West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1877-10-06

told ot her suffering.
Oh, John" she murmured i'm a bro
ken voice, "we are 50 poor, we are so
poor. God help
Then she lifted her head, wiped away
the tears from her face, and smiled as
she did II To show him that she was her
self again
Thus reasSurcd he took his books. and
sailed forth. And the pitying husband
was left behind and Il book-canvasscr ap-
pearcd instead. Striking off to another
part of the town, his malignant presence
soon dar kened doorway. The servant
appeared in answer to the summons.
She looked into his lean face which, to a
preJudiced person, had somewhat of a
sharkish aspect, and then at the parcel
under his arm, and shook her head i'm a
very depressing manner.
We don't want nothing she said
and carefully closed the door. Owing
to lack of presence of mind ON his part
he neglected to put his foot i'm the way
and prevent the door from being closed
until he had his own say, and thus the
hrst opportunity was lost He sighed
and went To the next house.
Here he rang the bell twice, but there
was no response. The occupants had
S0Vh hih appIodCn.
Somewhat weakened i'm faith he went
to the third house. The family received
him, thumbed over the specimen book.
admired the pictures, and said they were
not prepared To subscribe now, but
could tell better in the spring. He had
received considerable strength and hope
from this reception, but he left it be-
hind when he withdrew. He thought
of his waiting wife and the children.
and instinctivcly wiped something from
his eye which, were he not book-can-
vasser, might have done very we'll for a
tear.
At the fourth house a woman came To
the door, gave him hard look. and inn
mediately shut herself in. Not word
had been exchanged. He slowly re-
tired. The next building was n lumber
office. a man with spectacles was bent
over some papers at desk. He looked
up and hearing the canvasser, detected
at glance his mission, and stared coldlv
at him. Our friend began in faltering
voice:
=" have called to solicit your"
"Thatll do" said the lumber man, i'm
a stern voice, resuming his inspection of
the papers on the desk.
The canvasser gave him a look rs if
he would like to knock him cndways,
and then withdrew. Outside the build
ing he paused moment as if undecided
what to do. He was strongly tempted
to go home, and give up in despair, but
the thought of his poverty checked this
impulse. He looked up and down the
almost deserted street on which the sun
lay in glare of heat. Not ray of
h..Y. Il Id l,... Il IL
in the air. lie passed three houses with
out the courage to call on any of them.
Those who saw him pass must have won
dered if he was not i'll or deranged At
the fourth house he stopped. A little
girl answered his call She saw the
books under his arm, and taking the
cue from his appearance said:
owe don't want anything" And she
too closed the door in his face. Smart
ing under the humiliation of this de-
feat he passed several houses without
calling, and brought up at factory.
He went through the building to the Of
flee, his feet feeling as if full of lead, and
his heart scarcely lighter. 1t was only
picture of the pale-faced sobbing w0-
man Mt home that gave him strength To
the step at all. There were several men
busy in the long room through which he
passed. They saw his mission and
turned up their noses in derision. They
worked for their living and could afford
to despise the lank shrk who went
about selling books and living on the
fat of the land. Their looks were not
undetected by the miserable man with
the picture of the crying woman in his
heart, and he went into the Office with
a Or f.N hurV,.
command the respect of the three Young
clerks at work there. He entered and
removed his hat. The three clerks
stared at him, but said nothing abouthis
being seated.
" / have called, gentlemen" he com
menced, in voice he strove TO make
firm, but which trembled in spite of him
self, " to sec if you would like To sub
scribe for new book"
An expression of dislike showed 90
plainly in their faces that he stopped
short. The three young men enioyed
this very much. They came very near
10 being the victims themselves. but bv
showing an uncomprOmising front they
had saved themselves, and overcome a
nuisance and a bore. Highly satisfied
with their success they placidlv re-
turned to their work, leaving him stand
ing bareheaded with an uninterrupted
view of their backs. For q moment he
remained there confused and sick at
heart, not wanting 10 remain and still
not having the courage to 60. But ,he
young men paid no more attention to
him, and his position becoming an
bearable he replaced his hat and skunk
out OF the building. With a heavy
heart and tortured mind he went mis-
way, stopping here and there with more
or less luck, but no sales. The noon
passed without his lunch. He had not
the heart to eat it. Had it been three
yards of lead pipe he could not have
felt less like boiling IL down. There
was a lump in his throat by which a
cambric needle would have found diff
Guilty in forcing its way. He began 10
notice that the people whom he passed
were eyeing him with dislike. and Civ
ing him the greater share Of the walk.
1T was hard to be poor, IL was hard 10 be-
30 unsuccessful, but IL was ten times
harder tObe an object Of dcrision, scorn.
distrust and contempt. He started for
home with an aching heart. II was go
ing back 10 the full contemplation of
his miserable condition, but there we're
love and sympathy there with all the
Distress and the miserable man stood