Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-03-10
HID IN A CLOSET.
His Desperate Attempt to Evade a s'''
Collector.

The bill collector is human, ana az tiniesi
inds and appreciates humor III even mo
Usually disagreeable pursuit. Inc ueo.os
usually seek to avoid Il meeting WIN tieH
lun. sometimes leaving their ornces WY"
l call impends Or retiring to inner oo,ns'
.eaving word that they are out. But 'ney
,annot entirely forsake their places OIL
business. and so 1t is that they are occa-
sionally found 'in." But an instance WAS
ately ~recounted by a collector where'su.
The debtor was foun both in ana out az.
the same time. He said that while gong
an the steps OF an office building laso
summer ne glanced in a mirror at the
head OF the stairway which was on srch'
A 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
4 portion of the desk at which sat the
head of the firm. whom the collector de-,
sired to see, and back OF him a door. AT
The instant the collector came within line
of this reflection the gentleman within
noticed the visitor coming and recos-
nized him. Jumping up quickly he made
several gestures to his secretary, opened
the door behind him and stepped into the
1usty closet it concealed. closing the door
behind him.
When our friend entered he was plausi-
ply informed in answer to his inquiries
hat Mr.. Blank was out and would prob
ably not return before 1890. 1t was then
about 1880 and a sultry morning In July.
Well. sir" thought the visitor. III I
ion't squeeze him-m-mh." After looking
At his watch he remarked as he took off
his hat and wiped the persiration from his
orow that he had plenty of time and
nothing to do, so he guessed he'd wait
'or Mr.. Blank. Drawing up a chair he
'at down and leaned back against the
closet door while he looked over his note
book.
Being a warm, sultry day, and the closet
small and dusty. it was not long before
here was an uneasy stir behind The door:
out the visitor sat still. He now had out
l section of the previous days paper, con-
aiming an instalment of an interesting
serial novel, and with the aid OF the cleo
;ric fan over In the corner shunting a
fresh breeze in his direction he calculated
20 spend the balance of the hour quite
pleasantly. However. after thirty or for
" minutes. when the movement inside in
Heated the elimination of a crisis. the
collector considered the effect such severe
yrueling and possible humiliation might
a on his are. He decided that 1t
would be best for him to leave. Stating
hat he would return shortly, he left the
office. Before reaching the head of the
,tairs he heard the sound of the prisoner
bursting from his confinement. In the
mirror the collector now saw his victim.
srimy with %perspiration dust. sink
weakly into a chair.
The collector congratulated himself that
lie had not carried the punishment fur.
her. for the man might have allowed
himself to faint rather than reveal him-
'elf, entailing more or less serious conse-
luences. AS 1t was. the deceptive debtor
vas given a severe lesson and will doubt
ess be willing to stand for an interview
n else be more crafty in avoiding a
Meeting. A sad part in the story is, that,
Notwithstanding the f%orbearance Of cap
or toward captive, the bill Of the former
against the latter remains yet unpaid. 1t
8 not possible to say II there will be an
md to the story, as there are weekly in
'talments each involving a fruitless visit
VI the collector, which may go on until
he matter is settled by the executors of
he debtors estate.