The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-10-28
Life Insurance, and How I was Drawn
Into It.
ssThe Life thereof, ye shall not eat OF It..
BY aREYsToNE.

NV name, sir" was the reply, "whst
can j do for you" ooo
what I could do for you. With your per,
mission, if you are not engaged, l. wouid
like to take your Life
"What sir?" I exclaimed, little star
"No offence,o was the mild rejoinder,
aonly playful remark, evlnclng my IN, ~,
forest in your welfare. Are you insured T.
CAV! that's it. No, sir, l am not in
snred, and don't mean to be, and don't
wish any light on the subject have
read. and talked that thing up and down,
long ago, and nothing that you or any,
BODY else can say will alter my mind !, l.
don't want to hear the word mentioned" !"
after which l turned to my writing, not
without inward compunctions' Tor my
rudeness.
Surprising him to be annihilated l was
surprised at the GOODNESS of his tone, as in
cid of retiring, he came nearer with
aSir, understand your case perfectly !;
vou are what we call o rare specimen
indeed in the abundant facilities we enjoy
in choosing our risks we prefer your sort
the adanantine. Besides paying trl-
Ae better TO agents than ordinary putty,
they are worth more IN the office, on ac'
count of native tenacity. 1t gives me
pleasure to meet you"
Whereupon he opened o memorandum
book showing the list of policies with mar
ginai notes-''vbdurate, "sceptical," ""mel-
bw." and SO on. "Yes," he observed,
e:these are trophies of professional assid-
uity. All more or less retiring like your
self. You wonder at my success! 1t is
because look upon every live adult in
n.t,sb&e health us my client, and the means
by which live. When l decide to take
a certain risk consider it booked
"The consent of the other party is
for,nality which am always willing to
deter until such time as is most agreeable
and convenient l never hurry u man
beyond his usual speed, since nothing but
death or policy can separate u.s."
'lNow see here, my frend,' interrupt
ed, .'it you expect to play that game on
me l could not finish for he kept right
on:
"Wbat is your life? 1t is but vapor.
For that vapor what am I Offering you !?
A solid investment For the brittle
thread give you securities backed up
by accumulated assets of twenty millions
ef dollars. Remember, all men think all
men mortal but themselves. Expectancy
of life is one thing. Assurance Of life is
another. II is u triumph of the glorious
system, of insurance that it makes an as.
surance out of an expectation, and redu-
ees it to greenbacks, and hands to your
wife and children a check for the exact
amount"
II don't see it," was the very unwise re-
mark.
Not in the least disturbed, but gathering
fire from the cold water thrown on him,
he proceeded:
sin the midst of life we are in DEATH
Ere you pass beyond the limit which the
laws have assigned to our charter-ex-
tending only to the gra7e-allow me to
enroll your name. Shall call it-Mel-
low"
"Anything you please said, "but
don't call again"
"Thank you.''
Taking his hat he observed with the Dir
of one who was adjusting pleasant ne.
gotiation:
"Well, you will give this matter your
consideration"
every likely"
"Good morning"
AS he went out he remarked to the book
keeper:
II have got point; he said he would
think of it.''
Last week he dropped in again, just be.
fore mail time and found us as is usual at
that hour, in. heaps. l have got printed
card In sight which he who comes may
read
"Call upon q man of business IN hours
Of business only on business, transact your
business and 60 about your business that
he may have time to attend TO his bust
ness"
In MIST cases it serves the purpose of a
shield studded thick with points, so tough
and sharp that ordinary bores take hint
and keep off. But this man! My first
glance impressed, or rather oppressed me
with the fact that he had come to stay
He had that peculiar, adhesive lovk, indie
s,ribable, which means business.
"Sir, l cannot attend to you this morn
ing," l hurried ut him at first salutatidn.
But the accents were feeble, and per-
oeixed by peculiar sensation that his
magnetism was only for me. He had now
the upper hold and began to feel wiitec
and ghastly as though something must
1--we" had now fastened on my vitals. /
was losing flesh.
"But don't you see," exclaimed fero-
ciously, "that my time is already occu-
pied? p
allow much is your time worth ?" he
asked.
give dollars an hour" 1 ventured as q
bluff CeolY handing me over V he