The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-06
4 WOMAN You CAN'T DODGE.
SHE SERVES LEGAL PAPERS on
SLIPPERY DEBTORS

SHE SERVES LEGAL PAPERS on
SLIPPERY DEBTORS
| And Matches Their Cunning vita Her Own
superise Fexiness--1ho Almsst Get
Married Ouec while L1ring Parssu
Int . Trap--WsmaA Against woman.
-Now really, don't believe had better
say anything about this work. The process
dodgers are 20 sharp already that 1t isn't
wise to give them points that will make
them sharper Besides, this serving Of
legal papers a. business Is ono Of the few
uncrowded fields that offer a good living to
| a woman with her wits about her. Why
parade the fact. and invite competition''
She was snsll and brisk and rather good
looking. Only the snap In her grey eyes
and the set Of her chin gave clue to the
qualities II at cause lawyers to call on her
when they have papers to be handed to
persons who are part iculary clever at avoid
ing the society Of the process server.
But after all, she went on, I'm not
much afraid Of competition. This ia never
likely to be an overworked field. don't
imagine there are many women who would
fancy the business, and there are fewer
still who could do 1t II they would.
Papers are not usually given to q woman
to serve until some man has tried and
failed. We get the hardest cases. and
have to possess ingenuity, the patience
Of Job, and, most Of all, just plain nerve.
Why, not long ago sat on the stoop
Of q certain fine house up on the West Side
for two days and a night to serve a paper on
the head Of the household. who was inside
waiting for me to get tired and go away.
Il hired boy to stay there with the docu-
ment while ate hasty meals at, nearby
restaurant and snatohed a little sleep in
the small hours Of tho morning. But all
the rest of the time ! was the watchful
sentinel. Plenty Of people were curious
as to my object in remaining there, and I
told them freely. The policeman on the
beat kept protecting eye on me. be-
came the talk OF tho neighborhood.
All this, Of course, was not pleasant for
the man inside. Every time he would look
out Of the window caught him at it
several times-he would see me down on
the lower step, mute witness OF his
efforts to evade the law. Frequently the
policeman or somebody else would be talk
ing to me, and sometimes there would be
little group before the house shouldn't
be surprised il this siege got on his nerves
or those of his wife. At any rate, just
after dark on the second day he came out
and took the paper. The lawyers had been
trying for weeks to servo him. l got $50
for my patience.
@Not many cases. Of course, are as tedi-
GUS as this. remember one that caused
me a good deal Of amusement. A parson
was to be served. 1t seems that he had
strayed outside the parish to dabble in real
estate and had become involved in some
way. The lawyers were anxious that the
summons be served on him at once, but he
didn't propose to have 1t served just then,
and gave orders to his servant girl to let
no one not known to her as being con-
nected with his church get farther than
the vestibuis without first consulting him.
Meanwhile he kept indoors, stepping out
only ON Sundays, when the service Of
papers Is not legal.
Several men had tried to reach him.
giving various reasons for wanting to see
| him personally. but the foxy maid always
| left them standing in the vestibule and
came back with word that she was sorry
but Mr.. wilkins was not In. or was deeply
engaged 1t was at this stage Of the affair
| that the paper was turned over to me.
when I went to the house had young
man with me- l didn't ask II Mr.. Wilkins
was in when the girl came to the door, but
said in an embarrassed kind Of way, We've
| would like to be married. Would you find
out II Mr. Wilkins could marry us nowY
| 1t would be a shame, OF course. to leave
timid young couple seeking marriage out
| in the cold vestibule. Moreover, there is
nothing the average minister likes better
| than a marriage ceremony, and the girl
appeared to know it.
"The scrutiny Of suspicion faded from
her eyes. Come in she said, with smile.
She went upstairs and was back In a min
ute with word that MIR. Wilkins would be
right down. He came with outstretched
hand and such fatherly beam on mis- face
| that felt It was really too bad to disap-
point him and throw cold water on this fine
socable manner But l was there for
| business.
Are you the Rev. Mr.. WilkinsT
Yes, yes, to be sure
Well then, said quickly, want to
hand you this summons
What, what. Is this a tricky he ex-
claimed, turning red In the face It's an
outrageous proceeding. It's highly i'm
proper. I'm very much surprised that q
woman Of your appearance should descend
| to such thing.
1t was made necessary by your efforts
to avoid service l answered. Good
night.
This was comparatively simple case.
| I've had some that have been much more
difficult Quite recently got a summons
to serve on one Of the wariest process
| dodgers that have ever met Several
men had failed to reach him when l was
| asked to take the paper.
| AOne trouble was that he was a COM
parative stranger In the city, and we
| couldn't get an accurate description Of him,
| He was supposed to have a suite Of rooms
in a fashionable apartment house. but
even Of this we weren't sure. The janit or
gave -committal and unsatisfa ct DRY
answers when asked II such person lived
/ in the house and the hall and elaYat or