A Case of Unrevealed Identity

No, I am confident that he could not have been Mr. Fagan. He sold pillowsham-holders, and the date was right, but he was a small wiry man with sandy hair, and an expression of disgust, which deepened when I told him that we did not own a single pillow-sham. Mr. Fagan’s countenance would either have shown approval at such a confession, or would have remained absolutely indifferent, as he continued his meditation on Fixed fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute.

But the question that perplexes me is, did Mr. Fagan ever sell silver polish? And, if not, when will the silverpolish man write his autobiography? Or — unwelcome thought —has he already written it and have I somehow missed the book?

The silver-polish man was Somebody. There is no doubt about that. I, who have even more than the usual prejudice against agents, opened wide the door and invited this distinguished stranger in, though he told me his business upon the threshold, with no attempt at concealment.

He stayed perhaps live minutes and sold me the polish, which proved to be all that he claimed for it. He said, too, that it would not polish either brass or copper. It would surely be like Mr. Fagan to give that warning; but if not he, ’t was his peer. I do not remember that he said anything else, but he left me with the kind of feeling one has at a college commencement on being introduced to the president or to a very distinguished alumnus. The great man merely says that the weather is going to be fine after all, but the occasion is memorable.

If this should meet the eye of the unknown stranger, will he be kind enough to take notice that I am still expecting him to reveal his identity through some sociological treatise; but, failing that, I should like to renew my supply of his excellent polish, which I have been unable to obtain elsewhere. He will remember me as the middleaged lady in the blue apron who was ironing napkins by the kitchen fire. I gave him a little spoon, on which to try the polish, that was dinted with the tooth-marks of three generations of babies.