The Washington herald., 1915-10-03
THE GRAND PROMOTER
How He Lost His Millions

II begins shaving away. 1t goes all
ar4und your face like a barber's hand.
When it is through shaving, your skin Is
your ears, trims your eyebrows and
combs your hair and parts 1t in the mid
die. 1t is all done in three minutes and
It brushes you OF, sops on the bay rum.
lifts You out of the chair and hands you
your hat and cane. and opens the door
for you and invites You to call again. -
You are not much OF a liar, major
said the caller. when the explanation was
finished.
said. like joker. The stock of the
Self-Shaver is not on the market yet.
but will be in couple Of weeks. and it
will start at about one hundred and
twenty-five. Shall I try to get you some
You may Tot be here two weeks
hence" was the grim reply Of the caller.
Had the major ever seen the man be-
thought he had. His mind was not yet
made up when the man went on:
Il have come here to do business with
you. and not to listen to your lies: Major
old swindler in the business
You viii fnd this Ehins but joke.
Don't you rememberNG'
Well you had better be. for should
hate to half kill some other liar in place
of YOU
Then the major suddenly remembered
him. His face showed that he did. He
had had a little transaction with him
few months berore. He would have CIV
en- several of the dollars in his pocket
to be on the roof Of the building just
then, instead of being in his office.
Il see you remember me very well.
said the man. Il came in here early last
May. came to ask If you had dog to
sell. You didn't. 1t was hot day; and
fact. and said that II I wanted to leave
it for an hour or two. l could hang It on
the hook there. I thanked you. and hung
it up. I came back in an hour and your
door was locked. I have been here a
score of times to get that overcoat. Have
you anything to say, ma3or?'
The major could have talked Ia all day:
on him, and he did not think that argu-
ment would help him any.
If you haven't, have" said the
caller as ne rose up: % ~ have proots hssH as tnas
than ten minutes, before you carried 1t
off to a pawnbroker. and raised sum OF
money on IL. Do you deny it. major"
The major shook his head.
Il am now going to reward you for
your honesty. I am going to black both
your eyes. break your nose: knock on
one eyebrow and when the affair Is over
to your head! have waited long, for
this opportunity and it is here at last.
Major Crofoot; prepare yourself for the
worst licking a human deadbeat ever
got
Every move o. the caller showed that
he was a fighting man. Major Crofoot
was a slick talker but no fighter. He was
sure to get the worst Of the struggle. He
might be laid up for couple OF weeks.
and in that interval half a dozen suckers
might call It his office and find the door
locked and go down to Wall street to be
sorn Such ss thing sor sbt not Sst oSt to
it By making a sacrifice. and he made it.
Ny lend" he said. in smooth,
quiet voice tnat was calculated to dis
arm wrath: Il certainly pawned your
Good" exclaimed the caller THAT is
the first truth you have uttered In hVe
= thought you might not come back
coat in safe hands"
II see."
SO / took it to our Uncle"
And how much did YOU raise on it,?
There was an instant's hesitation. and
then the major answered: fourteen
dollars
And ABOUT oolla' "
now
Yes"
Wen, shall I lick SIS out of your hide;
or will you walk TO the pawnbrokers ana
bring me back that overcoat?
Il WILL" replied the major.
And / will go along with you"
But what for?"
TO see that you don't play your usual
trick"
The two walked out on the street. ana
the overcoat was redeemed When they
were in the Office again, the owner ot tne
garment said:
Major, does it bust you?
"Flatter than a pancake, was repliea.
But YOU will notice that honesty al,
ways triumps, but it often has hard
time of it. Here. take this dollar. ana |
make a new start in life. Make that
new start by swindling some one out OF
200 in this stock Of your Self-Shaver.
That's all. major. Fine weather. isn't
II? also like to do business with |
ioyial sort Of man. l can always make |
a deal with him. Good-day."