The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-03
TWO WOMEN AND A FRAUD

That's just my case exactly" said
a representative of the Philadelphia
Ledger. I'm bothered to death with
peddlers and agents. We live in a
large apartment house, whose vesti-
bule door is always unlocked; conse-
quently those destroyers of peace read
our names, ring the bell and walk up.
One hates to shut the door in the
face of respectable looking people who
address you by name, so they get in
and do their speechmaking.
Its easy to avoid the bother of all
that" declared her friend, 'by simply
asking the name and business of the
applicant before opening the door,
II have tried that, too" the other
woman answered, but I don't quite
like to appear so inhospitable when
my friends call. The other day some
body rang my bell very briskly, and
I asked the usual question, Who's
there?' A familiar sounding voice ans
wered, Andrews, on business, please.
So opened the door and admitted a
young person of very good appearance
and address, whose business turned out
to be the introduction of the most
exquisite perfume imaginable. You
know have a weakness for really fine
perfume. l listened and smelled and
believed his story about the new firm
that was not very wealthy, but felt
confident that it could command a
big market for its wares, wherefore
they could afford to sell at the, ridicul-
ously low price of rs cents an ounce
to introduce it. I ordered an ounce
at once, whereupon he asked me for a
win "a afford
to furnish bottles at that figure. He
carried his sample in two quart bot
tie, which was almost full of the preci-
Gus stuff.
HE didn't like the cork of the bottle
l produced, so 1 hunted around for
another while he measured and pour
ed out the extract. we always keep
it we'll corked, you know, he explained,
as he rammed the new stopper deep
ly into the bottle, because our stuff
is so very fine it is pity to waste
it,
1T noticed swhen l put the bottle
away that the outside was quite wet
and deliciously fragrant but some in
explcable impulse prompted me to un-
cork it, which l had some difficulty in
doing, as it was so tightly wedged in
place as to require a corkscreW to re-
move it. I poured a drop into my
hand, and 10! it was absolutely scent
less, clear, pale green water. l made
UP my mind at once to trap the swim
dler, for l was pretty certain he was
still in the house. So l tied a towel
over my head by way of mild dis
guise slipped Johns unloaded revolver
into my pocket and set out in pursuit.
AS l passed the slightly open door of
the fiat above mine l heard my vic
TINS smooth, pleasant voice extol the
excellence of his wares. 1 passed on
quietly to the next neighbour with
whom I had a bowling acquaintance.
You can imagine that she was rather
surprised at my hurried and somewhat
tncoherent explanation, but she under
stood enough to step back into the
next room just in time to allow me to
answer the fellows ring.
THE towel disguise worked all right.
He exhibited his goods, poured a. drop
of perfume into my hand, which 1
praised warmly, then went through ex-
actly the same performance as before.
This time, however, 1 noticed that he
filed my vial from a bottle he car
ried in his grip, of the same size and
shape as his sample bottle.
I'D rather have my vial filled from
the sample bottle, if you please, l
remarked quietly.
It's exactly the same in both cases,
madam he answered glibly; but some
thing in my face must have warned
him, for he made movement to grasp