Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-02-03
"GTeen Zones"
.BY JEHIAL SLAB.

From the New York Express.
"You know Grubbs, the General
Agent of the Adorable Life Insurance
Company, don't >" inquired Green
Jones.
mo. YOu'y missed sumner them"
- He came along here abOnt year
ago now. lounge slit? Well, il was,
Ran as easy as an empty hand sled III
winter. Even made me believe 1 was
gifted as life insurance agent.
1.-The way he told it, not a single
man had bold of the Adorable, for the
last hundred and fifty years, and made
less than five thousand year and eX-
penSes.
''One agent had cleared $16j,OOO in
eight years"
"Another had laid aside $135, 900 in
six years"
" Another still (peculiar case that
was though-man particularly adapted
o the work.. He built up such busi-
ness in the short space of five years
that he actually OvershadOwed the
company. They had to force him out
rs measure of self protection. Av
eraged twenty thousand dollars Il year
clear of all expenses while he was ia,
and the Company paid him Sl63, 900
in a lump for his renewals, besides,
when he went out.
Well, | didn't care much about be-
ing such an agent as that-the Inter
nal Revenue officers would always be
bothering me so. But finally | cOncIu-
ded (seeing the thing was so COM
mon and easy that ] would turn i'm and
make eight or ten thousand a year, for
eight or ten years, and then retire on
my renewal commissions.
Grubbs posted me up till he said
could go it, Then he went on home
and left me to 90 it. alone.
1.-The town was strange to me a
year ago. and every one in it stran-
ger. One locality seemed just as good
rs another to begin in, as it were. SO
L sauntered leisurely down street the
mornining after Grubbs left, and
swung into the first store | came to. l
wasn't going to let any body see but
that had all the self pOsSessitiOn nee
essary for my branch OF business.
Nobody in sight. | lounged along
among the boxes, and broOms, and
Goldfish piles, i'll sort of cheeky fl-
miliar way, TILL got to the back Office.
There | found u large middlc-aged
man sitting alone, reading u newspa-
per.
He looked over the top of his pa
per rather suspiciously as L entered.
Then he said, Good mOrningn cOOlly
and obviously.
u WAS very intent on my errand by
that tine-su intent that I wholly he
elected to answered him.
hauled out my rate-bOok and
opened it.
1.-The paper was laid aside Ominous-
ly, his gaze still riviJed on me.
With hand kind Of trembling, and
knees shaking Il little 1 began:
Mr.. did you ever consider the sub
ject or
Il didn't finish that sentence, for
down Slated two dollar and a hat
pair of spectacles. Up bounced Two
hundred pounds of we'll developed bone
and sinew. Around the room, agile as
French dancing-master, it went hop
ping. Like wild bull in a slaughter
yard it roared:
ID and CesarI Six life insurance
agents, and it amt nIne O'Clock yeti
Here / began To crawiisl / won [
stand it another minute! Here, Tige !!
sick i'm!
There was a sudden, eonvulsive
scratching OF toe nails at the further
end OF "a big safe that stood on the
other side OF the roOIh. Then came
Il scratching equally sudden and con-
vulsive where 1 was.
- 1 started just one square jump
ahead of that big bulldog, and | malIl-
tained my advantage ill 1 got within
about ten feet OF the OF the front door
Then 1 suddenly found it necessary to
execute quick, strategetic, right flank
movement around a pile OF boxes.
THAT dog went on out doors with
one of my coat tails in his mouth, and
went through side widow.
. dIn't pay much attention to any
thing but the work had on hand go
ing nome. Then, with features grim
a. grave stone, 1 proceeded 10 pile
application, book after book, and cir
culaT after circular, on the top of each
other. Then / turned all my pockets
inside out, to see if some fragment
hadn't escaped my notice.
That PIE is in the house there yet,
if my wiIe hasn't burnt it up. And
there it may stay, my friend. 1 shan't
touch another one OF those documents,
if they get 10 be as old as the Declara-
tion of Independence.
q Life Insurance Agent well,
others may seek success that way if
they want to. I'd rather be- pack
pedier."