment Yields Over
$4,000 a Year and Expenses.

Novel EmprOyment Yields Over
$4,000 a Year and Expenses.
II am willing to bet that you can't
guess what 1 do for living in ten
guesses," remarked well-dressed
man on the Empire state express the
other day.
The proposition was rather strange.
The man was one of half hundred men
Just like him who sat about the car
reading, smoking or playing cards.
There was no external feature to in
dicate the mans business, but the cas-
ual traveller would have said that he
was a travelling man for some dry goods
oI shoe line. The newspaper man
had made his acquaintance at the sta
ton and boarding the train had taken
his seat beside him. The man seemed
to know that he was talking to re-
porter, in fact it is probable that he
CLEANED that information from some
of the newspaper mans friends at the
| depot. After cigar or two, during
which time the conversation had been
about commonplace things, the man
| suddenly brased up, knocked the ashes
from his cigar and shot the question at
his seatmate. The latter admitted the
| probable truth of the statement, and
then asked the natural question:
"Well, ten years ago was reporter
in Chicago. I never had college edu-
cation, and while the city editor used
| to say | had the nose for news, could
not put my stuff into good English. So,
when the young blood began to come
into the newspaper offices and the col
lege graduate was no longer ridiculed
by the old shicned editors, went out.
I had lot of good clothes, but I was
out of a job. l hardly knew where to
turn, when a bright idea struck me,
and have been following out that idea
ever since.
| II am a professional traveller. No,
1 do not presume that you understand
me, but l will explain. The Americans
are travelling people, not tourists, but
hustling travellers. That's premise No.
I. Secondly, foreigners are in the
habit of visiting America to see the
sights. | thought of this, aud went to
the general passenger agent of a great
western railroad and unfolded my idea
1t was this: There is always sharp
competition for passenger traffic west
of Chicago. The various roads leading
across the plains advertise extensive
ly in eastern magazines, have bureaus
in New York and Boston, and send
agents to the landings of the Allan
tic steamships. The purpose of these
various kinds of advertisements is tc
persuade tourists, English, French
German, or any other foreigners who
have come to see America, to cross the
continent to the golden gate over the
lines of particular company. Occa
sionally there is young and unsophis
ticate married couple who need advice
as to hotels and routes.
''In word, | am personal advertiser
l board the train at New York at leas
twice week. l spot the travellers, ge
acquainted with them, and then insinu
atingly ask them where they are go
. ing. After | learn 1 ask them if they
have ever ridden over such and sucl
road. Of course, they haven't, and
remark casually that am going ives
as far as Chicago, by the B. & B., which
; patronize. Then they ask me if know
anything about the lines west of Chi
cago. 1 always do, you can bet, ant
tell them that I am an old traveller, ant
, that have always found the best serv
ice on the B. M. & w. crack the mer
it's of the road up to the limit. I ge
salary of $4,000 year for doing il
besides my expenses paid to me by tn
\ road. Then | continue acquaintanc
until l get to Buffalo, and l tell then
that know the eastern agent of the ]
NJ. & W., located in that city, and tha
[ think that could, through my friend
> ship with him, fit them out with ticket
o over the B. & NJ. to Denver or 'Frisc
or any other place they want to go.
sit generally works, and / see ther
safely on board the train and then sue
n denly remember that I have left m
grip at the parcel stand. I go back
d get it, and wait until the train ha
e pulled out, and then board the mex
l. train for New York, where I repeat tn
5, operation. I tell you did big bus
e ness worlds fair year. In the wiz
n ter I post up on the beauties of tn
y scenery along the NJ. B. & w., the so
- emn grandeur and all that stuff, and i
r, the summer l tell of the beauties {
G the plains. Did you ever see them
a think they are the dreariest sight I'll
r der creation - Rochester Democrs
l. and Chronicle.
all Must Kill a Bear.
An Eskimo youth is qualified I