The Washington herald., 1912-06-30

woman, a hit daft. who fancied she was
stuck on the President Of Argentina
What does the American do but get hold
OF man who knows the old lady and
cause him to persuade her that the Pres
ident is partial TO Vandykes. Soon she
gives the American an order for a paint
ing. and he collects for the same SO. OOO.
OF which the gO-between gets Sl.o0O and
the artist 500 The last report had from
him was TO this effect: You ask about
the nutty old lady? I am getting afraid
she might rub some Of the paint on that
old master. and this would affect my
artistic Sensibilities."
This chap has got hold Of all sorts OF
concessions. When l first knew him. by
the way. he was a colonel in the Mica
raEuan army. One OF his most success
full ventures was to start a watch club,
in which you pay a dollar for initiation
and then run chance OF getting a
watch Well. the American showed a
high municipal official In Buenos Ayres
that in a watch club there is a pretty
big percentage for whoever Is running IT,
with the result that 1000 policemen and
other government employees were ordered
To become members and take their
chance at getting a gold watch.
Worlds Most ENpensiye Cities.
After having Travelled over most Of
the world I should say that Buenos
Ayres and Rio de Janeiro are the two
most expensive cities in the world TO
live in. I paid Sl6 there for a pair Of
shoes that here would have cost me s.
This straw hat have, which I could
buy in New York for S2, cost me s. gold
in Buenos Ayres. Although the Argen-
tine is a meat country, hams cost about
Sl.25 gold a pound, though the Americans
are rapidly getting control Of the meat
business. The American bank that is
going to be established in Buenos Ayres
is going to be a great thing, though the
business there and in most OF South
America Is in the hands Of the Germans,
French, and English. Why. they bring
potatoes to the country from Germany
and eggs from Spain, Italy. and Morocco.
Il broke my watch crystal IN Buenos
Ayres, and il cost me $ to get a new
one. One thing found difficulty with
down there and that was my mail I
seldom got It. Before left home sub
scribed to twelve American magazines.
Not one reached me until got to
New York. The Sun brings a high price
in Buenos Ayres. paid 50 cents for a
copy OF the paper down there.
at IS interesting to report that while
everything else is higher than here in
Beunos Ayres, there Is an excellent taxi
cab system. You can hire cars there at
50 cents gold an hour The unrented
taxis have stands in the middle Of the
streets.
Another thing which will interest any
body who is going down there to sell
goods is the fact that in Argentina
there is a tax on. travelling men. II you
were to pay this tax for every city in
Argentina, the sum would foot UP to
about 5000. Half OF the money raised
In this way goes TO the infOrmer. There
is a class Of men down there who make
II a business to give fake orders and
when you have taken them you are ar
rested. There were several Americans
In Jail down there when was in the city
who mad been imprisoned because they
had refused or had been Unable to pay
the fines imposed when they were ar
rested for drumming without a license"