Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-12-15
iii INSURANCE MAN.
PURSUING DEBTS IN THE
COUNTRY.

emerging from a roadside house and
getting into the yellow buggy. You'd
better. It's seven miles to the town"
The pedestrian willingly accepted
the invitation.
I'm mighty glad you came this
way" he said to the young
well, | had to visit that debit" re-
piled the latter, indicating the house
from which he had emerged.
His companion wondered whether
debit" was country dialect for a
square house with green shutters, but
the young mar now stopped before a
roadside store with no shutters.
Have to see this debit, too" he
said, handing the reins to his compan-
ion and disappearing through the front
door of the house.
What is your business?" asked the
favored pedestrian when the young
man returned.
Insurance"
ooh"
Then followed much learned talk Of
salary and commissions, paid-u2 in
surance agencies, policies and lapse,.
1t also t~ranspired that, in the eyes OF
the young man, who was out on a tour
of collection, all houses were either
unclassified nondescripts or debts.
He bowed to everyone who passed
and spoke to almost every one.
"How's your wife to-day, Mr..
Casey?" he would say, and "Ah, there,
F%innegan, how's your arm getting
along?" after which remarks he would
urn to his companion and give ex'
tracts from the biography of Casey and
Finnegan and their %neighbors.
"All Irish hereabouts," he said. 81
had a deuce of a time making them
believe l was Irish. My name is Van
Grominger. Whoa, Kitty"
They stopped before another debit.
"And how are we, Mrs. Flanagan"
shouted the young man. "Foine day
to-day" He winked at his companion.
How do you like the brogue?"
Great" answered the other.
Having ascertained that Mrs. Elan
agan was we'll, that the "childther'
were likewise and that the robust
health of Flanagan pater showed no
signs of diminution, the young insur-
ance mar collected all that was due
on the Flanagan debit and departed
with a farewell of the most Hibernian
pattern.
The next debit was located on a
side road, more like the bed Of q tor
rent than anything else, filled with
great rocks, among which Kitty, the
mare, struggled with difficulty.
when | first made the round OF
these debts" said the agent, Il was
sure l could never stand such roads.
Now they're easy. Whoa, there!"
A little girl emerged from the debit
Know just what she'll say" said
the young man. Mamma says she
amt got no money for you to-day
he squealed.
The little girl came to the gate.
Mamma says she amt got no money
for you to-day" she said, while the
insurance collector grinned a Sherlock
Holmes grin, and his companion
looked duly impressed.
Then they scrambled down the rocky
road again and reached the main road
safely.
The loquacious agent told more per
sonal histories of the O'Briens and
Hoolihans that passed; he described
local manners and customs; he dis
cussed the no license law in force in
the township; he explained the alco-
holic result likely to follow orders for
ginger ale and birch beer given in a
certain sophisticated voice. And as a
proof of his assertions, he took his
companion into a small bar run by an
affable Irishman.
"Best ginger ale 1 ever tasted" said
the stranger, sitting down his empty
beer glass.
The young man and the barkeeper
grinned. Another drink followed, Their
another, the last being "set up" by the
friendly barkeeper. After Intellectual
attempts to make the stranger sample
the delights of a free lunch of bread
and onions or the pleasing effects OF
a pinch of salt in his beer the bar
keeper babe his two visitors good-by.
"He is a fine athlete" remarked the
agent. used to be a pugilist. His
son was offered $28 a week and ex
penses to go with a dramatic company
and punch the bag, but he refused"
More debts followed. Some pro
duced five and ten dollar bills; some
procrastinated; some yielded no re
Spouse to knocks on front, side and
back doors.
AT the door OF one stood a woman
A second after she spied the yellow
buggy she was not there.
"See her disappear" said the insur
ance man; she'll have to be quickei
than that to fool me"
Inquiries at her house elected tn
reply that the young woman was out
Further remarks on the part or tn
agent, however, caused him to be ad
mitted into the house.
"Got the cash." he announced az
p~earing a few minutes after. CIT VI
/ rryt44-s