The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-15
APPLES SELL THE SPECS.
Easy Trade of n Young Fellow who
Deals In GOId-Rimmed Glasses.

Easy Trade of n Young Fellow who
Deals In GOId-Rimmed Glasses.
From the New York Sun.
A dozen men were longing at the
bar of an uptown saloon when the
front door was pushed open and a
cheerful voice sang out
Want any fine fresh apples?"
Everybody turned to gaze at the
newcomer, a neat-looking, smooth
faced fellow, wearing sap and ging-
ham jumper over his street clothing.
His left arm was hooked around
quart measure piled top-high with big,
rudy apples. Between the thumb and
the side of his right hand so that the
fingers remained free, he held pair
of spectacles, apparently goldrimmed.
Not to-day, neighbor,' the barkeep-
err replied, with a wistful glance at the
appetizing fruit.
The vender was on the point of leav-
ing when a sudden thought seemed TO
seize him and he turned around again.
Il don't s'pose any O. you gents"
he began, holding up the spectacles.
Then he stopped short as if hesitat-
ing. Several of the men drew nearer
to him. After some hemming, he re-
sumed:
It's like this, gents. I found these
here things in the street just now
gold, | thinks. They amt no gooG t
me- an it's a mighty slim chance ter
git the owner. P'raps one O. you might
want ter-it's a pair o good one, I'm
sure"
Two or three of the men tried the
spectacles on. One fellow thought
they improved his eyesight materially.
I'll let yer git 'em cheap" the ven
der put in. "S'posin' we say dollar?"
II might pay rs cents" faltered the
prospective buyer, feeling in his pocket
for the coins.
"Why, it's found money to me, any
ways"
The price was paid quickly as if the
buyer feared a change Of mind on the
part of the seller. While the buyer
was being congratulated on the bar
gain he had made, the man with the
apples slipped quietly out of the place.
A man who had been sitting at
table away from the others, seeming
ly indifferent to what was going on,
rose Immediately afterward and left
also. His derby hat was pushed down
over his eyes and he was chewing at
the butt of a cigar.
The apple venGer stepped into a
doorway adjoining the saloon. A mo-
ment later he reappeared with a pair
of spectacles exactly like those he had
just disposed of in his hand.
At the next corner was a saloon
which he entered. He stayed inside
about five minutes. The spectacles
were gone when he came out. One
more visit into a doorway resulted in
the appearance of another pair of the
same kind.
Then, while hesitatng a second
about the direction to be followed, he
was tapped on the shoulder by the
man in the derby hat, who remarked
| in an off-hand way:
Fine scheme for swindling people
you've got there"
The man with the apples wheeled
| around as if to ward off a blow.
Il amt swindled nobody" he cried
excltedly 1T amt my lookout that
| most peoples a lot O. durn fools"
Then sullenly, 5000, 4yo,ve got on ter
me curves, has yer?"
The man in the derby only smiled. A
| pause ensued, during which the apple
vender surveyed his opponent out of
the corner of his eye.
Say, friend" he ventured at last,
| you amt goin' ter gimme away?
amt afeerd O. nobody for I amt done
nothin' wrong, but you might upset
lie lllAlc game III lu6S6 parts o Town
| leastways. S'posin' you come along
wi me an 1 make you a decent prop
| ersishun; you looks ter me like a pref
| ty cute one"
They went into a saloon further up
the street and sat down at table to-
| gether. The Vender ordered beer and
| paid for it. Then he placed his quart
measure of apples on the floor beside
| his chair and unbuttoned his jumper
Pinned to it's inside he carried fully
two dozen pairs of spectacles, all of
| them looking exactly alike.
you see" he said rather proudly,
its me stock. Now, I've took a likin'
| to yer, an I'll tell yer what I'll Co.
It's the richest thing ever.
Them glasses cost % cents. l git 50
| cents an rs cents an a dollar for 'em
accordin' to as the suckers be bitin'.
Sometimes they comes quick an some
times slow, but l sells me dozen a day
| sure as | live, an many times two
AN 1 amt got more'n eight hours
| to me workin' day at that. That
what calls maxim pretty good liv-
in o't-or how does t strike you?'
1T amt half bad" drawled the man
in the derby. phiosophically. But
why do you lug those apples along? l
| don't see"
Court yer don't" drawled the ap-
| pie man. IF l wuz tryin ter sell them
! specs outright, how many guys d yer
think would care ter buy? Not one
| in hundred, I tell yez, cause then
'twould be a clear case o. business an
they'd be as sharp as knives about it.
But as I dot tbs a sort O. gamblin',
yer see. The glasses may be worth a
whole lot, they thinks ter themselves,
| an the chance is they may beat me,
| anyhow. Just let people think they
| kin OFT 1afbin' for nmthir' naxt
! ter nuthin'. an you've got them dead
| ter the right all the time.
Now, as l wuz sayin'. I've took a