Short Fiction · Chapter
Jeff Peters as a Personal Magnet explained
Jeff Peters recounts his early days as a traveling medicine man under the alias Dr.
What happens
Jeff Peters recounts his early days as a traveling medicine man under the alias Dr. Waugh-hoo, selling Resurrection Bitters in Fisher Hill, Arkansas. After being shut down by a constable for lacking a city license, he meets his old acquaintance Andy Tucker. Together they devise a scheme to cure the mayor of a fake illness using 'personal magnetism,' ultimately swindling him out of $250 and using the money as capital to go into business together.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
Jeff Peters poses as a doctor and uses fake medical diagnoses and 'personal magnetism' to swindle the mayor, highlighting the theme of deception.
Ambition and Failure
Jeff's ambition to make money through his schemes leads him to Fisher Hill, where he initially fails due to local politics, but ultimately succeeds through a clever con.
Humor and Irony
The story is filled with humorous dialogue and ironic twists, such as the mayor being in on the scheme and the 'personal magnetism' demonstration being a setup.
Characters to notice
- Jeff Peters
Narrator and protagonist; a traveling medicine man selling Resurrection Bitters under the alias Dr. Waugh-hoo.
- Andy Donovan
Referred to as Andy Tucker; Jeff's old acquaintance and partner in the scheme to swindle the mayor.
- The Colonel
Mayor Banks, the target of the scheme; feigns illness and is convinced by Jeff's 'personal magnetism' demonstration.
- Billy Keogh
Mentioned as the young man in a blue necktie who asks Jeff for the time; later revealed to be Andy Tucker in disguise.
Key passages
“I struck Fisher Hill, Arkansaw, in a buckskin suit, moccasins, long hair and a thirty-carat diamond ring that I got from an actor in Texarkana.”
Jeff arrived in Fisher Hill, Arkansas, dressed as a frontiersman with a large diamond ring he traded for with an actor.
Establishes Jeff's flamboyant persona as a traveling medicine man.
“I was Dr. Waugh-hoo, the celebrated Indian medicine man.”
Jeff adopted the alias Dr. Waugh-hoo, presenting himself as a Native American healer.
Highlights the deceptive branding common in patent medicine sales.
“The bitters started off like sweetbreads-on-toast at a vegetarian dinner.”
The bitters sold very quickly, despite being an odd product for the setting.
Humorous simile emphasizing the unexpected success of the sales.
“I’ve got a State peddler’s license, and I take out a city one wherever they demand it.”
Jeff claims he has a state license to peddle and will obtain a city license if required.
Shows Jeff's attempt to operate within legal boundaries despite his fake medicine.
“Scientific demonstrations. The triumph of mind over sarsaparilla.”
Jeff promotes the idea that mental power can overcome physical ailments, mocking the notion with a pun on sarsaparilla.
Illustrates the pseudoscientific rhetoric of 'personal magnetism.'
“I guess you won’t do any more doctoring around these parts, Mr. Fakir.”
The mayor implies Jeff will no longer be able to practice his fake medicine in the area.
Reveals the mayor's awareness of the con and sets up the final twist.
