The Portland daily press., 1900-01-13
THE ART OF TOUCHING.
How to Effect Small Loans I'm a Gentle.
manly Way.

The conversation at little stag supper
party the other night had drifted to IT,"
art of touching-in other words, - the
devious and diversified me-. by which
small loans are secured from unwilling
yictims-and also to the best plans for
evading the TOUGHER"
$50 many fellows make regular BUSH
ness of holding up their acquaintance
nowadays" said one of the company,
''that il is really worth while to give Sc
rious consideration TO some scheme Of
escape, l have tried a number, and the
one l find most satisfactory in the long
run is to hear the hard luck story through
in absolute silence and then TO say sim
ply one word-'Nor 1t makes a bitter
enemy every time, of course. but 1t has
the advantage of putting definite period
TO the discussion"
II don't think that scheme would be
practical with a really artistic CONVERSE
tional TOUGHER" said another Of the party.
81 mean one OF those fellows who lead
you up to the point by gradual and Cir
cuitous route. You have horrible pre-
monition of what is coming, but before
you know it he has you interested and in
a sense committed. He generally sug-
gests performing some slight service for
you, gives you the details. gets your ap-
proval, and when he finally asks you incl
dcntally to accommodate him with five
until day after tomorrow you are really
in no posltion to decline IL you did you
would feel like ruffian. You would
rather lose the money than put yourself
in such an uncomfortable attitude.
hot 4 althnunh
dare say you are familiar with the
breed" continued the speaker, "let me
relate little experience: Day before yes
terday a man you all know sauntered in
to my place Of business. he is notorious
as a TOUGHER, and the instant | laid eyes
on him | knew he was after the usual
small loan and made up my mind firmly
he shouldn't get it. He greeted me in
pleasant. offhand fashion and took n seat
at my desk.
".Say, Charley he began, do you ever
do any business with -? And he
named hotel man here in town.
~ admitted that didn't.
"'Well,' he continued easily, i believe
you can get good sized trial order from
him il you try With that he went on to
tell me how he had met the hotel man the
night before and had heard him mention
casually that he needed some things in
my line.
Then he proceeded to question me
about prices, and said he would take &C.
casion to bring the matter up next time
he encountered his man and would get
him 10 stroll around to the store and have
a chat with me.
.Now, bear in mind, knew in my
heart all through this long, detailed, cir
cumstantial preamble exactly what was
coming, but it was put to me In such
pleasant, easy and natural fashion that
in spite of my strenuous efforts FOUND
myself gradually entangled in its meshes
and finally resting under more or less Oh
an obligation to my visitor AT last ne
got up to go and, just as anticipated, he
said: -,
"'By the way, old man, ] wish you'd
let me have u couple of dollars until
see you again
II writhed internally, but / handed
over the coin. l gave 1t not out Of con-
sideration for his feelings, but out of con-
sideration for my own. After being
lured into that conversation it was impos-
sible to refuse without feeling utterly
cheap and mean and experiencing far
more than 81 worth OF actual discomfort
Do you catch the point" -,
81 understand exactly what you mean"
said another of the diners, land agree
with YOU that that type of TOUGHER is
hardest to combat. The only man ever
knew who could do it successfully was
lawyer who is now dead. He was an
exceedingly generous man, and his repu-
tation in that respect made him COM
mon target, but he had settled aversion
to being worked
with the breed you describe he had
fixed programme. Before the TOUGHER
had said dozen words he would sudden
~ raise his right hand, palm outward.
"'Stop,' he would say, 'and first tell
me exactly what you wish me to do for
you
"That gesture and abrupt demand were
terribly disconcerting. and the visitor
generally began to founder, but the old
gentleman would hold him remorselessly
TO the point.
".What is t?' he would say. Tell me
MAINLY and briefly, and we will discuss
the other matter afterward.'
.srhat robbed the TOUGHER of his care
fully arranged preamble and reduced him
to the bald fact that he wanted money,
which | never knew but one TO have
nerve enough to put into so many words.
AS a rule they would look embarrassed
and sink out.
Il have tried the same scheme myself,
but | must confess it didn't work. My
TOUGHER looked blandly at my appraised
palm, remarked that | ought to get my
nails manicured and went on with his
touch. | guess | lacked the old adyo'
Gates impressiveness." New Orleans
Times Democrat.