Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-23
CHRISTMAS FAKIRS

A land office business is now done by the
street fakirs selling Christmas toys. novel
ties and adj kinds Of trimmings" which
usually find ready sale during Christmas
times.
The foreign fakirs are Of the class known
as birds of passage" They are seldom
seen by the public except on special occa-
sions when their wares are appropriate, and
when these sold they vanish as mystic
riously as they came Many are past mas
tiers of the art of separating money from
the public, and they roll up a good bank
account in the ten days or two weeks of
business with their nickel, dime and quar-
ter trade. But 1t is not every time that
the fakir hits streak of good luck. He
is badly beaten financially sometimes on q
novelty which looks good to him, but which
the public fail to see that way. A novelty
may be a winner from the moment it is
exhibited on the street, or it may not.
In most cases 1t is the children who de-
eide the fate of the fakir's stock in trade
They make 1t success or ruin 1t. The
really up-to-date fakir does not wish more
than one day to determine the saleab leness
of an article, and If it does not show SELL
ing quality, the next day finds him exploit
ing something else. There is no fakir who
will invest heavily in a toy until he has put
in at least one day on the streets with it.
If it sells, he wires the wholesale house to
ship him from one to ten gross. Inc
kris and their Geographic orders are al
ways promptly filled.
When the fakir gets his stock he selects
a good stand in front of some store, sa-
loon, restaurant or street corner and opens
up for business. 1t is his object to display
his wares In the most tempting manner pos
sible, and he manages by various means to
All evidence of flourishing trade is stu
diously avoided, and he seldom keeps more
than a half dozen of his novelties in sight,
but when these are sold he produces from
q box or suit case few more He keeps up
a constant running fire Of praise of the
wonderful little article he is now offering
to the public as an agent for large house
which has adopted this means or adVer-
Using. The price is only two dimes and
one nickel! and get it now, or regret it
the balance of your natural life
y
II the article proves a seller he runs the
price up without notice. 1t is his business
to make all he can out of each sale. After
fixed margin. which goes to the whole
saler, the balance is velvet. Knowing that
he is a stranger among strangers" he cares
little how much abuse may be heaped upon
him after the sale is made. What the IA
kir is after is his profit.
This season the fakirs' offerings are va
ried; there Is no end tc the odd things
sold in the streets, and among the passers-
practically everything that is made, and
who will buy thing If it is presented to
view Occasionally a crowd Of 'celebrat-
ors" will stand around awhile guying IA
kir and then as a joke buy his entire stock,
closing the transaction by carrying him
bodily into the nearest emporium for I'M
known reasons. The fakir does not offer
strenuous objections to such acts on the
part of hilarious philanthropists. the code
of the cult being to take everything port
able which comes their way.
1t seems that everything from shoestrings
to rubber Christmas trees are being vended
on the streets. and none of the fakirs wear
looks of disappointment, for trade is good
and the busiest day is promised Monday,
when the grand wind-up of Christmas pur-
chases will be made.
Here's fellow standing on a corner SELL
ing shears, nothing but shears. He holds
Up his hand with shears hanging on every
finger The shears are of all sizes, but the
price is the same, no matter what the size
The balloon man ambles along and tries to
drown the voice of the shears man, but
he is told that If he doesn't hunt another
locality he'll be looking upward at his bal |
looms. A little way further up the street
fakir is mesmerizing crowd with his
rubber snakes. The paper flower man sticks