Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-12-16
How Book Agents are Trained.

which you canvass?'
Pupil-ssrheHistory of the Blble?"
Prince-''What does it costr''
Pupil--''Seven dollars and"
frince-"Naw!"
Pupl-"Two cents a day. -
Prince--"Yes. How many num-
bers?''
Pupil-''Twenty-nine. Delivered
every two weeks
Prince-'How many numbers are
ready for delivery, and when do you
mention the fact?''
Pupil-sFour. After the sub.
scription is taken"
Prince-"Good! Now, how will
you carry your prospectus?''
Pupil-''Pll wrap it up in paper and
keep it nice and clean So
Prince-"Naw! Clean! They amt
old enough looking. You start out,
you see, my friend, with good sub
scription list already taken. You
show it-you needn't say they were
taken in Cincinnati-we are ladies
and gentlemen-we never lie. Nav!
You don't carry 1t rolled up In pa
per or in a sack. You don't carry
it in your hand or put it under your
arm-yeu carry 1t here"
The Prince slipped it dexterously
beneath the breast of his coat, and
snugly buttoned it in. "Naw we are
always ladies and gentlemen when
on the street. I don't have any one
else work for me; and you, Miss, will
put yours under your cloak. I had
one lady who used to slip hers right
under her hustle. Now you are 60.
ing to call. How do you know Mrs.
Rose is the lady of the house p
Pupil-"Oh, / could find that out
in the last house."
Prince-''Of course you could,
and how many children she has, and
what her husband does for q living,
and you may get an inkling of what
church she belongs to; but be eau
tious, you know, cautious. When
you ring the bell and the servant
comes to the door, what would you
say?''
First pupil-"I would ask is the
lady of the house in?"
Prince-"Naw. What would you
say:''
Second pupil-''Is Mrs. Rose in?"
Prince-'Naw! She would tell
you that Mrs. Rose is not in, and
Mrs. Rose would hear her say so.
They teach their servants to lie.
Ladies and gentlemen, they all do it.
What would you say, Miss?''
Third pupil-'Be kind enough to
tell Mrs. Rose that lady wishes 10
see her."
Prince-"Naw! That would be
true but not polite. The servant
would tell you to call again when Mrs.
Rose Was in. You never would find
Mrs. Rose. You would, sir, step
into the hall, place your hat on the
rack, say very co"ly to the servant,
Tell Mrs. Rose Mr.. N. j. Hall wish
es 10 speak with her;' then walk into
the parlor and take a seat. The SER
want will be sure you are gentle
man and an old acquaintance. She will
say, Yes, SIR with a simper and
smile, and trot off up stairs without q
word. Then if you listen You will
hear them above:
"Why, who in the world is N. J.
Hall? I'm sure / don't remember
him. Has he got anything with him?"
snow, If you had your book in
your hand, eh?"
''No, mum; he hasn't got any
thing
"She doesn't come and say: Mrs.
Rose is indisposed to-day, sir, or,
Mrs. Rose is engaged A lie, you
know, but it settles your hash. Nav!
She doesn't, but if she is very sus-
picious the servant will come down
and ask the nature of your business
upon which you wish to see Mrs.
Rose. Now, what would you tell herr"
Pupil-''I would tell her-tell her
Il don't know what / should tell
her, but / shouldn't tell my busi-
ness"
Second pupil-''I should tell her
that 1 would rather not mention my
business to any one except Mrs.
Rose"
Prince-''And she would send the
servant down once more to tell you
to call again. Nav! You would
tell her that you had called upon a
matter concerning the welfare of her
children. Don't you see, they are
at school she doesn't know but that
something very serious has happened
or is about to happen-that will bring
her every time. She'll come down
stairs, if she happens to be q little
nervous, with her heart in her mouth.
She'll run to meet you. Now, what
would you say when she comes?"
| Pupil--"Why, 1 should take out
my prospectus and begin talking the
book"
Prince-"Naw! You wouldn't
frighten her away; you wouldn't
shove the book under her nose the
very first thing. You would en-.
gage her in conversation. You are 9
gentleman; she is a lady. You bow
politely. Mrs. Rose, I presume,
Yes, sir, / am Mrs. Rose i have
have called (mark you, the children,
not your children, now). The coun-
try, madam, is flooded with novels,
sensational stories, an unlimited
amount of trash
"Yes, sir; but my children are no,
;, permitted to read such things."
"Very true, madam. Pardon me,
I can readily see that you are lady
of too excellent judgment to permi,
it, if you know it; but the tempta'
ton is before them always. Thi.
literature peryerts their emotions,
ruins their morality, and sows ths
seed of religious skepticism," etc
Then you can take out your bool
and show the beautiful pictures
"Only two cents 8 day, madam
think OF that. Purely nonsectarian
! grand effort to interest the childre,
in the Bible" etc., etc. II their
{ happens to be young child in tn
room you can turn to this magnifi
! cent picture by Gustave Dore c
2 Moses 10 the bulrushes. and renarl
on the resemblance of the child {.