The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1905-07-28
THE OLD PACK PEDDLER.

Years ago, before railroads had open
ed direct communication with ada
cent cities, peddlers Of all kinds fire.
quented the rural districts. While
some carried on an honorable business
and after few years traffic were able
to set up dry goods store for them
selves, there were others, the same as
in other lines business, that practised
fraud in preference to straightforward
honesty, and many an unsophisticated
housewife Was duped by them. There
were peddlers who sold jewelry, gold
watches and chains, venders of ex-
tracts and essences, spectacle peddlers,
book peddlers, tree peddlers, tin ped
dlers and pack peddlers. These ped
dlers represented various nationali-
ties, from the shrewd Yankee to the
Hibernian and Hebrew.
One speciality of these pack ped.
dlers was Irish linen tablecloths "just
shipped by my brother from the 'auld'
country" which could be sold Cheap
One day short, tbick-set Irishman,
with sandy hair, was admitted into
the kitchen, who displayed pair of
white linen tablecloths of birds eye
pattern that captured my Impractical
eye, and resolved to purchase them.
The feminine mind is frequently &C.
cused ola liking for cheap bargains,
and | fear in that instance | was no
exception to the rule. After barter
ing for some time about the price, he
finally dropped his figures 50 low that
| became somewhat suspicious that
the goods were not as represented,
and l modestly asked if the goods
were all linen With an Indignant
look of withering scorn on his face, he
angrily exclaimed, "a woman of your
age that takes "illigint' Irish linen
for cotton must be very ignorant, in
deed" said no more, but paid him
his price, and he hurried away to
dupe his next customer. On exami-
nation | found my coveted tablecloth
to be heavy cotton, but so highly
polished that more experienced per-
son might have been easily duped.
1t was an old adage that one sci.
dom gets hit twice in the same place.
But on another occasion l got swind-
died worse. 1t was by Hebrew ped
dler who was selling a fne-looking
broadcloth for mems wear. He, too
was working for broken-down city
firm, and the goods must be sold at
cost. He exhibited a fine piece of
black broadcloth which he declared
was pattern for mans coat and
vest He fourished it about in such
an excited manner that it did indeed
look large enough for what he claimed
for it, if not for an entire suit Of clothes
As my better half was in need of a
new coat, thought would surprise
him with one of my bargains My He
brew friend was bound to sell, and
kept dropping his price until he said
| might have the goods for S., which
l accepted. In time the piece was
taken to the village tailor, who by
measure found that it was enough by
one sleeve. 1t was a short pattern
packed up at snme clothing establish
ment and probably bought at a very
small price. This short pattern fraud
was extensively carried on for some
time. A neighbor, an old man who
had GOT beyond work, had managed
To lay pJ $oO for his support in his
feeble Ola age, was lnduced by one OF
these sharks to invest the whole of
his money in various kinds of cloth
suitable for mems wear, with the ex-
pectation of selling it out at profit
TO neighboring farmers families. As
far as the writer knows he never sold
yard of his goods, and at last &C.
counts 1t was still on his hands.
At this date the pack peddler is
rarely seen in these parts; they have
been obliged to emigrate to new fields
or turn their attention to other lines
of business.-A. B. C. in Country
Gentlemen
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Fritz was the meekest Office boy