THE FIFTEEN POSTAGE-STAMP PUZZLE.
_The two Conspirators--The Destitute state of the Finances--Swindle
concocted--A polite Speech--The golden Harvest._
It is a threadbare saying, but a very true one, that nothing succeeds
like success. Be the money made in questionable ways, such as by
a little piracy in Chinese waters, selling guns never intended to
shoot to North American Indians, or by a quack medicine, which
professes to cure all diseases humanity is heir to, the man himself,
the millionaire, will be glorified. As in America, so in the mother
country, the money-bags cover a multitude of sins. It is pitiable, and
does not give one a high impression of the multitude's brains, that the
most glaring imposition, if thoroughly well advertised and persisted
in, is bound to yield large profits.
It may not have been overlooked, although not noticed much in the
newspapers, but the most satirical thing done in the present century of
the Christian era has been the erection of an asylum for imbeciles by a
gentleman who shall be, for obvious reasons, nameless. The act speaks
volumes, and ought to be worth a cartoon by Tenniel as a lesson for
thousands. The donor has been behind the scenes, and knows our little
weaknesses and is ashamed of us! After putting away all the money he
cares about, he devotes the surplus to the more benighted and helpless
of his immense clientele. A statue ought to be erected to such a man;
his head has evidently been fitted to his shoulders in a correct and
proper manner. Early in life he found out the immense advantage of
advertising, and also the gullibility of a vast majority of the earth.
There are other men, no doubt, just as sharp as our asylum friend, who
know quite as well how to reap considerable profit from this knowledge,
and the Fifteen Postage-stamp Puzzle is a case in point.
It was a miserable room of one of those dilapidated inns near the
Strand that the stamp project was hatched. Two men, shabbily dressed,
were seated opposite each other at an old table, on which was a
pewter-pot. They were both smoking clay pipes and drinking beer, and
were in anything but a happy mood, to judge from their appearance and
general aspect; and one might safely conclude they could not boast of
having a superfluity of cash. I will now introduce these two men by the
names of Bathurst and Fenn. Bathurst is a tall, dark-looking man, with
a hooked nose and teeth remarkably white. His family got him into Her
Majesty's Nary as a midshipman, and he was in a fair way to promotion
when something occurred connected with a gambling transaction which
caused him to resign. Fenn is also tall, but very fair. His parents
gave him a good education, and he was getting a decent salary as a
shop-walker in a Regent Street firm when a young lady mysteriously
disappeared, and along with, her went furs and silks of much value.
Suspicion, for which, no doubt, there were good grounds, pointed to
Fenn as the young lady's confederate, and the place became too hot for
him. These two men, who were in that uncertain age between 30 and 40,
first met in a billiard-room, and immediately struck up an alliance
offensive and defensive.
They have been living on their wits ever since, but things have
evidently not been prospering with them latterly, as the following
conversation will show:--
Fenn--What money have you got?
Bathurst (turning out his pockets)--There 5s. 3-1/2d.! What have you
got?
Fenn (opening a purse)--There, only half-a-crown!
Bathurst--Well, it's no good having ideas if that's the extent of our
capital!
Fenn--But what is the notion? We must raise money somehow!
Bathurst--How? Where? If that brute of a horse had only won to-day we
would have been all right.
Fenn--Can't we go to that tobacconist's shop and have a game of
Napoleon?
Bathurst--No; the last time we met in his back shop the police heard
the row between Brown and that fool Peter, and he don't intend to risk
it again--at least for the present. There is more to be made at pool in
Beak-street if one had only a little luck.
Fenn--Yes, the marker is all right; but some of the players were
inclined to make remarks.
Bathurst--That must be risked. Here, take the money; your luck is
better than mine. If you can manage to net two or three sovereigns, I
see my way to hundreds!
Fenn--But you have not told me your idea. Is it a secret? Perhaps it
requires registration.
Bathurst--You won't be so cheeky when you find the stamps come rolling
in.
Fenn--Oh! it is a case of stamps, is it? I suppose some recipe for
restoring beautiful hair to the baldest heads, or creating an aversion
to drink, or perhaps a plan as to how to make a fortune out of baked
potatoes!
Bathurst--Oh, stop your chaff!
Fenn--Well out with the infallible remedy for filling empty pockets.
Bathurst--The idea is to advertise to send fifteen disconnected stamps
for twelve connected ones!
Fenn (starting up and doing a breakdown)--Oh, Jerusalem! that will be
profitable.
Bathurst--Yes, stupid! The idea is as good as gold. You go and make the
small capital required, and you will see wonders.
Fenn--But what are the particulars? How is it to be carried out?
Bathurst--For further particulars see our next. Come along now and play
your best.
Good fortune attended Fenn's exertions that evening, and he came away
the winner of more than the required sum. The following morning the
scheme was fully discussed and final arrangements made for carrying it
out. It is right to state that Bathurst's project was not altogether
original on his part, the idea being taken from the "Arabian Nights
Entertainment"--the exchanging of new lamps for old ones. The next day
the following advertisement appeared in all the newspapers, and was
circulated extensively:--
"Strange, but true!--A gentleman of position has good reasons of his
own for wishing to exchange Fifteen disconnected Unused Penny Postage
Stamps for Twelve Connected Ones!--Letters answered at once.--Address,
'Secretary, Box 44, No.----, Strand, London, W.C.'"
Many who read this extraordinary advertisement doubtless thought
that the advertiser must have made some strange wager; others that
he had probably been paid a debt of a large amount in disconnected
penny stamps, which the Post-Office declined to receive; others came
to the conclusion that he was some eccentric philanthropist, who
desired in his original way to benefit his fellow creatures; and there
were others, no doubt, who pronounced the "gentleman of position" a
swindler, and the whole affair a fraud. The last-named were not a
little astonished, however, to hear that the advertiser really kept his
word--that fifteen stamps were actually returned for twelve!
What assisted to make the scheme popular and to draw particular
attention to it was the arrival at most of the principal towns of
secret agents, whose duty it was to frequent bar-parlours in the
evening, take occasion to read the advertisement aloud to those
present, and enter into conversation upon it, eventually proposing,
just to test its genuineness, to forward the twelve connected
stamps--procuring and enclosing them at the bar. The answer would, of
course, promptly arrive conveying the advertised number of stamps.
Needless to say others followed the example, and with a like result, it
becoming subsequently quite a popular amusement in many towns to send
twelve stamps to London to receive in return fifteen! In fact, if you
wanted a stamp to post a letter, you were jocularly asked why you did
not send to London for one? These secret agents "did" many publichouses
each night, and by the end of three or four days took their departure
for "fresh fields and pastures new."
There were altogether about twenty agents, and before despatching them
on their mission Mr. Bathurst considered it necessary to appoint a
meeting at his chambers, now suitably furnished, and addressed them as
follows: "Gentlemen, I believe you have received your instructions
detailing the plan of procedure and how you are to conduct your
correspondence with this office. Before starting, however, I wish,
with the concurrence of my partner, to say a few words to you. You
have been selected, gentlemen, out of many hundred applicants, on
account of your good characters and respectability, and we trust you
will do nothing to forfeit that good opinion. The business you have
in hand, gentlemen, requires tact and a certain amount of secrecy.
It is not for us to discuss with you the merits or demerits of the
whim which actuates our client. We have simply to obey and carry out
his orders, as we expect you, gentlemen, in like manner, to carry out
and obey ours, being, as it were, soldiers obeying, not questioning,
the orders of their superior officers. There may be, gentlemen, for
aught we know, a large sum of money depending on the result of your
exertions. But whether that be the case or not, it will have nothing
whatever to do with the punctuality with which you shall be paid your
respective salaries. Now, gentlemen, as regards the genuineness of this
announcement, it is easily ascertained--you or your friends can test it
for yourselves. If people were not so incredulous or hard of belief, so
much afraid of being hoodwinked or humbugged, we of course could have
relied on our advertisements alone and dispensed with your services;
but this is an unbelieving age, gentlemen, and we have some trouble,
nowadays, to convince people that we really wish to do them a service.
Therefore, to show the public that this is a _bona fide_ transaction,
and that our client means what he says, will be your especial duty. In
conclusion, gentlemen, allow me to offer you my best wishes, with that
of my partner, for your immediate success, feeling quite sure that our
confidence has not been misplaced. Good-day, gentlemen; the cashier
will take your receipts for salary as you leave the office."
As may be supposed, the opinions of the agents were at variance
regarding the affair. It was thought, however, by the majority that
probably some jolly and wealthy sportsman like the famous Marquis
of Waterford had staked a large sum of money on the result; but as
they had half the first week's salary in advance and their letter of
instructions, they considered they were on the profitable side of the
project, and so decided to proceed on their mission.
They, therefore, separated and started for their respective
districts. Certain newspapers in some towns would not insert the
advertisement, but there were others not so particular, and so the
scheme was successfully launched. It was met at first with some rough
suspicion, no doubt, but keeping it well before the public by means of
advertising, together with a little energy, it turned out a complete
success, and flourished like the proverbial green bay tree.
My readers have now read how Mr. Bathurst's stamp idea was successfully
worked out of doors. I will now narrate how it was managed in his
office. There was £5 worth of penny postage stamps purchased and
disconnected. As the answers came in they were immediately answered,
the applicant's twelve stamps with three extra returned in each case.
This continued until the bank (£5!) was exhausted. Thus far they
carried out the terms and conditions of the advertisement, at the same
time keeping faith with the public. They now worked very cautiously, as
it required delicate handling and steady manœuvring, and they did
not mean to expend another penny. It was necessary, at the same time,
to keep the business afloat so long as there was no chance of exposure.
They accordingly kept back a certain number of letters, writing on each
the day it arrived, The stamps in these delayed letters made up the
extra three required for each of the others, which were duly forwarded.
On the following morning the detained letters were immediately sent
off, with a note of apology explaining that pressure of business had
caused the delay. This mode of procedure went on for a short time, when
one day they found they were irretrievably in arrears, so numerous were
the applications! Now came their dishonest harvest! There were no more
letters of apology! Business suspended! During the five or six days
Mr. Bathurst's "idea" was in existence the applications came in by
hundreds, and resulted in the round sum of £500!
It is scarcely necessary to add that there was soon an office to let in
that particular inn near the Strand, and that the whereabouts of Messrs
Bathurst and Fenn was not easily obtainable for a considerable time
afterwards.