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Show The Peddler's Parting Shot, Ho rang the bell of a Laurel avenue residence and. on the appearance of the servant, begged to be presented to the lady of the house. "But she has no nse for peddlers," replied the girl. "I was recom mended to call here by a prominent society lady a few blocks below, and Oil, yes," as the matron of the household appeared to reinforce the servant, "allow me to call your attention at-tention to one of the most ingenious inventions of tho age." "What is it?" inquired the lady. "It is a patent reversible door-maU. You will observe, madam, that it contains con-tains two slides, the one reading 'Welcome,' 'Wel-come,' the other "Not at home.' Now, then, these slides are worked by two cords extending iuto the front room. The trap can be set, or.iu other woVds, tho mat can be arranged to display the .word Welcome' on such days as you are prepared to receive company, and at such times as you are indisposed x otherwise engaged, the words 'Not at home' cau be made to stare the would-be would-be caller lu the face at your own convenience. con-venience. I have already sold quite a number of them on the avenue." "I wouldn't have such a thing around the house." "You wouldn't?" "No. sir. It's a gross innovation and I should consider it also a gross impropriety. impro-priety. Take it away." "But. nindani, quite a number of your neighbors have already secured them and they are bound to become quite a fad, I assure you." "Take it away." "Remonstrance is 0801088?" "Quite so." "lie careful, madam. or you will compel com-pel me to make a confession." "That is entirely unnecessary. Just take yourself and your mats away, and it will be all right." "Madam, you defy me. All right, then. Your neighbor right across the street just purchased one and said that she had but one reason for doing so." "And what was that?" "She said, moutioning your name, that she wanted just such a mat on the front steps that she could use to keep you from running in every hour or two to gad and gossip about your betters. Good day, madam, 1 really think you should have lust such a mat as this in self-defence' Pioneer Press. |
