Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1875 — A Warning to Sewing-Machine Agents. [ARTICLE]

A Warning to Sewing-Machine Agents.

The usually quiet little village of Leesport, on tlie line of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, eight miles above Reading, has had a sensation which caused a good deal of amusement. A Reading sewing-machine agent induced the head of a family there to take a machine and pay for it in monthly installments. Before the machine was paid for the husband and father died. The widow was in destitute circumstances, with half a dozen children, and unable to pay the balance owing on the machine, when the agent came around to take the machine away. She was determined that helhould not remove the machine until ha had handed back at least some of tlie money that had been paid on it by her husband. He was apparently just as determined to secure the machine without returning any of the filthy lucre, insulted the woman, and endeavored to take by force what he said belonged to tlie company by reason of the payment of monthly installments having been stopped. While the agent was inside the house she locked both the front and back doors, put tlie keys in her dress pocket, and, being a robust woman “ went for” the agent. She took hold of him, and a severe and prolonged tussel ensued, while the children were frightened and cried and screamed. The widow threw the agent over the hot kitchen stove, and finally succeeded in setting him down on the top of it and held him there, when he begged piteously for mercy. “For God’s sake, let me go, and I’ll pay you back every cent-your husband paid me.” Being satisfied that he was severely scorched, if not partially roasted, she pulled him oft the stove, but held on to him until lie had paid back every one of the installments, and then she gave him two minutes’ time to take the machine and clear out with it. Tlie name of the plucky woman, and also that of the agent, are withheld by special request. —Brooklyn Argus.