New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-10-21
8 Canssssers Experience.

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Canvassingf for. books, selling maps,
patent articles sand medicines Is dis
agreeable method. Of obtaining liv-
ing, and few peoplesngagein it through
choice. But every man and woman
making an honest endeavor to earn a
livelihood is entitled to respect and
more courteous treatment than cam
vassers generally, receive A gentle
man who is now. wealthy gives an
amusing account of his experience can
vasslng In the days of bis poverty. He
says:
An advertisement under, the beguil-
ing caption of Ten dollars a day made
by canvassers," met my eye:
l was eager to;earn even fifty cents
a day, and sent my last dollar for the
articles with which I was to- sseasily
and pleasantly earn ten dollars day"
In return came two dozen boxes of
indigo, powdered and put up, III small
tin boxes, with perforated. tops. For
this "useful and valuable article in
daily demand" as the advertisement
read, l was to ask twenty cents box,
and was told that I could easily sell
one hundred day if I, was, ssbright.
and smart"
A printed circular outlined my meth
cd Of procedure for me. thread, "Call
at every house IN your city, ring the
bell, ask for the lady of thehouse, and
say, pleasantly
81 am introducing new and useful
article, madam, the merits of which,
etc. Call also at stores and offices.
6? will gladly purchase the ar
ticle for their wives"
So started out. At the first house
l rang the bell; a saucy-looking girl
came to the door.
"Good-day, miss" I said. ais the
lady Of the house in?"
eyes, she is, an she's goin' to stay
ln-in her room, an we don't want
nothln', an none O. yer sass, an you
clear Quit"
All this without stopping to breathe,
and then the door was slammed in my
face.
At the next house woman came to
the door, who was, I felt sure, the
lady of the house.
"Good-day, madam!''" 4 said. II
am introducing az
Introduce it some place else then,"
she said sharply, and had to step
back quickly to keep from: having my
head caught in the door.
Failure number two,'": said, trying
to be cheerful.
was ascending the steps of the
third house when window overhead
was raised, and q shrill female voice
cried OUT
"Clear out! If you come. up any
higher, I'll dump this bucket of water
on you! I know what you've got in
that box, and we don t want none Of
it whatever it is. Put out now!"
| ''put out" sadly enough Then 1
tried ad Office. Approaching the desk
of a benevolent-looking old gentleman,
l said.
"Sir, INTRODUCING Introduce
yourself toward the door, and see what
you read there
| read on aplacard I had overlooked
coming in, "Pedlers and agents keep
out of here"
[ saw woman washing in the back
yard, and thought my patent bluing
might interest her.
"Good-day, madam said, ri am
introducing a useful article for ladies
who do their own Washing"
"Be aft wild yev' cried an unmistak-
able Irish voice. II don't set meself
up to be a lady, but Pm dacent
woman, jest the samey but I don't
want none O. yer ould staff, so be aft
wild ye!!'
[ went home, gave nay mother the
bluing, set the teeth of my old saw
and my own teeth firmly against all
kinds OF canvassing, and went out
saving wood for month That was
much easier and far pleasanter than
canvassing, if [ didn't make ten dol
lars a day at it.