The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-08-30
HOW TO SELL BOOKS.
AGENTS INITIATED INTO
THE MYSTERIES.

AGENTS INITIATED INTO
THE MYSTERIES.
A School In which Ambitious Book Ped
oilers Are Taught to Interest the Elusive
and Outlines Abusive 0ustomer-Les-
sons In Eiocution.
1t is doubtful II many OF the people 20
constantly bothered by the perennial book
agent know that the patient, glib individ-
ual who rattles off the stereotyped address
the instant the door Is opened to him or her
has studied and practiced his Grafton as
carefully as the prlma donna does her aria
or the elocutionist his recitation. Such Is
the fact nevertheless, and, stranger still,
there are several places In town where reg
ular classes for the training OF canvassers
are held, and where they learn to declaim
their patter with what the instruction cir
culars given them call dramatic effect"
The writer went yesterday to visit a
friend whose office is In certain great
building down town and found his door
closed and decorated with a ''gone to
lunch" sign. While she impatiently pa
trolled the corridor waiting for him to re-
turn she heard queer sounds proceeding
from a door at the other end and staid her
steps to listen.
81 have here, ladies and gentlemen, (" said
a pleasant voice with very perfect intona-
tion, "a most wonderful book-one which
you will never get a chance to buy again.
Splendid illustrations, good type, perfect
binding; it is indeed gem there dramatic
pause, and the price is only 1915"
4 For about 10 minutes longer the voice
continued to talk rapidly in the same strain
and then after moments silence SONS
one else took up the parable.
"Stopl" cried the first voice, "you can do
better than that" ..s..
+ The second voice began again. and after
several more failures carried it to sue.
cessful termination.
! "NeXtr' was called, and the performance
commenced again with u trembling, quaver-
ing apology for a voice trying to carry the
burden.
I The door of the room from which the
voices came was Of frosted glass, of course,
1 but the letters forming the name of the
company were clear, so applying her eye
J, TO the largest capital the writer obtained
}, n coveted look into the mysterious cham
Der. Seated along the side opposite the
door were about 20 people of both sexes
and nearly every grade Of rocial life,
from the pert young maiden fresh from the
school to the tired teacher anxious to make
"a living during the summer months, and
the careworn man who had failed in all
the other ways of working possible to him
In front Of them stood the owner OF the
pleasant voice, tall, good looking fellow
of 30 or thereabouts, and MS each member
/, Of the class in turn recited the foregoing he
,ireproved, commended and encouraged
: them. Occasionally one would be told to
study the circular more thoroughly, and
after listening to the Others try again, and
sometimes the instructor would remark:
/ "rhat'll do. You're all right"
= Every pupil seemed to be in dead earnest
: and one or two chung to their prospectus
with a frantic grip born of despair. Some
= recited with great boldness and confidence
others blushed and stammered, and fol
each and all the leader had an encouraging
T word.
q. Later her business outside completed
| tho writer boldly entered the book compa
D ny's room and stated her desire to see som,
| of the people who advertised for agents A
:, courteous gentleman showed her severa
books, gave terms aud advised her as to hei
selection.
t Most young ladies do better In the bust
. ness offices" he said, but you, think, hat
I better keep to the houses and deal witt
ladies' (The writer is not gifted with per
'sonal beauty As to experience, yo,
study this little booklet and practice OF
some friend or relative" ard reckoning tC
: the class leader he turned the seeker afte
. Information over to him.
O II think you would make a good can
/. vRs7er," this gentleman remarked cheer
e.frlly as n beginning. Your manner i
-I1,1., .,,I 4
l. pretty; besides am n good judge Of char
e acter, and | know you possess determine
y ton" -...-
n But have no experience" she suggested
y "hnd don't know how to get it. Shall
d go into the business on the hit or miss plal
sIasd try 10 gain itF"
70 "Oh, by no means smiled her listener
You could not do worse. You study tn
fcirculnr we give you and then come dow
there, and we'll help you. You shall try q
. sell us book, and we will try to sell yo
u one"
: "Oh, do you have regular class" ey
Ia claimed the writer impulsively and as i
u proved very unwiscly, for her adviser CAV
ID her keen look and ceased talking, Evi
dIGcntly that class was trade secret, not t,
!, be parted with until SIRE of the agent
|, Hastily collecting n lot of circular pam
y jphlets and letters OF "adviee to agents" tn
suddenly silent man crammed them int
the outside pocket of the supposed employ
id mcnt seekers satchcl, and advising her +
c. read them all carefully before selecting
" book to solicit for babe her brief "goo
x. morning" and returned to his desk.
And truly those little booklets mad
~ funny reading. Some of them had IL stron
=, family resemblance to TINT famous oil
= ppiF fpF itfr
First catch your hare" Between til
covers of those 'instructions" were foun
directions for everything in the way Of car
II MISSING, from the best manner IN which t
attract the attention of IL probable buyer
rel excite his curiosity and leave it still unsai
Isticd, down To such minor points as "kee
Isl your linen clean and Your shoes alway
y. bright and freshly blacked, " battle FRI
=. pnently and be sure your breath is swet
i, tnd Your teeth Clean and IF you chew tC
Jacco do soin private and rinse your m0ut
Is riterward. y
in The prospective book agent was instruct
ed how to get into the hest hoGses, how [
So stay there when once insi,lc, how TO acqnir
It, The admiration OF ladies and how touse an
personal magnetism be might possess Tn
d, ladies were told how 70 dress 50 as to con
81 mand the best and most respectful after
Fl ton, and one and all were repeatedly urge
as TO come to the Office when ready to star
10 aud we will give you final instruction
which may be worth millions Qmmeu.
o rapitals) TO you"
y This last bit of advice might be good
:, follow in uasc one really wanted to ado,
~ ne calling OF lady book agent, but it wi
" be u cold day when the writer goes thul
- again, aud she shiyers to think what iaigl
10 happen should that pleasant insintIatiu