Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-01-01
Sold on its Merits.


VINO has not learned to dread the
travelling agent? The oily fellow who is
eanyassing for book or map or some
thing else that you do not want, and who
never takes no for an answer. Who
comes when you are busy and talks till
you are tired of him, and when patience
is all gone begins again in the same
smooth way, smiling a sickly smile that
makes you ache to kick him and see If
that would make any difference. Such a
one recently entered an office in this city
where several persons were present, and
In his sweetest tone inquired for one of
the lawyers whose name was on the door
That gentleman responded and thereup
on the book man commenced to say his
lesson in the usual way.
II have called in for the purpose of ask
ing your attention for few moments, if
you have the leisure, to very interesting
and valuable work that am now engaged
in introducing among the citizens of this
city and vicinity. Ii is issued in the
most beautiful and attractive style of the
day. as you will see by examining this
binding and glancing at these elegant
illustrations. 1t also comprises, among
other things, full and complete ETC.,
etc, ETC., all in the regular and customary
fashion. when the first victim refused,
the canvasser proceeded to attack in turn
each of the other gentlemen, repeating
the same story again and again with easy
volupility. One of them finally managed
to slip in word of objection.
"Your mode of business is not fair. /
like to see thing sell on its own merits.
If your book is good for anything, put it
on the market, and those who want it will
buy it. Your plan of showing man a
piece of book that you are going to
make, and then getting his name TO a con-
tract, is dead sure thing for you; but
the man that pays his money takes all the
risk"
"But, my dear sir, consider for mo-
ment the immense expense attending the
preparation and introduction of costly
and elaborate work like this. Why, sir,
the engrayings alone of the magnificent
plates and illustrations with which this
work will be crowded will cost over fif-
teen thousand dollars, and, of course, no
publisher can afford to take such risk
as that without first obtaining few sub
scribers."
"Why shouldn't hep 1t would be far
better than to 90 round with few sample
pages, inducing people to buy a work
that never would sell on its merits. Make
your goods before you try 10 sell them,
and when finished, if | want one, and
think it worth the price, will buy it,"
This was quite enough to give the I'M
firing canvasser fresh start and he
warmed TO his subject and talked on in a
ceaseless stream about his book, until he
had finished his whole rigmarole. Just
as he was taking breath TO begin again,
one of his victims turned upon him, say
ing in very cold and matter of.fact-way:
"Well, sir, we have now listened with
patience to what you have had to say. We
have looked at your book ana heard all
the good things you can advance in favor
Of it. Now, ifyou have moments leis-
ure, should be glad to show you little
article that am agent for, and which |
am now engaged in selling to the people
of this city and vicinity. II is small, and
not expensive, and yet it is found indis-
pensable in every household. Children
cry for it, mothers must have it, no gentle
mans library is complete without 1t. /
take no subscribers, but sell and deliver
as go. Understand me clearly: / sell
ny goods entirely on their merits, and II
what | have is not worth the money | ask
for it, no gentleman need purchase. Here,
sir, is my card please look il over"
And with this he handed to the aston
ished agent card, to which a small cork
was attached by a few inches OF string.
On the face of the card were these words
in bold letters:
The most horrible death IL to be
talked TO death To prevent the
above terrible fate use the Patent
Life Preseryer attached TO this
card. Directions PUT THE CORK
IN YOUR EAR.
The book agent bounced out of his
chair, hot with rage, and his bland tones
trembled with wrath as he said:
"Have | insulted any gentleman present
by any of my remarksr
so, no." returned the other with perfect
GOODNESS. "Not at all, sir; not at all. IL
Is all right. You follow your business
and follow mine. Good morning, sir"
-SprtnNield (IH) Journal.