Fort Pierce news., 1911-09-29
ANOLDGOLDBRICE
Used For Fleeing the Innocents
a Generation Ago.
THE PATENT SAFE swINuLr.

Aituougn the essentials Of imposture
remain unchanged from generation 70
generation, so that the rogue of today
would have no trouble In recognizing
his counterpart Of the seventeenth cen
tury' nevertheless there are fashions
In thlevery, as In everything else Old
tricks are cast off like threadbare
coats 10 favor Of newer ones and
these In turn are discarded when pub
licity has rendered them familiar nnd
therefore less effective, but plausIbiHty
and address are the Indispensable
qualities of the gentry who live by
their wits
The newest type Of confidence ma
is the get'rich-quick individual who
breathes Of money and wouldn't turn,
his hand to small "job." He angles
for victims with new corporations anC
great business ventures for bait bui
he is the same man who q generation
ago raked In the sheckels by means of
the patent safe game, This game is
now an outworn fashion. But 1t had
It's points.
Let us suppose countryman, car
petbag in hand. to have allghted at
the union station and set out to see
the sights. Although his name is con
veniently printed on the outside Of his
bag or set down In legible hand on
the hotel register, he is amazed to find
himself Hospitality greeted By an utter
stranger, who knows his name and
the town from which be halls. The
stranger is an old friend whom the
countryman is ashamed to think be
cannot remember-p!ace is the word
But the stranger is very affable and
lays himself out to entertain the new
conner. They stroll about town in
company. visit a bar or two, exchange
"reminiscences and at the end of few
hours are bosom companions. The
stranger invariably pays the score. has
a lordly disdain Of money; good fel
Iowship 10 It's own reward.
The two stroll by devious ways until
tinally while they are walking arm In
arm down a quiet bystreet the stran
gers eye is caught by a curious object
lying on the pavement BE pauses to
examine It. 1t is miniature globe
about the size of a billiard ball, The
stranger turns 1t over curiously In his
fingers and finally sees that 1t is fitted
with a small plug, which comes ou
under pressure. Continuing bis ex
plorations, he then unscrews the tor
of the plug, takes out piece of crum
pled paper, shows his dupe the empty
box and throws the paper on tn'
ground. There is similar bit OF pa
Der in the small chamber at the enc
Of the plug. but this the countryman
does not see. The two then stroll on
discussing the mysterious ball.
Presently they come upon worries
looking man. who is studying the
ground with a face the pattern OF de
spair. The roper observes MIN anu
wants to know whether he has 'osl
something. a.,
lost something, indeed!' says the
man "Why. I've lost an Invention o.
mine that | wouldn't have taken $40
o0O for 1t was patent nre sal'
which would save hundreds OF thou
sands of dollars worth of papers ano
voluobles every year. | was just Oh
nv way to Blank & Blanks, the Sals
manufacturers. to get one made' anu
here have lost the model"
The roper is evidently much toucneO
hv the inventors distress. he pro
dyces the wooden globe and is immes
diotelv overwhelmed with expressions
of gratitude. ..,on ~
"But what good is that invenuon o
yours?" asks the roper ,.,Ao
"Well" says the inventor win ptlue.
won see. It is set on props. When tnere
,s FIRE all you have to do IS 70 knosA
Ort = : the nrops and the safe rolls down
~ incline right out Of the building az
No naat as You please. There's box 70
side 70 hold the papers rneFe Is
naner in this box right now
A. that the roper winks slyly az I'm, ,ne
% = rmer and whispers in his ear, ~
make him a bet on that piece =
come says the roper, 'Tna.s ..a
nrottv tall yarn. don't believe 'neIs u,.s
pnv p,r, naper in that ball. III bet 'ness
u Isn't Z scrap Of paper in It" 80. q
aI'n BET you $1,000 there's a ,Ip'uarssd pane !. |
= > says !" the inventor. much incenssu e nar.
~ q, Iuy haven't that much With me. say. says
.,o rones. e but ri just bet you n.n !
Sus ! a.'d mi ~ 4. with that be takes ous
Orso number Of bills say $50 Or rs So a. rnJ 80
as,, nsas, check for the ether 500 40 ~, ns
s.,and eaan the farmer he says, WIN :,' you
,',s, ,,,sDs Isnd me $50 on this check un'"
ssr ,sr' eet to my hoteIf" ....,,a -
'ar Tbs sss farner sees that hlE l,aenS ne sko
80 ~ i win. He advances tns sSs, cy,,
'nIo .hold the inventor draws w