The Newtown bee., 1904-11-25
Ten Pages
THE HOME CIRCLE.
EDITOR BROr1LEY AS A BOOK.
 AGENT.
FROM A SCRAP BOOK LOANED THE BEE
 BY PROF c. s. PLATT.

leyS ear markS." IT so, no one COulQ speak more feelingly on this subject than Bromley, for he was once book agent himself. It happened in this wise: Bromley had but just left" college and was hesitating as to what to do, when the enterprising publisher of ''The History of the World" per- suaded him to make a trip to New Brunswick to "introduce the work. !" After some hesitation, Bromley acced- ed and started on his journey. The day after his arrival, he sallied forth from his hotel to commence his can vass, but for long while hesitated as to where to begin. By and by, he spied clerical-looking person of very neat appearance and dignified demean- or, sitting on front step. Approach ing him, Bromley introduced himself as introducing "The History of the World"
 ''Pleased to meet you. Take seat," said the stranger. "What have you to say about the book?"
 Much encouraged at this kindly re- ception, Bromley began his story, in which he had been very carefully in- structed on leaving home, to the effect that the book was ''the history of the world, from the creation down to the present year, 18-; embracing full and complete des criptions of the garden of Eden, the world before the deluge, the flood itself, the rise, progress and fall of the Grecian and Roman empires, with much information concerning other nations of antiquity prior to the birth of Christ; the rise and progress of Christianity, conversion of Constan- tine, growth of the papacy, the cru sades, the 30 years war, the American revolution, the French revolution, the Mexican war, the great exhibition, the voyages and fate of Sir John Franklin, full exposition of the Rochester knockings, the loss of the Arctic, etc., etc., all in one magnifi- cent octave, half turkey morocco, of several hundred pages, all at the low price of five dollars" Here the new solicitor paused for breath.
 Any illustrations?" said the stran- ger.
 "Pictures? I should say so. There are steel plates by :the dozen, litho- graphs by the hundred and wcod-cuts by the thousand"
 "Portraits or landscapes?" was the next query.
 "Both, sir; and everything else on earth or in the waters under the earth There are likenesses of Adam, Eve, Noah, Moses, Potiphar's wife, Daniel Hosea, Beelezebub, and all the other old saints, besides Napoleon, George Washington, Zach Taylor, Frank Pierce, Henrietta Robinson, the veil ed murderess, P. T. Barnum and in- numerable others, besides engravings from drawings by our own artists, en- gagged at an enormous expense in eve ry section of the globe. Among these are views of the Garden of Eden, cross ing of the Red sea, tomb of Semiramis, seven wonders of the world, ancient Egyptian methods of blowing, Italian races, Daniel in the lions den, battle fields of Bunker Hill, Waterloo and Buena Vista, the open polar sea, bay and city of New York by moonlight, with figure o: Hicks the pirate hang ing from scaffold on Bedloe's island in the foreground, interior of a Bowery concert saloon, the route of the propos- ed Air Line railroad, interior of Dr-s great pill factory, etc, etc.,
 "Well," said the stranger, "that must certainly be remarkable work.
 "Yes," said Bromley, "I should say so. "Of course you will subscribe for copy"
 "Subscribe, oh no. I don't want the book. l let you go on because l used to canvass for it myself, and I just wanted to see whether you knew your lesson. You will do pretty we'll, though you forgot some things, but you made up for that by putting in good many that are not in. But you forgot to say anything about any of the pictures being colored. Those bright colors always take with the women folks. That's what makes Fox's book of martyrs go so. But, af- ter you have had 90 people say No and been kicked down stairs half-a- dozen times, you will learn how. Good day." And with this the clerical-look- ing party went inside and slammed | the door.
 Bromley gazed at the closed door a | few moments, then turned and went to | his hotel meditating. He stayed in New two weeks longer, but did not essay any further canvass until he letter from the publisher. surprise and regret at not hearing from his new agent, save by 1rafts for expenses. This caused Brom- ley to make another effort, and he gave a--day to steady canvassing, without my success till near sundown. By ,his hour he had got well out into the