The Tupelo journal., 1905-09-29

| alloy" which Will tarnish and get
black within three days after coming
in contact with the face.
This man declared that he had for
years been working on what he con-
sidered q paltry salary. His father,
who had been we'll to do, had recently
died leaving his estate so entangled
that it would cost more to unravel It
than it was worth. AS a result the
son had grown desperate and had
| started out to make a killing"
The following Saturday evening,
while at the theater, I saw this
CRATER enter one Of the boxes with
a party Of society people. He r q
full-dress evening suit. an elegant
silk-lined overcoat and diamonds.
Happening to spy me in the parquet,
he placed the thumb and forefinger OF
each hand together, and l~aughingly
held them up to his eyes, in a manner
to suggest spectacles.
Two weeks later I opened a store
under the Great Northern hotel.
One Saturday afternoon this graft
er" called on me. He told me that for
the past three or four weeks his profits
had averaged $500 a week. On this
occasion he was dressed in an up-to-
date business suit, fine derby hat and
low-cut shoes, and had the appearance
of a well-to-do professional or business
man.
u. p" he said, although l always
take a vacation on Saturday, never
theless clear ten dollars or more Not
that l particularly need it," he went
on, "but just to keep my hand in"
So saying, he took from his pocket
a half dozen pair of nose glasses. of
the same quality as his spectacle stock.
AS we stood looking from my store
window, he said: 4Ill just watch for
my man and show you how easy it is
to make a dollar" Then he gathered
| some mud from his shoes and rubbed
it over a pair of his eyeglasses.
There my man." he cried, an
instant later. Now watch me-"
Darling from the store, he quickly
stepped into the gutter, in front of his
man." and, reaching down, took par
ticular pains to attract the mans at
tention. He rose with the pair of nose
| glasses in his hand.
OF course the mud inc clay clinging
to the glasses gave them the appear
ance of having lain for some time in
the dirt.
The man was at once interested and,
| putting them on his nose, he took
| some printed matter from his pocket
and began reading, saying: They
just fit me-"
WELL" said the CRATER "give ms
| five dollars and you may have them.
and I'll bet they never cost less than
ten dollars"
mo" said the man, II wouldn't do
that, but I'll give you two dollars for
them"
Make it three dollars and take
them along" urged the CRATER.
NO" hesitated the victim, but I'll
split the difference and give you two
dollars and a half for them"
"All right" laughed the CRATER.
take them along; they are no good
to me-"
The man paid the money and passed
on with a satisfied smile.
The CRATER laughed immoderately at
his success and declared that there
was always something r~idiculously
funny in every deal of this kind.
In selecting his dupe, he kept his
eyes open for a well-dressed man, OF
business-like appearance, and of about
so years of age. The glasses were OF
the proper retroactive power to magnify
the letters for such a person. They
! cost him less than - cents per pair.
Twenty minutes later the CRATER"
bade me good-by. Meeting another
man not three rods away, he played
the same trick on him, and landed
him for two dollars inside of five
minutes. Looking toward the store,
where myself and clerks were inter-
ested spectators. he held up two I'm
gers, indicating the amount OF cash
received.
I last heard of our college graduate
CRATER two years later. l read a full
account of his implication with a gang
Of "get-rich-quick" sharpers, all OF
whom had been sentenced to from one
~ five wears each in the p~enitentiary.