The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-09-05
TOOK 1T OFF HIS LIST.


why the Book Agent Tabooed Michigan
Town Long Ago
Some time ago in the state of Mich
igan young and enterprising Ameri-
can book agent was in the country,
travelling from town to town, selling
work called The Early Christian
Martyrs" which he sold at five dollars
copy, delivering the books and col
lecting the money as he went along.
He had been two DAYS in a certain
town, and had taken fair number of
orders there, when little before noon
he called in grocery store, where he
found the proprietor alone. The old
grocer asked him what he had. seeing
from his sample that he was an agent
of some kind. He replied: 81 am
taking orders for a work called The
Early Christian Martyrs and have
only few copies left"
The old mans eyes beamed with de-
light as he said: is that so? Why, it
was only few nights ago my wife
and | were talking about that book,
and wondering how we could get it.
She wants the book bad, and so do l."
The agent delivered him a copy, and
as the old man gave him five-dollar
bill in payment he said: Now. look
here, don't you go over to the house
and sell copy to my wife, because we
only want one in the family
Certainly not, said the book agent;
II wouldn't think of such thing"
sand bidding the old man good morn
ing, he left the store. 1t was then
about a quarter to twelve, and the
train which was to take him to Chi
cago started at a quarter past twelve
p. m. He said to himself: Il have
just time to sell copy to the old lady
and get on that train"
SO he entered the nearest drug store
and getting the home address of the
old man from a directory, he at once
hurried there. OF course, he had no
difficulty in making the sale, as she
was anxious to get the work, and, hav-
ing received the five dollars, he made
all haste to catch his train.
The old man came home for dinner
at twelve o'clock, reaching there not
long after the book agent had gone.
His wife came toward him smiling and
congratulating herself upon having
secured what she had for so long
wished to possess, a copy of THE
Early Christian Martyrs" He did not
smile, however, but swore angrily and
muttering something about he would
fix him, hurried out mot stopping for
his dinner in the hope of reaching the
TO haf +
Chicago, thinking that the book agent
would be sure to leave town as soon as
possible after this.
When he came within two hundred
yards of the station he saw from the
top of the hill which sloped down to
the station that the train was on the
point of starting, SO recognizing
friend of his who was nearly at the
bottom of the hill and consequently
close to the train, he began gesticulat-
ing and shouting to him to stop the
book agent. His friend could only
catch the word book agent so he
approached the book agent, who was
smoking cigar on the rear platform
of a car, and asked him what the old
man on the hill wanted. The book
agent pretended to scrutinize the
figure in the distance, of course know
ing full well who he was and what he
wanted. In few moments ke said as
an idea seemed to strike him:
Il know, l know now; that is Gus
toner of mine. He wants a copy of
The Early Christian Martyrs, and
like fool never called on him; for
got him. If you want to do him a
good turn" he added, just as the train
was going to move out, you had bet
ter take the book from me and give it
to him so he won't be disappointed.
The price is five dollars
The man gave the book agent five
dollars for his friend and took the
book, and the train started for Chica-
go. AS the book agent leaned back in
his seat he took small book contain
ing list of towns and wrote opposite
this town the words: Not to be
visited again" IN. Y. Tribune.