Year: 1871

Al16 4uSu1auC6 agents,


Philadelphia, according to the fol-
lowing, which is from the Dispatch
of that city, is infested with a very
intrusive and persistent set of life
insurance agents who when they get
hold of a subject, poster him almost
to DEATH


THE FATE OF BENJAMIN P. GUM.


His name was Benjumin P. Gum,
and he was the agent for an insur-
ance company. He came round to
my Office fourteen times one morn
ing to see if he could not persuade
me to take out a life insurance poll
cy in his company. He used to
to waylay me on the street, at church
and in my own home, and bore me
about that policy. i'll went to the
opera, Gum would buy the next
seat to me, and sit there the whole
evening, talking about nothing but
sudden death and the advantages
of the ten year plan. If l got into
a street car, Gum would come rush
ing in at the next corner, and sit by
my side, and drag out lot of NOR
tal1ty tables, and begin to explain
how could beat his company out
of fortune. If / sat down to din
ner in a restaurant, up would come
Gum, and seizing the chair next to
me, he would tell a cheering anec-
dote about a man who insured in
his company for $4,000 only last
week, and was buried yesterday. If
l attended the funeral of departed
friend, and wept as they threw the
earth upon his coffin, 1 would hear
whisper, and, turning around, there
would be the indomitable Benjamin
P. Gum, bursting to say, "Poo1
Smith! Knew him well. Insured
for ten thousand in our company
Widow left in comfortable circum.
stances. Let me take your name
Shall I?'


He followed me everywhere, unit
at last 1 got so sick of Gums per
lsecutions, that I left town suddenly
one evening and hid myself in a Sc
cluded village, hoping to get rid O
him. At the end of two weeks I re.
turned, reaching home at one in the
morning. 1 had hardly got into
bed when there was a ring a
the door bell. l looked out, anC
there was Gum, with another per
son. He asked if Max Adeler wa:
at home. I said l was the man
Mr. Gum said that he expected my
return, and thought he would cal
around about that insurance policy
HE said he had the doctor with him
and if 1 would come down, he would
take my name down, and have m,
examined Immediately. 1 shut the
window with a slam, and went Il
bed again. I was too indignant tt
reply. After breakfast in the morn
ing / opened the front door, anC
there was Gum sitting on the step
with the Doctor, waiting for me


He had been there all night. AS
came out, they seized me, and trieC
to undress me there on the pave
ment, in order to examine me.


retreateG and locked myself up il
the garrett, with orders to admit NJ
one to the house until I came dow
stairs. But Gum was not to b
bafiled. He actually rented tn
next door, and stationed himself il
the garret adjoining mine. Whel
he got fixed, he spent his tim
pounding on the partition and cry
ing, "Hallo! Adeleri Adeler. I say
How about that policy. Want t
take her out now?" And then b
, would tell me anecdotes about me
who were cut of Immediately afte


paying the first premium. But


paid no attention to him, and mad
no noise.-Then he was silent for


while.


Suddenly, one morning, the ira


door of my garrett was wrenched Of


aud, on looking up, l saw Gum, an
! the doctor, and a crowbar, and l.


of death-rates coming down the la


der at me. fed from the house


the Presbyterian Church, close
. land paid the SEXTON $40 to let n