Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1882 — French Methods of Swindling. [ARTICLE]

French Methods of Swindling.

I have sometimes written about the odd way that the have oi charging for services tWofeave not been rendered, and for work that has not been done. I remember, when I first came to Paris, being decidedly amused at the experience of an American lady who has an electric bell in her apartment. The bell refused to ring one day, so she sent for the man who had put it up to set it to rights. He showed her that there was nothing the matter with the bell, some mechanical interference having prevented it from sounding. The next day she got his bill. After charging for the time lost in going to and from his shop (a legitimate charge enough), he added this item: “For looking at the bell—sl.” But this bill was surpassed by one that was presented to a French lady whom I knew quite well. She was taken ill with typhoid fever, and was confined to her bed fer some six weeks. During all this t me a female chiropodist whom she ha I sometimes employed testified the most touching interest in the case. She was never admitted to the sickroom, but she used to come to the door daily to inquire into the condition of the invalid. Finally the patient became convalescent, and one day the chiropodist called and presented a bill of startling dimensions. My friend w’as quite amazed at the amount, as she had only employed the woman occasionally. On investigating the items she found one, namely, “Inquiry for Madame,” repeated frequently, with a charge of $1 each time. “What does this mean?" she in-, quired of the chiropodist. “Madame, those are the visits that I made while Madame was so ill.” "What! you expect to be paid for calling to see how I was?” “Most certainly, Madame.” “Who sent for you or asked you to come?” “No one; it was only the great interest that I took in Madame.” “And you want to be paid $1 a visit for that interest? It is preposterous. I shall not pay you a single cent for anything of the kind.” So, despite the indignant protests of the chiropodist, my friend struck out every one of the charges of “Inquiries after Madame,” which made up no less a total than sl2. The bill thus shorn of three-fourths of its proportions, was then paid, and the woman prepared to go. “And when will Madame require my services again?” she asked. “Never. You have tried to swindle me, and I shall never employ vou any more.” Whereupon she burst into tears and departed, declaring that it was her great love for Madame had induced her to make these constant inquiries, and of course she expected to be paid for the time she had lost in making them.—Luc?/ Hooper's Paris Letter. . Says the Brooklyn Eagle: Mr. R. C. Moore, of Messrs. Vemam & Co., 34 New street, New York, was almost instantly relieved by St. Jacobs Oil of severe pain following an attack of pleurisy. The remedy acted like magic.