Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-09

The man was brisk and businesslike In
manner. Ara you the PRESIDENT? he IN
quired.
The old man at the desk swung slowly
about and faced the stranger. Il am he
answered somewhat austerely; what can
1 do for your
He was Birtwhistle the head and front of
the Bellport Bank. The stranger uttered
sigh of satisfaction. and stepping forward
laid richly engraved card upon the desk.
Il am the representative" he said, "of
that concern"
The president mechanically seized the bit
OF pasteboard and read 1t aloud. 1t was
the business card of the Consolidated En-
pire Safe Concern, a New York company.
The president grunted and tossed it to one
side
II guess" he remarked, that you can
save yourself the trouble. We don't want
any safes today"
ed a bent reed chair. and drew 1t up toward
the desk.
Now, Mr.. President" he said, II know
you don't want any safes But my BUSH
ness Is to make people want 'em, even
against their will. good safe is good
thing. and people never know it until
something happens-something that proves
that the old safe isn't up to the mark.
stable door after the automobile is a couple
of hundred miles the other side Of town.
We've just put on the market the newest,
latest, best and cheapest bank safe that the
world has ever seen; absolutely and uncom-
promisingly moth. rust and burglar proof;
simple. easy, direct and positively safe
He produced O. book containing photo
graphs of various safes and handed 1T over.
Then he stood up and looked over into the
counting room.
How long have you had your safe?"
The president reluctantly and YEARLY
named the date of it's installation. The
safe man gave vent to a low whistle.
Good Lord" he exclaimed why, you
ought to be ashamed of yourself to have
an old safe like that It's disgraceful,
nothin less You, a good, moral, pfous
bank president, and with an old box like
that. Why, look-a-here, don't you know
that there are cracksmen who can open a
safe like that, not with powder, but just
by listening to the combination tumblerS
as they turn the handle? Why, there's a
dozen men, any one of whom would make
a short and clean job of that in five min
utes. I can name one right now: You've
heard O. Mickey Walters-the fellow who
cleaned out the First National of Monroe,
across the river. Well, sir. that was his
method. Slick a greaser. Why, our
own men can handle an old safe like
that"
The president smiled. Our old safe"
he said, has been tackled. and has stood
the assault"
surprise; then 1t was by bunglers. But
here, III tell you right now what I'll do
with you. You're game, I'll bet. I'm a fair
safe expert myself-all our best agents
are-and I'll make a bargain with you.
You come inside the bank with me. shut
the safe and lock 1t. Don't tell me the
combination, and then I'll tackle it. See?
II don't have the blamed thing open and
ready for business in, say, ten minutes
without scratch, why, then I'll quit. If
do, then you buy new safe"
The president was game. He had consid-
cradle faith in his safe, but he was willing
to have 1t tested 1t cost nothing, and
might be of service
I'll admit" said the president. slowly,
that a man like Mickey Walters. who Is
notorious for that sort of thing-I can see
how he might crack our safe in the way
suggest, but the safe is n good one, and III
go you. You try your pest on her, and if
you succeed 1 may consider your sugges-
ton"
1t was within few moments of closing
time. and they waited until the door of the