The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-05-22
BOOK CANyAssERs.
The Methods of the Male and Female of the
G s@rts Gnpuc ~ . e.

The Methods Of the Male and Female Of the
Genus.
In no other part of the world is can
vassing carried On so large a scale as
in the United States, particularly in
the city of New York. ADVERTISE
ments can be read in almost every
daily issue of u metropolitan jour
nails Offering employment to those who
will undertake this mode OF gaining a
living. Yet it is an occupation that
not one in a hundred will succeed in.
1t attracts that very large class who
have by some means or other failed
in what is generally termed 1.-The gen.
teel profession" and so clerks, law
yers. authors, actors, artists and many
clergymen take to it. Canvassing APP
pears at first a very easy way of realiz-
ing IN income. Yet it is one of the
most difficult; for a man to be a good
.tcanvasser" must in reality have a
thorough knowledge of the world and
be a keen Judge of everyday life. No
matter what position in life a man
may be ln-brown-stone-mansion man
or tenement-house mamie will not
generally deny, from mere vanity's
sake, but what ''he's q reader" al
though probably some have no little
difficulty in recognizing one author
from another. In c~anvassing a book
the canvasser must be able to freely
speak of the author and his works,
the Illustrations. the binding and the
publishers.
"You see," said an old a
few days since to a reporter, ''when
you canvass q book you have to carry
it with you. Consequently when you
approach the man or house ..1he book
canvasser' ls at once recognized, and
you get Il refusal in some shape or
other before you a hardly utter a
word. Now, sir, you would be sur
prised at the success of '.women as
canvassers'-they far outshine the
men. The fact of being one of the
gentler sex is largely in their favor.
The sight of a neatly dressed and per-
haps good-looking woman tramping
around in search of a livelihood
touches 'the tender impulses of the
heart The lady gains
the entree where the gentleman can
vasser would fear to tread. As a rule
the former merely carries a prospec-
tus or u sample sheet of the book with
her. This, of course, can be conceal
ed or rolled up like Il document. She
calls on bankers, merchants and peo-
pie of leisure. The notice of no ped
dlers allowed in the building she dis
regards. The j%anitor, the elevator
boys, the Office clerk or the domestic
servants ear not, of course, tell her
errand, and she is politely ushered
into the presence OF the party she
seeks without any difficulty whatever,
while the majority of men would have
been unceremoniously denied admit
lance across the outer threshold. Once
in the presence of the boss the lady
Cowper dilates upon the merits of her
book with little fear of rebuff, for
most men have a spirit of gallantry
in them; so they listen patiently
whatever they may think-and pos
sibly order the book. Female can
vassers are a pretty well-educated
class. They have beeen school or
music teachers. or they are poor
%gentlemen's daughters. In dress they
are neat, not gaudy, and have a re-
served, modest style of manner which
always commands. attention. Ii she
is middle-aged she is perhaps a widow
lady who lived in Southern %atlluence
before the war, or a forsaken wife, or
an eN-opera singer; and should she
find the listener in the melting mood,
she will drop a few remarks about
financial or domestic troubles. Hun
dreds OF Wall street men have met
these ladies. and hundreds have Or
dered books from them they never
cared for. or expected to see, purely
from feelings of respect, admiration
or sympathy.
difficult article to handle. | REFER
went on the old canvasser, "to the
time they were not so common as
now, when a man had to be well post
ed about their working gear and the
different improvements being con.
stantly made. 1 remember one who
was known among the canvassing fra
ternity rs the Bump Man. He was
very successful with the machines,
which he attributed to his knowledge
OF phrenOlogy, and this will show yol
the many devices men resort to in
cenyassing. For instance, if this
Bump Man should call upon Il wo.
man to solicit her order for "a sewing
machine he would, while making 4
sale, at intervals break off in the con.
versation and look admiringly at her
children. Then he would say, 'Ex.
cuse me, madame, but l have made
phrenology a study in my days ofpros
pcrity and that child has u very fine
head, it will gam some lofty position
in the world Then would he, while
the mothers eyes lit up with pride
examine the Juveniles Uranium ant
foreteli for it a great success in some
high-sounding profession, Praise the
child and capture the mother for 8
customer was his saying, and many
orders he got in this manner. "-Neu
York Graphic.