“‘What’s that?’ said I.
“She replied that if I would run her a foot race and catch her she would be mine. The only condition she made was that I was to give her one hundred yards the start.
“Of course, I accepted. We started. She ran up one street and down the next, through alleys, buildings, stairways and everything that came along. Whew! But that girl was a runner. When I reached one corner I would just get a glimpse of her making the turn in the block ahead.
“Just as I was about to give up in despair I saw her run into a big church.
“Like a whirlwind I tore after her and found a big revival meeting in progress. When I reached the center of the middle aisle the preacher, who was in the midst of the sermon, looked up and shouted to me:
“‘What’s the matter, brother? Are you looking for salvation?’
“‘No,’ I yelled back, ‘I’m looking for Sal Skinner.’
“I will now sing you another beautiful lyric, most sentimental and touching, entitled, ‘’Tis Only a Chunk of Kindling from My Sweetheart’s Wooden Leg.’”
I varied the purse scheme for disposing of jewelry with a fake that was quite successful, seldom made trouble, and which offered a fair amount of money.
I had got hold of a little toy watch that I thought was really a bargain. It looked for the world like a real one, and at wholesale it cost me just seven cents. To each one I attached a chain that cost eight cents and then placed them in fancy, red lined paper boxes, all ready for offering to the public.