Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-04-01
|FOR RURAL READERS
Springs Work Madness Makes
Matters Hard for Agents
In the Country.
The Electric Belt Fakir Tells
How He Manipulates
His Graft.
Rural Delivery Temporarily A
bandoned-.- Building Among
the Farmers.

(. =
the Farmers.
From now on until the corn has been
planted-that is, if the frost stays out
and spring work beains-the man who
wishes 10 talk to a farmer will do it on
ttle run. Lots OF people get busy. but
lone ever get so oblivious to everything
on earth except the business in hand as
farmer does When spring work
opens. You may be a mighty good
friend of his ard under ordinary cir
cunistances extremely welcome at his
house, but from now on he doesn't wan,
70 see You unless you are handy With u
pillow. There's two reasons for This rush
Of his. First he has plenty to hustle 10,
ln the preparation of his ground for the
Irrespective crop; second, he has laid up
Most, OF the past four months and halls
With joy the change from semi idleness
&c vigorous action for It's own sake. He
wants TO work. and it is proper 10
state, the farm furnishes wide OPP
rertunity in that direction. Men With
Patent end-gatss and electric bslts
Went stand much show from this
time on.
Speaking OF electric belts reminds me:
Some months ago, while going over the
Tines Republican territory in southern
end southwestern Iowa, l met up with
an electric belt fakir whose dealings
are entirely with farmers. He was ready
for new pastures and falling intoconver-
sation with him al the hotel. where we
We're guests. he explained TO me the
mode under which he operated. Incl
Gentally he showed me notes for over
Sibo the result of fifteen days work.
Said he: This is the greatest graft of
the whole bunch These belts cost me
IS cents. | get a note for $50. or cash
in hand 70 the same amount. for every
one of them. I sold three in one day last
week, a neg profit Of over s57. These
notes are as good as cash and the bank
bore takes them all at 10 per cent dis
count tomorrow .sWell, Z / asked, ..are
the bolts of any earthly good?' Not
worth ---. my dear sir was the
answer But don't you get into ,rou-
be- II don't come back. said he. I'm
not looking for trouble. cash my notes,
fold my tents and fly to. more congenial
society where get next to more peo-
pie who haven't yet realized how hope
lass a thing life Is without one of my
electric belts! Say" said he. "I'll tel
I sou how It's done" He dug into a small
l5Erfp and brought out round instru-
n,snt with couple of small rubbe,
tubes like those Of a photograph hang
ing 70 Il. This IS an Improvement on
tho stethoseope. he continued With
this against your chest and the tubes
IL your ears yon may hear distinctly
every beat Of your heart or murmur O.
/ ! our lungs Nov. ! 20 out and find
some old or middle-aeed man whose Inv.
"r is torpid or who imarines he's sich
because he isn't as spry as when he was
4 le. and get him To listen to his owr
Heart ] hold the instrument agains
4 lis chest myself When pinch thes.
tubes ana cut off the connection h,
1 thinks his heart misses a beat, becaus,
rs doesn't hear It. Seq Say, you ough
to see his eyes bulge out, Why. thu
sweat breaks ont ali over the old geeze
end he gets pale as a ghost. i work hin
n while with the instrument. then pu
( the instrument 10 listen with and. &,
\ te start another somewhere He'll listel
good and plenty and his heart won
ssiliss because I'm not there to pinch tn
tube. Go back that afternoon. take Of
4 the belt, put the post Of the phonendo
l.scope against his chest pinch fay
4 rnore misses into his heart action an
The can't get his money out quick enoug
10 pay for that belt. H. wants to get
i back on He's afraid he'll realize on hi
A .opes Of a seat in the choir celestial /
he doesn't. And there you are, VIVA
s business are you in2 Work for a news
paper Well, you're fool Yo
cansmake more money at this graft in
week han you do in a month";,
1T might be we'll for the farmer VIII
reads the Times Republican to take
fall out Of the electric belt fakir Shout
a he happen in some day in this line @
business.
The condition Of country roads Al
over the country has resulted, at Boon
and occasional other points In tn
temporary abandonment of the rurs
mail delivery The carrier can't &c
thru, tho 1t would seem that he Nigh
make 1t on horseback. This spring ha
. Proven an excellent one for the purpos
Eof impressing on the farmers mind tn
absolute necessity of draining the road.
According to recent dispatches tn
: farmers down on the Wapsie bottom
have added a new industry to their re
sources The markets of Clinton an
ether eastern Iowa cities have bee
slutted with wild ducks by the quaint
n ties of game brought in for sale by I'll
farmers.