Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-01-09
A CLEVER SELL.

He Is an East Ender and moves IN
enc Of those mutual admiration circles
out there, pleasantly fattering himself
In the usual way on the iattery Of his
confreres, and really deserving most Of
It, too. In fact, he Is really clever
fellow in many ways and often sur
prises his friends with the diversity OF
his talents.
They all believe in him except his
wife. She's like the valet In the famil-
lar aphorism-to her the man of her
choice Is never 4 hero. So she laughs
at his nonsense, and punctures bis wit,
and makes him feel as much as posi-
BILE, to quote his own expression, like
30 cents"
Well, this East Ender has a great
liking for amateur entertainments, and
Is quite a clever actor and mimic.
Some time ago, he, in company with a
friend began the preparation Of vau-
deville character act. Of course, he
told his wife, and she, as usual, laugh
ed at his histrionic pretenslons.
Everybody will see through your
Disguise she said, "and you'll just be
a general laughing stock"
I'LL chance it." said George, and he
went on with his rehearsals.
One day last week his wife was busy
with her housekeeping, and had
emptied half the contents of the attic
into the basement. George didn't like
housecleaning-strange to say-and so
he made as early a start for the office
as possible. His wife called a good
by to him from the furnace cellar, and
a moment later she heard the front
door slam.
1t might have been fifteen minutes
after this that a form darkened tile
outside doorway Of the basement. The
mistress of the house looked up and
saw 1t was an old clothes man. He was
a threadbare and shiny old clothes
man, and he wagged his full gray
beard In decidedly obsequious way
as he advanced with his rough bag.
"Any 0ldt garments today, ma'am ?
l pay der highest market brice, SO
helb me- said the stranger.
"Why, yes" said the lady, II have
some old garments right here. What
do you pay|
ut depends on vat IT ees,' said the
stranger. "Ve got to 60 Ply der rules
Of der trust" y
"Have the old clothes men trusty'
cried the astonished lady.
ITO be gwite sure they haf," said
the stranger, "and we've got to standt
togedder. Vat you got?"
The lady brought forward several
garments, and the stranger shook them
and stretched them, and smelled Of
them, and finally offered ridiculOusly
low price. The lady presently yielded
| and the garments were placed in the
bag.
"Aind you got Something's a leetle
peter, may be?" said the stranger as
he rubbed his grimy hands together
II pay you veil ven you pring me some
dlngs NICE"
"Let me see" unused the lady of the
house. "There's Georges summer suit
in the front room closet. | don't think
he'll want it any more, and this will
be a capital chance to get rid Of it
Wait moment she said to the
stranger. "I'll see what | can find.
| And she darted away.
When she came back she had the
gray suit over her arm. The stranger
seized the garments and ran his NOSE
along them with his face screwed ny
in a quizzical way.
"vell,' he said, dots all right
will puy them" And he forthwith be
gan to thrust the suit into his bag.
"Wait, wait" cried the mistress
"You haven't settled on the price"
The stranger paused
~ gif one tollar seventy-hve," hi
said as he spread out his hands.
20, that isn't near enough. TIT
clothes are as good as new cried thu
mistress.
Tie stranger rolled his eyes towar'
heaven.
"Crashus me-" he cried. "As goot a
new! Wy, dose clodings vas chus
alive by mots"
by what?"
"By mots, mots, mots! Ton't d
know mots?'
Moths! Why, there isn't a slngl
moth in the whole house." cried tn
indignant mistress.
Maybe not" said the stranger. IA
desc mots vas married and hat pi
families
1t was a moth-eaten joke, but
went,
"You don't offer enough" said tn
mistress decidedly.
81 dell you vat I do said tn
stranger in a burst of benevolence;
glf yum dollar eighty und dance de
C2lrdas for YOU"