Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-03-18
Selling a Subscr iption Book.


In Fred Ii. Perkins story, "Scrope,'
Mr.. Button is subscription book pub
Usher, and IL described at much length
with samples of his manners and con-
versatioR. Perhaps the best scene in the
whole novel is his interview with the
book agent, Jacox, whom he wishes to
get into his service. Here is the end of II
"Now, Mr.. Jacox, do you know how
to sell customer bookY
why" said the little man, greatly
impressed by the intense manner and
welgnty matter of Mr. Buttons address
-" Why, I've been in the habit of think
ing so; and I've sold good many books;
but I'll say this, Mr.. Button--that I'm
ready 10 take your directions"
"Now We talk like man o. sense
said Button. Here"--and taking up q
copy of the History of the Bible" he
handed it to Mr.. Jacox, adding: "Now
sell me that book"
Jacox looked puzzled.
II mean 1t. / mean exactly that.
Sell me that book l don't want IL.
Confound book agent, anyhowl Cursed
piratical villains"
Jacox, without a word, took the volume
and rose from the chair. Button seized
a pen, turned to the table, and began to
write assiduously.
"Mr. Button, / believer" said Jacox,
in prompt and sharp, but good-natured,
voice.
Jacox laid the book on the desk, open
to the title page.
"There, Mr.. Button. You're man of
family. That book will do more to keep
your children honest and safe in their
morals and their practice than all the
Sunday in York State. You've
got to own it,"
"Get out with your bookP exclaimed
Button, Shaping down the cover of the
book and giving it a slide 80 angry and
vicious that it flew quite over the edge
of the table.
Jacox caught 1t neatly In the air, laid it
right back where it was before, open just
the same, and went straight on In exact
ly the same tone, barely making semi
colon at the interruption.
AS was saying; now, for instance,
your daughter hears somebody say the
Bibles humbug; she's young, inno-
cent girl, and don't know good and evil
Or your son, and he thinks 1t smart to be
an Independent thinker. But when they
come home and ask you or their mother
about 1t, you just look up the points in
this book and you set 'em all right and
save fine young fellow that you have
set your heart on from going head-first
into infidelity and all the wickedness that
generally goes along with it,"
"You see" broke of Jacox, all of q
sudden, "this is no fair shakes.
haven't studied up the book. don't
know anything about 1t at all. can't
sell a book that / don't understand.
Neither could you; nor anybody. can't
preach at random"
"You've done very well, Mr.. Jacox,"
said Button, with smile; that's jest
what was q waitin' to hear We say.
was lookin' to see how long you could
run your mill without any grist int.
You're the man / want, guess. You
amt afraid, and you don't got upset, and
you don't lose your temper. And if
you'd had the fax about that book well
in your mind, how long would you have
hung on to mep"
A fell look of bulldog tenacity
settled in the queer, light-blue eyes of
the little man as he answered with his
teeth set together:
"Till had your name down for one
or more copies. unless died first"
"Wal," said Mr.. Button, "that's ex-
tremely satisfactory; now must go; can
you come In here tomorrow morning at
nine exactly"
Jacox said he could.
"Then I'll make an arrangement with
we thatnl suit We, l guess. want to
give We some partiklers about sellin',
too, thatll be of service to We. And see
here; wish you'd master this here"--he
took printed thing like sort of hand
bill or broad sheet off the table and gave
1t to him." and see how good an ac-
count ont you can give me in the morn
In Adrian. you take one, too'-he
handed him one accordingly want
We TO see how these things are done
Good-day, Mr.. Jacox.
And with more cordiality than he had
yet shown the great man arose and gave
his new agent hearty farewell shake of
the hand.
When Jacox was gone Button sat
back In his chair with an air of weari-
ness that rather surprised Adrian, and,
| wiping his forehead, he asked the lat
| ter:
What dye think o. that!'
didn't know there was SO much gen.
eralship in the business" answered the
young man.
There Is, though, and 1t uses up the
| general. too. Tell We what tits. it spends
| a mans life to put force into things like
that. I've got that Jacox, but I'm tired.
We grown kinder shaky, nervous a
woman would call it. can't stan it as
well as could fifteen years ago. feel
queer kind o. dizziness every once in q
while, and sorter pains in the back o. my
neck. only wish my SON Bill would
take to the business; really, Id bought
my own book o. Jacox IL 'twould sot
Bill on the right path" continued Mr..
Button, with queer, painful smile. I
couldn't help thinkin' ont when he
made them pints about mans children,
But it's too late now, I reckon. He must
graduate at the law school, s'pose, and
travel. and be soraethin' or other, I'm
sure do'no' what"
WHISKY is more easily recti6ed than
the errors II causes.