The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-06-23
HAD THINGSTANGLED


Mrs. Wilkins is one of the 9,OO0,-
600 women who have been trying to
buy a silk petticoat by the endless
chain coupon system. Whoever first
thought of applying the endless chain
to commerce was shrewd beyond the
common, for there is nothing that so
appeals to the average woman as the
seductive rustic Of a silk netticoat.
So now the land is full Of women try
ing to get a.silk pettieoatfo fora quarter
Of a dollar.
Mrs. Wilkins fell a willing victim
to the scheme when Mrs. Daniels
came up from the floor below armed
with a coupon book and many argu-
ments.
cts just as simple as daylight"
Mrs. Daniels announced. 81 bought
my coupon Of my cousin Agnes Cald-
well, who lives in Amesbury, Mass.
And just to think Of getting a silk
skirt for a quarter! Isn't it ine?"
Mrs. Wilkins said that it was, and
asked to have the scheme explained
10 her. 'T'm not very good at fig
ure5," she said, $50 you must explain
it all to me so lean tell it to other peo-
pie"
"Well, it's this way" Mrs. Daniels
said. Il bought a coupon of my
cousin for 25 cents and then 1 send
my coupon in to the man that makes
the skirts with $1.25; then he sends
me a whole book Of coupons-fYe Of
them-and then / sell them to five
different people, and then they each
aRd III $1.25 and then they each get
R coupon book with five coupons in
1T, meteorological thecopponsto five
pther people, and those other people
tend in $125 apiece and then they
zach get a coupon book, and then each
bf them sells five coupons and"
Mrs. Wilkins put her hand to her
head. Don't tell me any more just
4 pow" she said. cit makes me kinda
tizzy."
why, it's just as simple as any
hing" Mrs, Daniels answered, "and
GU get a ten-doIlar skirt for quar-
err
'But Pm afraid we'll cheat theman
hat makes 'em,' Mrs. Wilkins said
aintly. 'I don't see how he can af-
ord t make skirts for 25 cents"
Mrs. Daniels took a piece Of paper
nd a pencil to convince her friend
that the silk petticoat man was not a
Ebilanthropist, but was making
money, The more she explained the
more muddled Mrs, Wilkins became.
ut in all ES confusion Of mind she
lung to the one fact that she would
let a beautiful silk skirt for rs cents.
he could not withstand this alluring
vision, so after Mrs. Daniels had ex-
Iaiaed4hes system to herforthe tenth
Il me She brought I6stha quarter and
bpught a coupon. g" guess I can gel
a ong now she said, hopefully, WheI
n rs. Daniels cautioned her for the
ID st time not to delay in writing fol-
b er coupon book
She was anxious to tell MI. Wilkin!
a Yout the plan, and all day she wen
a ound the fiat saying to herself: g
b Nv a coupon and then / sell five foI
SHE'S apiece and then they buy iy,
bboks and then I send in to the mar
and he sends me a coupon and theI
hen they've sold five coupons apiec,
] get silk petticoat for a quarter"
When Mr.. Wilkins had settled
dl Wn to his cigar after dinner sh,
b ought out her coupon and ex
81 aimed the beauties Of the scheme
N T. Wilkins was very tired, and b.
I'D zed once o twice during the telling
81 { he said he thought it was a beau
al ul plan if you were sure Of yoursil
pd tticoat at the end Of your labors
w thin FIVE days Mrs. Wilkins ha,
se 1t in and received her book Of fv
Cd lpons. The first morning she tool
1T with her when She went to market
81 e asked her grocerifh he didn't van
I'd surprise his wife with a perfect.
10 elysilkpetticoat. Heseented som
I'D " hnd Of rattle, but She was a goot
al stomer, SO he only said he diGn'
ca Ee # Re did, sHoW much do
co Hgh up, MFs Wildnsf be asked
- RIO into hi9 n0ekek