Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-11-09
WAS THE WRONG MAN

walked In Saiuted the Man IN lhe
office, drew up a chair, and lighted q
cigar, all by himself The Man in the Of.
| fee had only grunted and was hard at
work again. The Book Agent pulled away
! quietly at his cigar, looking around the
office the while as if he were the office man q
bosom friend and had been used to walking
into the Office most of his life. Finally the
| Man in the office looked up and the Book
| Agent repeated his salutation Of: Good
morning"
Hare yu?" grunted the man in the of.
fee.
"0h, can't complain at ALL Business is
| good and | am never sick. But didn't
come to talk business, exactly | thought
I'd drop in to see how you liked that last
set of Browning l sent you. It's nice
thing, isn't it? ! thought you'd like it.
There isn't anything new in my line that
| you haven't got, ! guess, except an edition
of English Dramatics Of the Sixteenth and
Seventeenth Centuries in this style" and
he threw out sample volume. "But Pm
not going to ask you to look at il to-day.
just thought I'd come in for moment"
The Man in the office looked intensely re-
heved. He ventured to smile and even 10
make a remark to the effect that not every
agent had so much consideration.
"Well," went on the Book Agent, II never
press a man. If / see he's busy never dis
turb him. And when do get at him, sim.
ply show him the books | have, and if he
wants them, all right; if he doesn' t, all right
| That's all there is to it. They generally treat
me well, accordingly. But even at that,
there are times when the life of an agent
isn't all fun. Why, remember one time in
Chicago" here both men settled down lit
tie further in their seats and relit their
cigars for a story seemed evident, lone time
in ChicGgo-puG-puff-that ! had queer
experience. [ had been selling Herndon's )
Life of Lincoln the previous year, and at
this time was busy with Bourrienne's Life
of Napoleon The book was going very
well, and l gathered in large number of
orders. One day went into the Dearborn
bank building, and walked into an office
| Behind the desk sat little old gentleman
with gray hair and face that was begin.
ming to wrinkle up a bit. Over in a corner
were two young fellows sitting on high
stools, busy with piles of papers Papers
were scattered all over the floor | didn't
know just what kind of an establishment it
was, but the old gentleman had a kindly
look, and | approached him with polite
| good morning.
| NObu hlOlhllBJ sllt he answered.
wondered if | could interest You in
Bourienne's Life of Napoleon said |.
In what?
The Life of Napoleon Bonaparte'
1 am great admirer OF Napoleon said
he, and he drew up little closer. Who did
you say it was byY
'Bourienne.'
Who was hep
'NanolcOn'a snrreto,.,-1
oh, yes, yes, yes; so he was, to be sure.
But what assurance have that the work is
gcnuine?'
Il was charmed with the old gentleman's
manner, and saw an order within easy
reach. hastened to reply to his question.
Why, sir | said, you can have the
same assurance as in the case of Herndon's
Life Of Lincoln" which you know is the
most authentic work on that subject
- What was that you said? gasped the
old man.
" say, just as Herndon's Life of Lin.
coin is the only authentic work on that
subject, so this is the most authentic life of
Napoleon
Whatp screamed the old gentleman. |
shall never forget how his manner changed.
His face grew white as snow in January and
twitched nervously. His fingers were clutch
ing at nothing, and he was atremble all
over Without a word of warning, he
jumped up from his chair and fetched me n
singing blow on the jaw, and then did it
again. l was amazed and could only gasp
out: What do you mean?' This seemed to
irritate him more than ever. lie was Jump.
ing up and down like fire engine hard at
work, and his face lacked only little froth
to make me think he was in fit.
90 -o-o-umum- m. m.mm-m-m.r.r-s-s.s-s IN
swugh.' He was going like that, squealing
away in high falsetto Then he turned and
took package of books had laid down on
the desk, raised them above his head, and
threw them on the floor as hard as he could,
breaking the box and scattering the books
over the floor. Then he took up single
book | had been showing him and dashed
that down. Suddenly he turned with q take
that, and struck me again. Up to this time
had been almost too stupefied to say a
word, but now let him know that ! had
stood all from him that l could and that he
wasn't to act like that towards me, even if
be were an old man. But every word seemed
only to make him boil over with greater rage.
lie was like the demon of madness, dancing
around and brandishing his arms. / began
to back out towards the door | STONED
down to pick up my scattered books, and he
gave me sounding kick while | was in the
net. Then / was mad in earnest and told
him so. l could see the young fellows over
in the corner, bending low over their desks,
convulsed with laughter, but just then, one
OF them came out, helped me pick up the
books and told me had better go out. said
II seemed that way to me, too, and went to-
wards the door. The little old madman
fnlipxuaA 4 Ill I
to kick me again as | went out. was ready
for him, though, and as his foot came up,
caught hold of it and laid him on the floor.
The next day | went into the same build.
ing again, and entered an office next door
to where l had had the experience with the
crazy man. This time found a LAWYER read.
ing his paper, and soon had him looking at
the Life OF Napoleon When we had talked
for few minutes | asked who that lunatic
was in the next office. He looked at me
rather indignant, and asked me what |
meant. ! repeated the statement that |
thought the man next door must be luna.
tic. He pushed my books away from him and
asked what the man next door had done to
me. told him. He looked surprised.
What did you do to the old man? he
asked.
Not thing Then l told him that
was Just assuring the gentleman that the
Life OF Napoleon was as accurate work
as Herndon's Life Of Lincoln when he
struck me. The lawyer laughed loud and
long, At last he managed to find his
breath
"I'll tell you, my friend. The man next
ioor is himself the author Of Life Of Lin.
coln,' and | daresay he doesn't agree with
you that HerDdOD's is the most authentic
work on the subject
Here the Book Agent relighted his cigar.
The Man in the Office did likewise.