The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1898-12-17
FATE OF A BARGAIN HUNTER
.he Tried 10 bay a clock for less
Than the store Price Szd
Got sold

That bread Eust GONE out cf the
orea in exactly three minutes. SOS 70
,oof sor Jonaz' dinner GrH- JvmPo-
gits was teIglng herself, wien voice Il
he open door said:
-Goox. rno-niHg. madam
NsA. Jnn4pogitz wheeled around
Taerr stood Z man with clock n each
u his arms.
I'D like 10 show you great bzTgain
n clocks. If you have minute 70 spare
The word bargain" captured the at
tention Of his listener. for she had long
wanted q new clock for their sitting
room. In fact. she had already ex-
snained the two for sale at the general
store opposite the station, block
away. but $40 was more than she
would pay, and the dealer refused to
knock Of single cent
What's your price, she asked
Three dollars he replied You
can't bur them Of anyone else for less
than five, LADY, And he showed and
explained the finely adjusted works Of
that particular make
Mrs. Jumpovits saw at snce that
these clocks were exactly ike the ones
down at the store. even TO the BRICK
coIored peaches grated onto sturdy
grapevine, painted on the frosted glass
door. She thought it rather strange
that this fellow happened TO have two
clocks identicaIlr like the other pair
She knew he couldn't have stolen them.
however, for there was always some one
on watch at the store
~ITI give you two dollars" she said
Couldn't think Of it.- exclaimed the
stranger. Really. lady. they cost me
s2.25 at wholesale, and that's an honest
fact"
1t was plain to be seen that Mrs.
Jurnpovits wanted one Of the clocks.
"You'n have to decide pretty quick,
for must make the train that goes
through here In a few minutes" said
the man, picking up both clocks as if
preparing TO 20.
wow, see here proceeded Mrs
Jumpoyits. I've got just $50 in the
house, and If you want to let me have
clock for that. all right"
Well drawled the peddler, half
reluctantly. Il guess you can have one
for that. I'm anxious TO get rid OF
them, naturally. But you'll have TO
hurry, naiss." he urged, for the train
was heard whistIing short distance
away. He placed clock inside on the
floor as Mrs. Jumpovits skipped across
the room for her money, which she
took from a dark corner in the cup
board. In a moment more she had
handed it to the stranger, who imme-
diately ran down the street to catch the
train already entering the village
Then Mrs. Jumpoyfts picked up the
pretty timepiece she had bought dirt
cheap and carried it into the sitting
room.
won't that skinfint of a storekeeper
be hopping when he finds out I've
bought this clock for $2.49 less than his
are?' and she chuckled to herself
The winding key was tied to knob
on the steeplelike top. I'm set the
thing going,r she schemed, wiggling
the knot loose; "then Jonas will hear
it strike, and won't he be surprised?"
The string came undone and she swung
open the frosted glass door.
For a moment she thought she had
lost her mind. The only thing inside
that clock was sentence. written with
chalk, @rye no time for FOOLS
-Mercyuponm mel she screamed, rush
ing through the open door Catch that
swindIing thief OH OH oh!'
The outgoing train gave three wild,
mocIing shrieks.
Mrs. Jumpovits dropped into heap
on the top step Of the porch and nept