The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-08-27
TRIALS OF AN AGENT.
ONE DAYS BITTER EXPERIENCES OF
A MAN IN NEED.

Of the Chaps Who Ring the DoorbelI.
III perchance my reader Is busy house
vile whose patience and temper are sore
~ tried by the incessant ringing of buck
STEERS, peddlors, agents and tho like, ad-
!ure her to stay her wrath for these men
IRE trying as best they can to gain living
from u hard and unsympathetic world.
And very poor living and very hard |
world 1t is to these hapless waits of for |
tune, many of whom are forced by hard |
luck and poverty to take up this most un- |
pleasant employment. None, | am sure does.
so from choice. 1t is this or-starvation.
Too proud to beg, too honest to steal, from
door to door the weary agent goes, meet.
Ing with rebutfs and insults and callous
regard that cut mans heart TO the
quick
1t fell Co the writer's lot, through cir
cumstances unnecessary to DETAIL that he
was forced TO try to earn his bread by
any honest means he could. The "ignis
fatuus" of pr&nsed employment had
lured him into the bog of pennilessness. l
knew that an agents life was not rosy
one, but | had heard of men making at
least living, and, being young and
strong, why should not II looked around
|
upon safety pin. could get a dozen for
60 cents, which could retail for 10 cents
each, quite a nice profit, and visions of
dozens sold in day brought speedy solu-
ton of my financial difficulties.
Never shall forget my sensation when
! rang the first doorbell / could feel my
cheeks burn, and had it not been for the
presence of two men on the opposite corner
| I bol I bnv nd 4
was too late. The door opened, and before
me stood my first possible customer.
For Il moment was too embarrassed to
speak; then | stammered, "Is-is-the
lady of the house imp (The proper formu-
Ia I believe.l Eyes, sir" she was. With
grand effort produced sample of my
pin and began: az have here, madam, a
new safety pin, an excellent thing for chill
dren will positively not come unfastened,
cannot bend or break and which am sell
ing at 10 cents; would you take one?" She
must have read my inexperience at a
81 nee, for 1t was with smile she an
swered, mo, l do not need any; good
/ day." and the door was closed. Setback
1 No. /. Well, next door perhaps they will
{ need some. No, they had no children. The
s next had children, but they didn't need
s pins; so on to another; perhaps they were
: pinless. Here l met no response to my
n ringing, and lacking courage to ring again
| walked past few houses to brace up fol
1 another trial.
( Hardly had the bell ceased to jingle II
e the place was then trying when win
:, dow raised, and in no gentle accents
: heard: "Get off my steps with your dirt!
= feet. We don't want anything" got.
It Although my shoes were neatly black
e ened, felt as II l had acres of mud OF
q them. And mean! Great heavens, II a maj
e convicted of some cowardly crime coul
feel more abject than i did l pity him
r. walked so fast to get away and cover m
lie modification that / passed out OF tn
d block before could collect my senses. !
Y seemed to me as II every window held som
" one watching me and that every one kne'
8 nv errand and had contempt for mo. Nj
&C purpose was an honest enc, but shame wa
re ON me. | had thought that being neatI
err dressed and as l battered myself or gel
&c teel appearance l would not have I'll
p agents stamp; now my disguise was Tor
&c, from me- and was scorned by all men,
However, this was not going to do M
I'D last few cents were represented by the
err wretched pins and sell them somehow
err must. l soothed my injured feelings
e. thoughts of better luck, and, though SAD
n lacking my former confidence, staro'
~ on another row of houses AT some w
listened to with patience. l fancied once
had n customer AT others l scarcely Z
gan before the stereotyped "Don't wa
any, came. Time and again the door
closed in my face at the first sign OF i
,,he calling. and at several places the nous
,st holder contented herself with answeri
er, from n window. My prospects OF SELL
er. seemed to grow less and less.
led While less sensitive than at the nrst
led WAS still haunted by the idea that ever
ie,, body was looking at me, and had Il
&c chanced upon my first customer won
nd have even then given up in despair.
&c, the last house in the row CHEEKY lit
&c. woman answered the bell, and when
sec shaved her my attractive ~ article
'1a2' was attention at once. "Why, that Is j.
go 90 wbat I want" Would wait minute U
I'D IN she rot her purseP Would II wot
,ed have waited hours. God bless her! i
word of announcement and kind good q
ry, was like water to a thirsty trayssrc 81
esh That 10 cent piece she gave me wo'
esh not mart with were 1 starving. or
y honeful again; had walked through Z
e. blocks and sold one pin; time, ~ mlnu'
bu. had IL left. Twenty two blocks an
per hours and 40 minutes more a4d all wo'
he gone. Doggedly went from door
door, with a defiant air that sadly Del
6. nv feeling. really would have been
lay, prised If / had sold pin, butt meant
40 see the thing through to the pit.er
s s Growing more and more tired ana he'
10; hu sick. Kept on until dusk found me ID
red from home 1t was not so much the
ged ability to dispose of my stock IN trade
ling was a bitter feeling of resentment aga'
do, the callous, hard hearted world ina.
ON, nrived me of desire or courage 10 iaoe
er fs Insult. rebuffs and thoughtless cruei'.
Off one SO unfortunate as to bean agent
;2.75 have the IL pins yet. Any one
tern have them ut cost, with lots Oh eAperi'
YES. thrown in. All 1 have to say 10 one
ipts barking on such career Is, lose
. at pride and constituencies, recognize ID y
a ahs self an outcast and nuisance. IL you
nus not. 90 and break stones on the highw
90 stones are not harder than hearts 10
20 20 nnfortunate -Philadelphia Exchange
Y,
Is Z short Sermon
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