The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-10-08

Eand have my customers come to me
but sin the stress of present circum
stances l am obliged to go to my
customers. do not enjoy transactins
business on the doorstep. for the neigh
bors are very inquisitiye in all places
It is. ridiculous what stories the neigh
bors will start sometimes. Once wa!
kept talking on the doorstep for some
time, and it got reported around th'
place that the So-and-Sos were hare
up financially, for an agent Of a col
lecting firm had been at their, place
and real wrangle occurred on tho
doorstep. I very much prefer to de
all my talking in the house" :. Again
did Carter lavish his sradiant smile
His manner was So ingratiating and
his quiet waggishness. so won upon
her that she relaxed her hold on the
door. He took off his hat. and saying
by your leavew he went in.. AS the
door closed I could hear him start IL
on his sewing machine 'oration."
I walked slowly along. ponderine
that in all probability the woman
would annihilate him as soon as she
got him eornered in the sltting-room.
1 couldn't5understand the gall of man
who could do the thing that Carter had
just maneuvered. 1 looked back once
or twice, half expecting Carter to come
flying outthrough one Of the windows.
But whatever the tragedy that was oc.
curing within, the outside walls gave
no sign.
: Carter had told me that when he was
safely inside the house, I was to so and
do likewise. "Just follow my hand
was what he said.
Really,I had half mind to jump
the whole business right then and
there, Iscouldn't picture myself brac-
ing through such an ordeal as Carter
had FAST faced so valiantly. II saws a
woman sitting in the window Of the
first house on my way. I hurried past
that house, as I didn't have the heart
to walk up the steps. But setting my
teeth, I went to the front door Of
the next house, and rang the bell:
tried to- get smile on my face as
I had seen Carter do. I am rather
sour-visaged. was twisting my face
around for the proper expression wien
the door was suddenly flung open, and
there stood the woman of the house.
By the manner in which my face was
working she must have concluded I
had st. Yitus's dance. She looked
I was so embarrassed
that my usually sour. countenance
must have seemed demoniac. I had
been thinking Of Carriers speech to the
other woman, trying to remember. how
funny it had sounded. I,hopedsto bring
up smile in that way. Now, IN my
excitement / blurted out. "Ah, good
morning, madam; this is a lovely after
noon You may think by my .looks
that + want "a sewing-machine to eat,
but ! assure you I have called merely
to:sen YOU some pie. THAT is &
We'll, you ought to have seen that
woman look at me. I could tell from
her eye that she thought I lived in
padded cell at home. But I kept my.
self from falling off the steps; and; be-
fore the woman had time to escape, l
out the whole story-how T
had been watching Carter down the
street, and how I had mixed up what
he had said to the other woman. 1t
tickled her. She was a brisk little
woman, with snappy way Of speak
ing, and she invited me right in, and
wanted me to tell the story over to
some women whowere calling. l
made real hit, B 8 aS SS 1 q
Before The laugh died outthe Mom am
conhded that st was ouee-s I should
come along that day. for she had been:
thinking about getting a new ma
chine. Oh didn't talksto that woman
then! Ill could sell a machine,
wouldn't I crow over Carter. the old
ringer. When Ihad talked her around
to the point where she said she would
look at the machine, I concluded that:
I had struck the one proper vocasi ION;
Of my life. I hustled out. ran down
to the hotel, and drove our team up to
the woman's door, I unloaded the ma
chine, and ten minutes later had made
to leave it three weeks
on trial. The woman said she knew
well enough she would like it, and
would keep it. ...-:... :
Then I: treated myself to a cigar,
and waited at the hotel for Carter to
show up I walked to meet him with
my hat on one side.
"Well, / sold her a machine said
he, running his fingers around inside
his collar, and then wiping his brow.
HWhat? Not that royal Asiatic
tigerw I cried.
ITO that same rampageous female"
he replied, with immense satisfaction.
"We'll drive up and deliver it"
"Well, rve been doing some business
on my own hook" said. II sold the
machine we brought with US, and !
have delivered it."
"Cash or installment?" Carter asked.
looking at me in some astonishment.
"Well, the whole trade isn't exactly
clenched," L admitted, ''but it's the
same thing. She has taken it for three
weeks on trial, and says she'll probably
keep it."
"Who"
MRS. Peter Scott-lives up nearly
opposite your woman"
First Carter sat down and laughed,
then he made some remarks that were
extremely ungentlemanly. I didn't
like such talk, and I told him as
much.
"You blamed fool,"' he shouted,
"ttat woman has worked every sew
agent who has come along
when he has been gullible enough.
It's her old trick. She will never buy
a sewing-machine, for she doesn't need
one. She does her sewing each season
on the machines that the fool agents
leave there on trial. Now you go right
I'D and take back that machine. She'll