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〃But where does the swindling come in？〃 expostulated Wilcox。 〃I
advertised a seven…shooter。 I didn't say anything about a
revolver。 It will shoot seven shot； or twice that number； if you
only put them in。 If anybody is green enough to suppose I meant a
revolver； that's his lookout； not mine。〃
〃We are not called upon to decide the point；〃 said the special
agent。 〃The question is one for the court and the jury。 But you
must go with me to Cleveland。 So get ready。〃
Finding persuasion； argument； and remonstrance alike useless； the
great mechanical genius packed his satchel in preparation for the
journey。 Once fairly on the road； he became communicative； and
explained the reasons which led him to embark in the enterprise。
〃In the first place；〃 said he； 〃I read Barnum's Life； and accepted
the doctrine that the American people like to be humbugged。 I
planned the shooter myself； and； in wording the circular； aimed to
cover the points and keep within the law。 I think I have
succeeded。〃
〃I beg leave to differ；〃 argued the special agent。 〃Aside from the
general falsity of the description； there are specific claims which
you cannot make good。〃
〃I don't see the matter in that light；〃 replied the champion of the
seven…shooter。 〃I say； 'Wherever introduced； they advertise
themselves。' Well； don't they？ Whoever gets one will be apt to
tell his neighbors。 Isn't that advertising itself？ I also say；
'The sale of one opens the market for a dozen in any neighborhood；'
but observe； I don't claim that any more will be sold in that
neighborhood； even if the market is opened。 So far as my guaranty
is concerned； I only warrant them to be as good after three years'
use as when first purchased。 Will you； or will any court； call
that in question？〃
〃It is charged；〃 said the officer； changing the subject； 〃that you
neglected to fill a good many orders。 How do you explain that？〃
〃Why； to furnish the shooter and pay the postage cuts down the
profits terribly；〃 was the unique and characteristic reply。
Orders began to arrive in response to the circular nearly five
months before the first shooter came from the hands of the
manufacturer； and as none of them were ever filled； or even
recorded； it is impossible to estimate how many dupes long watched
the mails in anxious expectancy； and perhaps attributed their
disappointment to dishonesty among the employees of the department。
Of course the papers which printed the advertisement would have
spurned the impostor and exposed the fraud； had they discovered the
facts。 The most scrupulous and careful publishers are often
deceived in the character of advertisements that come through the
regular channels of business； and appear plausible on their face。
In fact； the religious journals are the favorite vehicles of the
swindlers。 The solicitude felt by the newspapers； not only for
their own reputation； but for the interests of their patrons； was
illustrated in the correspondence found on the person of Wilcox。
An influential western journal had addressed him two notes which
ran thus：
GENTS： We receive frequent letters from subscribers； saying they
receive no answers to letters they send you containing money for
'7…Shooters。' How is it？ Are you swindlers？〃
Wilcox； though fully able to answer the conundrum； did not see fit
to do so； and hence； on the 3d of November； the same parties
deployed their forces to renew the charge。
〃； Nov。 3； 1875。
〃WILCOX & CO。：
〃We have written you once before； that our patrons complain to us
that you do not fill their cash orders； and will not answer their
letters of inquiry as to why you don't。 We have received so many
such that we suspect there is something wrong； and； unless you
explain satisfactorily； we will have to expose you。〃
As the special agent arrived on the same day with the inquiry； the
young man had no opportunity to make the desired explanation。
Indeed it is doubtful if one so modest and reticent on matters of
personal merit； would have answered the question even if permitted
to take all winter to do it in。
The United States commissioner； while fully recognizing the
ingenuity of the circular； differed somewhat from its author in
interpreting its legal construction； and accordingly placed him
under a bond of fifteen hundred dollars to appear for trial。
Andrew Lang
Saint…Germain the Deathless
Among the best brief masterpieces of fiction are Lytton's The
Haunters and the Haunted； and Thackeray's Notch on the Axe in
Roundabout Papers。* Both deal with a mysterious being who passes
through the ages； rich； powerful； always behind the scenes； coming
no man knows whence； and dying； or pretending to die； obscurely
you never find authentic evidence of his disease。 In other later
times； at other courts； such an one reappears and runs the same
course of luxury； marvel； and hidden potency。
* Both given in the accompanying volume containing 〃Old Time
English〃 Stories。 See also the first story in the 〃North Europe〃
volume。Editor。
Lytton returned to and elaborated his idea in the Margrave of A
Strange Story； who has no 〃soul；〃 and prolongs his physical and
intellectual life by means of an elixir。 Margrave is not bad； but
he is inferior to the hero； less elaborately designed； of The
Haunters and the Haunted。 Thackeray's tale is written in a tone of
mock mysticism； but he confesses that he likes his own story； in
which the strange hero through all his many lives or reappearances；
and through all the countless loves on which he fatuously plumes
himself； retains a slight German…Jewish accent。
It appears to me that the historic original of these romantic
characters is no other than the mysterious Comte de Saint…Germain
not； of course； the contemporary and normal French soldier and
minister； of 1707…1778； who bore the same name。 I have found the
name； with dim allusions； in the unpublished letters and MSS。 of
Prince Charles Edward Stuart； and have not always been certain
whether the reference was to the man of action or to the man of
mystery。 On the secret of the latter； the deathless one； I have no
new light to throw； and only speak of him for a single reason。
Aristotle assures us； in his Poetics； that the best…known myths
dramatized on the Athenian stage were known to very few of the
Athenian audience。 It is not impossible that the story of Saint…
Germain； though it seems as familiar as the myth of Oedipus or
Thyestes； may； after all； not be vividly present to the memory of
every reader。 The omniscent Larousse； of the Dictionnaire
Universel； certainly did not know one very accessible fact about
Saint…Germain； nor have I seen it mentioned in other versions of
his legend。 We read； in Larousse； 〃Saint…Germain is not heard of
in France before 1750； when he established himself in Paris。 No
adventure had called attention to his existence； it was only known
that he had moved about Europe； lived in Italy； Holland； and in
England； and had borne the names of Marquis de Monteferrat； and of
Comte de Bellamye； which he used at Venice。〃
Lascelles Wraxall； again； in Remarkable Adventures （1863）； says：
〃Whatever truth there may be in Saint…Germain's travels in England
and the East Indies； it is undubitable that； for from 1745 to 1755；
he was a man of high position in Vienna；〃 while in Paris he does
not appear； according to Wraxall； till 1757； having been brought
from Germany by the Marechal de Belle…Isle； whose 〃old boots；〃 says
Macallester the spy； Prince Charles freely damned； 〃because they
were always stuffed with projects。〃 Now we hear of Saint…Germain；
by that name； as resident； not in Vienna； but in London； at the
very moment when Prince Charles； evading Cumberland； who lay with
his army at Stone； in Staffordshire； marched to Derby。 Horace
Walpole writes to Mann in Florence （December 9； 1745）：
〃We begin to take up people 。 。 。 the other day they seized an odd
man who goes by the name of Count Saint…Germain。 He has been here
these two years； and will not tell who he is； or whence； but
professes that he does not go by his right name。 He sings； plays
on the violin wonderfully； composes； is mad； and not very sensible。
He is called an Italian； a Spaniard； a Pole； a somebody that
married a great fortune in Mexico； and ran away with her jewels to
Constantinople； a priest； a fiddler； a vast nobleman。 The Prince
of Wales has had unsatiated curiosity about him； but in vain。
However； nothing has been made out against him； he is released；
and； what convinces me he is not a gentleman； stays here； and talks
of his being taken up for a spy。〃
Here is our earliest authentic note on Saint…Germain； a note
omitted by his French students。 He was in London from 1743 to
1745； under a name not his own； but that which he later bore at the
Court