The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-09-03
The DIARY OF
Merry ETHEL

hold me for awhile until something
else turns up. guess my luck be-
gan to think it had been worked over.
time, SO 1t went back on me to-day,
wanted something mild to take the
taste of that chorus girl stunt out OF
my mouth.
After being turned down at about
old thing. My job is to palm a bunch
OF literature off on To as many marks
as can find Most OF to-day was taken
up in rehearsing my little spiel !
can say it off by heart when I'm alone,
but I'm afraid III lose my place when
the other fellow butts in practced
1t over with a guy in the office this
afternoon, and | could feel my heart
thump every time he fired a question
at me- He said that was a cinch com
pared to what the women folks would
put me up against It's something
fierce to learn a new part every week.
III it wasn't for my rep for nerve
believe I'd get stage fright and
throw up the job before | ever start
IN.
Tuesday-Gee! this don't pay.
didn't get an order the whole day long,
and If I'm on commission I'd like 10
see where | get off at-digging up car
fare besides, to say nothing OF the
wear and tear on shoe leather. If all
the stairs I've climbed today were
piled into one flight, | bet they'd
reach as high as--fd ever get.
At several places | didn't even get
beyond the front door, and more than
once some old crouch would slam it
in my face as soon as they spotted me
for an agent They didn't so much
as wait to see what had to sell.
The first place | got so rattled | near
iy lost my nerve. The spiel had
learned began with Madam" and as
soon as the door opened started off.
All at once | noticed that was talking
to an old, whiskered geezer, who stood
there laughing at me. hadn't count
ed on that, and, of course, | forgot my
cue. stammered and sputtered away
for minute, and that grinning idiot
wouldn't help me out bit. was
so mad | turned away and ran down
the steps and he's chuckling yet for all
know
Wednesday Better luck to-day.
landed two marks this trip and soaked
them for all there was in II. I've
caught on to this, that it's the young
mothers that bite. They haven't had
kids long enough to make them cool.
They feel their responsibility some
thing terrible, and when you play on
that string they're more apt to give
in. talked grand about the duty they
owe TO their children to give them
good education, and Id pat a few tow
headed brats on the head and then 1t
was all off As soon as I'd get them
to listen Id haul out the "stretchef'
and show the pictures and read here
thing from "kiver TO kiyer." Oh lm
learning fast, but tell you It doesn't
work every time by a long shot.
Thursday-lt's me to the dippy-
dump il have many more days Ike
this. didn't think there were as many
fiery tongued women in the world as
came across to-day. The fellow at
the office said I'd go nutty at the crazy
questions they'd ask can stand
their questions, but | draw the line
went to-day little girl let me in and
! was glad TO sit down and rest
minute As soon as her mother came
in ! knew she was an old cat, and |
began talking about the weather She
stood glazing at me and looked me
up and down.
All Of a sudden she said: Il believe
you're an agent" She couldn't have
acted more fierce if she had said |
was a thief ! started TO say some
hing. but she grabbed me by the
shoulder and said You march ont |
Of here as fast as you can walk" Gee! |
but was mad
Friday-My call-down came little
late this week, but of course it had
10 come. wonder how 1t would seem
10 go a whole week without having
some smart aleck who has better iob
than YOU have rake you over the Goals
and threaten TO fire you If YOU don't
work yourself TO the bone The boss
II the local agents got me to-day for
not selling more goods. ! asked him
II he expected me TO bind gag and
hen choke his old book down the peo-
pie that ! called on ! told him I /
thought IT was up to me IL | didn't |
make anything
| couldn't see where he lost out lie 4
aid il was bum agents like me that 4
lueered the whole business. felt 4
ike telling him what ! thought of the 4
book and the business and him. too,
put ! changed nay mind.
Saiuuiay-i'm too excited tonight 10 /
write. Charlie popped the question.
md. Of course. I said Yes I've sus-
,icioned II FOR some time, but il /
.eemed too good to be- true. lie came |
o-night. aud. a. usual. went up in /
he air over nay peddling a. he called /
{. Before could get sore at his /
putting In again he said he was sick
II seeing me work so hard and that
he wanted to do the working Tor both /
4 us. Z nearly fell OF my chair. and /