Marshall County independent., 1901-05-10


orator, writes an interesting letter fO
his brothers paper at Delphi, this weet
1t is such a clever analysis of the boo
agent that the Independent considers
worthy of reproduction. He says:
81 want TO defend the book agent. II
has been ridiculed from the dawn o
time. And here let 1t be understood
that people inherit their jokes as the
do their politics. The comic plsye
shoots at the same target in every age
The book agent is one of the creates
friends civilization and education have
He is the postgraduate professor of tn
common people. He must have tn,
keenest tact. He must read your palm
from a distance of ten feet. He ha
more shrewdness than the lawyer, news
paper man or politician. He has it be
cause he must have it, He always
possesses just the degree of proficienc,
the occasion demands and no more
lie is brighter now than ever before
because the people are brighter
The sense of skepticism and distrust il
greater with reference to human mo
tives. He is far ahead of the book
agent of the old school. 1t used to be
simply duet of endurance between
agent and customer. The former
would come and stay until fashions
changed unless the victim yielded.
ale does not do it now Times are
busy and clubs are cheap. Patience is
a lost art. People refuse to listen to
prelude as long as Chinese drama.
Today the scene is something like this:
The knight-errant of instalment paid
literature enters the door with a defer
ential bow and if you are in the law
business calls you Judge This thrills
you like brass band, and feeling like
a gentleman of the old school, you place
Alright the chair which Is upset and bid
him be comfortable. Now, with be-
wilderlng bit of legerdemain, he pulls
from his coat and filings into space be-
fore you several yards of pasteboard,
showing how his books appear on the
shelf. He tells you that your name
was suggested to him in some far off
city as being that of gentleman Of
excellent taste with yeerning after
better things. You do not dispute his
revelation. No man ever came to blows
with another in this wOfld over an as.
sursnce of greatness. You feel that
you are discovered at last, for most of
us strain our eyes for the belated Col
umbus.
"Now he adds that he has come to
town just to see you. The sensation is
delicious and your egOtsm is luxurisnt;
he opens the doors to complete conf
Dental relationship with the publishers
by some deft word and glance. He looks
down half inquiringly and suggests
that you are great reader. You move
uneasily in your chair and give q
poor show of being modest about max
ing admissions, when he presses the
truth home with the
statement that 'puffs under the eyes in
1lcste books. You know In your heart
that they stand for kidney trouble or
and just as you pull one end
Of candor from the shelf of your inner
he hands you cigar,
hen says, NO, no. Take this one.
This is good one
"This promotes confidence, for It is a
honest man who will not
ounce his bosom companion when it
comes to the weed. You accept his
)roffered match, and while lighting he
opens the prospectus to the front page
md you behold the picture Of bold
zentleman in hip boots lifting a lady
rom wild horse. He tells you that is
| copy of celebrated masterpiece
~ an artist with horsersdish name
lie prOnOunces it in tone which in
licates that you are familiar with it
's with the town pump. Neither of
'ou know anything about it, and both
If you know that, but the play goes on.
lie tells you that the paper IL made on
purpose for the publishers. Feel of it,
10 commands. You run your explOr-
no paw over the margin and with af- |
ected musing murmur, not altogether
echnically, 1t is great
"He now leans toward you with soul |
ul eyes and whispers, 1T is rice paper.
on are sstonished and likely say, |
HonestY This question in all prob
'bility remains unanswered forever.
You are of course amazed to think
hat the publishers would GO without
ice in order TO supply you with paper
nd with fsltering tone inquire what it
3 worth. That Is of little conse-
uence, rejoins the magnsnimOus
rince. The thing is this: We want
on to have this book and We will make
he terms two dollars per MONTH
"This injection of sordidness causes
ou to reflect, and after a spell of
Hence you pull the liver out of truth
y saying that you hardly see how you
an buy it because you have ordered
ne Thousand dollars worth of law
ooks, adding that law books are the
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