The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-02-28
THE DOWNFALL
OF THE KING.
How a Prize Book Agent Lost
His Job.

was dlsengaged, occurred a bursting
open and banging to of the doors lead
Ing to his Office, as well-dressed man
caromed against me on his way to the
elevator. Garrison, who was holding
open the door to his private room,
looked past me with an expression OF
sadness tinged with amusement. His
greeting was scarcely coherent.
It's too bad" he said. Come in
picked up the hat which had been
Knocked from my hand, and assured
MIN that 1t was of no consequence
Whereupon Clarkson informed me
that | did not know what I was talk
Ing about, and that it was a matter OF
the utmost Importance to the firm OF
Porter & Clarkson, publishers, that the
services of the King Of subscription
agents should be lost to the house.
WAS that the MANI" I asked.
Garrison nodded, than muttered
under his breath.
"Abdicate?"
did Alexander abdicate when Peter
assembled the throne of Servia?"
why, no, he was fired"
Exactly, SO was Culverson."
Then Clarkson told me this story of
the downfall of the king:
"Culverson had talent when he first
came to us. Now he has genius. The
man with talent can sell books-some
times; the man with genius could sell
the Congressional Record in 500 vol
umes, bound in half-morrocco to a
miser. Yes, sir, he could do it, and do
1t without mentioning the books. You
don't believe it? Very well, let me
tell you what Culverson did last week
and why we were obliged, much against
our will, to let him out today.
"Over in Brooklyn-we'll make it
Brooklyn, if you don't mind-lives a
Supreme Court judge A week ago
last Monday while he was reading in
his library upstairs his man brought in
a card reading Hugh Buchanan Culver
son. The Judge, whose education with
book agents has been neglected, didn't
know the name, but learning that it's
owner was we'll dressed and appeared
to be a gentleman, told the servant to
show the caller upstairs.
What can do for your he asked
as Culverson was ushered in.
May ask queried his visitor
carefully placing his silk hat on the
nearest chair, whether you received
some time ago bundle of proofs
from Justice Baker'-we'll make it
Baker, If you don't mind-sof the
United States Supreme Court, sent by
mail from Washington
Nov, the Brooklyn Judge and his
learned brother on the Supreme Court
bench of the United States are closer
than David and Absalom. Go trout
fishing together and discuss the Con-
stitution between bites
" Proofs, said the owner Of the
house; why, no, got no proofs.
What
:" Exactly just as thought said
Cul. Knew If you'd received them
you'd have returned them long before
this
imcoldsu diewer. orldw 7are tst.Sieant
But wyhat are they; proofs of
something Judge Baker had written?
:" Certainly
What was the subject?
sWell-er-I'm afraid you'd only
laugh If / were to tell you. It was
merely pamphlet embodying some OBJ
servations extending over several years
concerning a very interesting but al
most ridiculous happening Of daily life
But must know. Really, never
felt SO much put out in my life. It's
too bad. What was the subject?'
Well, If you won't laugh, I'll tell
you. The little brochure was entitled
Psychological Indications Of Genius
Manifested by the Inordinate Attrac-
hon Of the Mucilage Reservoir for the
Pen" Yes (hurriedly), we all do it.
but really it was interesting to notice
how = carefully study Of years had
proved that It is much more common
n the case Of men Of genius.
The Judge looked at Cul as though
bis visitor had gone mad. Cul buttoned
Ids gloves thoughtfully and rose with
out haste from the chair IN which he
bad been sitting.