The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-25
By GUY T. VISKNISKKI.
Copyright, 1908, by Guy T. Viskniskki.

1t has been thirty-five years ago this
winter since a New York newsboy
originated the fakir business.
This boy walked into the Nassau
street store of one of his daily custom
ers one morning and said:
''Mr. Hughes, I've been thinking over
what you said to me the other day
about not always being a newsboy.
You know you told me to come to see
you when I'd an idea what 1 wanted
to do"
YES" replied the hardware mer-
chant, 81 remember. Tell me what you
think you'd like to be-"
WELL" said the 14-year-old lad, I've
been noticing lately that nobody sells
anything to the crowds in the streets
except a few foreigners who don't half
try to peddle their feather busters. I'd
like to sell things on the street."
But they don't make living, and
how could you do any better?" asked
the man.
The boys answer was earnest.
You give me a chance with some
thing. and I'll show you right here
two blocks from your store. I've
thought it all out-and all I've got
to do is to yell"
ITO what?" the merchant queried.
ITO yell,'' said the boy. Let 'em
know I'm selling things and get a
crowd around me-"
by jove!" the man calculated, half
to himself after a moments thought
over the boys original idea, well try
it,"
Then he went to a show case in
which he kept pocket knives. He took
out two dozen and handed them to the
boy.
"These haven't been selling WELL"
he remarked, but maybe you can do
so1ething with Them
"Tell me about EN-" requested the
boy.
WELL" said the merchant, they've
the same name as the famous Blank
knife made in England, but they are
made in this country by a man by
the same name, and are supposed to
| sell for 80 cents, while the English
| knife sells for $1.50."
Five minutes later the boy had TAX
en- up his stand in front of the old
postoff1ce building in Nassau street,
and was yelling with all his power:
BLANK pocket knives, only so cents!
Step UP lively, gents; get 'em while
they lasti Blank pocket knives, only
| so cents-50 cents-50 cents!"
The KNIVES Sold in N Jiffy.
1t was something unheard of for
a person to yell merchandise on the
| streets, and the passersby were at
tracted at once. Then, too, the price
| at which the boy was offering the then
| famous and universally used pocket
knife was phenomenal. The result was
that those who stopped through Gu
riosity fell over one another in their
| eagerness to secure the knives, and in
less than twenty minutes the boy had
sold his stock.
He returned Immediately to Mr..
Hughes store.
i've sold all the knives" he said
simply, as he laid the money on a
counter land I've come for two dozen
more"
Mercy on us!" was the exclamation
with which the merchant expressed his
establishment. How'd you do it?'
Just yelled, as 1 said 1 would" re-
piled the boy.
what did you yen?" asked the
man.
The boy told him. And I didn't
lie. either" he added, "for 1 didn't say
that they were the famous Blank
knives"
The answer quickly secured the boy
two dozen more knives. He pocketed
them, went to his stand, and, as with
the first lot, sold them in a jiffy.
For the second time he returned to
the store and asked for another two
dozen, but Mr.. Hughes would not
accommodate him. He was a cautious
soul.
mo more to-day, George" he said
Let's wait and see whether any
body makes a complaint. You come