Evening star., 1903-11-28
HID IN A CLOSET.
His Desperate Attempt to Evade Bill
Collector

The bin collector Is human, and at times
finds and appreciates humor In even his
usually disagreeable pursuit. The debtors
usually seek to avoid a meeting with their
dun, sometimes leaving their offices when a
call impends or retiring to inner rooms,
leaving word that they are out. But they
cannot entirely forsake their places of
business, and SO it is that they are occasion
| ally found 'n." But an instance was lately
recounted by collector wherein the debtor
was found both in and out at the same
| time. He said that while going up the
steps of an office building last summer he
| glanced in mirror at the head of the stair
way which was on such as plane as to show
| the open door of the Office he was about to
visit in his official capacity. Through the
| door could be seen a portion of the desk at
| which sat the head of the firm, whom the
collector desired to see, and back of him q
! door AT the instant the collector came
| within line of this reflection the gentleman
| within noticed the visitor coming and rec
cgnized him. Jumping up quickly he made
| several gestures to his secretary, opened
| the door behind him and stepped into the
| dusty closet 1t concealed, closing the door
| behind him.
| When our friends entered he was plausi-
| bly, informed in answer to his inquiries that
| Mr.. Blank was out and would probably not
| return before 12:30 1t was then about II 80
and a sultry morning in July. 'Weu. SIR
|
| -n-nh.'' After looking at his watch he
| remarked as he took off his hat and wiped
| the perspiration from his brow that he had
| plenty of time and nothing to do. so he
guessed he'd wait for Mr.. Blank. Drawing
| up chair he sat down and leaned back
| against the closet door while he looked over
| his note book
Being warm, sultry day, and the closet
| small and dusty, it not long before
! there was uneasy stir behind the door;
but the visitor sat still. He now had out a
! section of the previous days paper, con-
| tanning an installment of an interesting
serial novel, and with the aid of the electric
fan over in the corner shunting fresh
| breeze in his direction he calculated to
spend the balance of the hour quite pleas
| sntly. However, after thirty forty min
| utes, when the movement inside indicated
| the elimination of a crisis the collector
| considered the effect such severe grueling
| and possible humiliation might have on his
| case. He decided that 1t would be best for
| him to leave Stating that he would re-
turn shortly, he left the Office Before
| reaching the head of the stairs he heard
| the sound of the prisoner bursting from his
| confinement. In the mirror the collector
| now saw his victim. grimy with perspira-
| ton and dust, sink weakly into q chair.
The collector congratulated himself that
| he had not carried the punishment further,
for the man might have allowed himself to
| faint rather than reveal himself. entailing
| more or less serious consequences. AS It
| was. the deceptive debtor was given a Sc
| we're lesson and will doubtless be willing to
| stand for an interview or else more crafty
in avoiding a meeting. sad part in the
| story is, that, notwithstanding the forbear-
| ance of captor toward captive, the bill of
| the former against the latter remains yet
| unpaid. 1t is not possible to say II there
will be an end to the story, as there are
weekly installments each involving a fruit
less visit of the collector, which may go on
| until the matter is settled by the executors
| of the debtors estate.