The daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Beltrami Co., Minn.) 1903-1904, 1903-12-10
Number of Bemidji Ladies
Have Husbands Pictures
Done in Crayon Pastel.
BIG DISTURBANCE RESULTS in
BOSOM OF SEVERAL FAMILIES
Boat of Domestic Felicity Rocks
Badly and is Storm Tossed Since
Deliveries We're Made.
Pleasant surprises which

Pleasant surprises which a
number of Bemidji housewives
planned for their husbands six
months ago and have been keep
ing the most careful secret have
just developed into unpleasant
surprises and are causing no end
of domestic trouble and chagrin,
since the details of very smooth
confidence game which was sue
cessfully operated on quite a
large scale has just come to light.
The boat of domestic felicity is
rocking badly in several families
and a man was the cause of it all.
Some six months ago a young
gentleman Of pleasing address
made a careful canvass OF the
city, representing himself to be
the agent Of a Chicago house who
enlarge protraits in crayon
pastel. Mostmen regard crGyon
pastel life size portraits of them
selves as the most hideous sort
of a thing, but deep down in the
heart of every true woman it is
said there is a weakness for them
and the usual plan is to have.
them executed and sprung as a
pleasant surprise on the unsus-
pecting husband. However, the
young man in question was a
born agent, and altogether very
sociable young fellow. Under
his arm he carried box with
number Of sealed envelopes.
Each envelope contained num-
Der and he assured all the ladies
that whether they bought any
thing from him OF not they all
had a chance to have a handsome
crayon pastel portrait of any
member of their family made
free if they we're successful in
drawing the lucky number. This
was more than the feminine
heart could resist. In nearly
every case the women drew a
number. The agent opened the
envelope and his face expressed
disappointment and chagrin
when he assured the lady that
she had drawn the lucky num-
Der. It was all very smooth and
it went well everywhere. He
then secured the portrait the
lady would have enlarged, assur
ing her first that this action on
the part Of the house which he
represented was purely for adj
vertising. purposes and asking
her to tell her friends of the good
fortune that had been hers. Then
he produced some papers which
he assured her pertained to the
contest which she had just been
successful in winning and Sc
cured her signature.
1t now transpires that. there
were a large number of lucky
ladies and at least twenty drew
the prize. Tt was different with
the paper they signed, however.
It has turned up in the shape Of
a contract and among other pro.
visions binds them by an iron clad
agreement to pay an exorbitant
price for the pictures they have
had enlarged. The prices differ
and range according to the sub
jet. A man with a wart on his
neck, curly headed men, mer
with Van Dyke boards and Col
ways come higher than the or
binary smooth shaven man ane
in some cases it is found that tn,
ladies have agreed to give $50 TO,
the portraits of their hus bands
The price appears. to have beer
fixed by the young man will
reference more to the promi
nence of the families chan any
thing else and in each case it i
all that it is believed they vii
stand. The deliveries began thi
week and thereisnoend oftroubl
as a result.
In the foregoing there is on
very plain lesson and in the hear
to heart talks that have been ha
in several families since the re
cent developments it is niue
dwelt upon. 1t is to the effec
= that if it is necessary to have pic
! lures enlarged at all there ar
several local photographers VIII
are competent to do the wor
and who are not noted for chare
ing exorbitant prices.