It is too small a request to refuse, and besides there is a chance that the fellow may be telling the truth. Anyway, it is only a stamp. You produce the stamp, and may give the "toucher" several stamps so that he can answer more advertisements for work. A half day of industry at this scheme gives any competent "toucher" enough stamps to buy a little food, a good deal of drink and a night's lodging. There is no difficulty in disposing of stamps thus collected, for the salonkeepers and others that buy them--sometimes at a discount--know they have been given, and not stolen. "You are the third man that has tackled me for a stamp today," said a man in the lobby of a downtown hotel recently to a young man who "wanted to answer an advertisement for work." "Here, give me the letter; I'll stamp and mail it." Whereupon, to use the vernacular of his kind, the young man made a sensational "getaway" via the side entrance. Akin to the postage stamp scheme is the one of "touching" for three or some other odd number of pennies to make up the amount necessary "to send a telegram home for money." The "toucher" in this case usually admits frankly that he came to Chicago and got drunk, spending all his money. For victims he picks the men that look like they might sympathize with a fellow in his predicament. THE CLERK GRAFTER. It may or may not be so that a sucker is born every minute. Doubt as to the exactness of this has been expressed, the consensus of opinion being that the average runs higher than Barnum's estimate. But as to the natural increase of devious and various ways for making, or trying to make, suckers out of the world's inhabitants there can be little or no just doubt. A new one is born every time the old one gets stale. Here is the latest: The scene of operation, which is guaranteed to be harmless when performed, but sure to be painful when the reaction sets in, is a small office, store, or shop, any place where the total number of employees is small. Preferably it is a place where a young woman stenographer, clerk, or other worker is employed, and, preferably, the stenographer, clerk, etc., is of pleasing and attractive appearance. The more so the better, though this is not absolutely necessary. PLAYS ON TARDY VICTIM. In fact, the only condition actually necessary to the successful prosecution of this new game is that one of the employees come down to work later than others. This must be. The operator picks a morning when said employee is late in arriving at his or her place of employment. If the employee is a young woman stenographer, so much the better. Operator may be either male or female, but should be of prosperous appearance--sort of money-no-object appearance. "Is the Stool Pigeon in?" he inquires. Of course, he doesn't call this party "the Stool Pigeon," having first carefully informed himself as to the individual's Christian name and surname, so as to be in a position to rattle it off with becoming familiarity.