The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-05
QUEER PROFESSIONS.
Novel Occupations Employed by En-
terprsine Men to Make Lucra-
tive Livings


Df which many an enterprising man
is making a lucrative living. one Of
the queerest of these is that of the
expert "smeller" Scent-makers need
some one with very delicate sense
of smell to aid them in blending the
ingredients of perfumes in proper
proportions. Queen AleXandra's fa-
vorite -violets-costs $40
per ounce bottle, and in order that il
may be correctly blended before it is
passed for Her Majestys use. it has
to run the gauntlet of five profession
al "smellers" Many of the larger
firms OF perfume makers pay their
"smellers" from G5 to sc weekly,
and they are insured against cold and
the loss of their sense Of smell. Con-
large public buildings and pleasure
grounds often employ "smellers" to
trace escapes of gas, Is being the
sum paid for every leakage reported
Another occupation which is dis.
tinctly prominent on the register of
Mr. Chesterton's Club of Queer
Trades" is that of acting as best
man" at weddings. He is in great
demand during this season of the
year. and on bank holidays often
finds his way to as many as a dozen
marriages. His duties are chiefly
only connected with the ceremony at
the church, and on account of this he
is classed with the minister, and his
fee is not fixed Sometimes he Sc
cures as much as G5 at single we'd
ding besides a handsome present
from the bridegroom But in the
majority of cases he is not nearly so
fortunate. and his usual fee may be
,lassed at about co rs. At this rate
ne makes more than enough to yield
aim a fair income. He must be
5uave, adroit, nimble-witted and pa
:ient. He never gets ratified, never
allows the groom to commit any
ylaring error, and keeps a watchful
eYo uDon the bride and her maids to
see that everything passes off in pro-
per style. Then, II his engagement
extends to entertaining the guests at
the luncheon or party afterward. he
must be able to sing and dance, be
conversant with the latest of card
games, and reply to many OF the
speeches on behalf of his clients.
But of queer occupations none
could be more unique and weird than
that of the professional "mourner.
Such was the proud boast of a man
ing his career he calculated that in
the capacity of mourner his fees
amount TO no less than $500. From
a very early age he developed a
somewhat melancholy interest in
funeral ceremonies. Indeed, his in
terest was so marked that, ten years
| ago when he was G2, he laid claim
to have attended 5000 funerals, ana
no such event seemed complete with
out the presence of Alec" as he was
popularity known The solemn knell
never failed to bring him hot-foot to
the church He was present at the
first interment in Ramsgate cemetery,
attended 200 burials in St. Georges
churchyard, and, although there are
on an average 1,SOO funerals in the
/ locality, "Alec" a short time before
he died declared he had not missed
so.
For many years he supplied notices
I of deaths to the local newspapers,
p,oda all arro nam antg With tho an
/ dertakers regarding graves, transact
ed business with half a dozen firms
of stOnemasons and florists, toled
the church bell for hundreds OF fu-
nerals and would complete his du-
ties toward each client by assisting
the relatives around the grave and
afterward into the carriages on the
journey home.
number of what are known as
professional 'matchers" are 10 be
found In the vicinity of Harrington
road, London, who make BIZ profits
and keep large business houses. There
is a good deal OF money TO be made
out of the game If the ''matcher
pursues the proper course. The
stocks OF articles required for match
ing" are made up mostly from sales
at private houses around London.
Al many Of the private sales there
are lots marked odd Chinaware." OF
Mixed China Ornaments" which
comprise, perhaps, from so TO 100
dainty vases and old trifes of that
sort. Being assorted in this way
they are often ignored by the ordi
nary dealer. and when the match
er's" chance comes at the end of the
sale he can usually procure the lot
for &c. When they are sold, after
matching" purposes, the lot OTTER
yields 30 times the amount paid il
the first case.
At a recent sale particulars cam'
to light of a thatcher" casually pur
chasing a small piece OF Chelse;
ware from old stuff in a miscellan
eous lot The price paid for this b.
the thatcher" was Sd. and two day
later he found no difficulty in dis
posing of il for 35s. The customer
consist chiefly of mechanics an'
housewives, and the articles mos