The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-05-26

The little book agent walked out of
the glare of the mid-afternoon sun into
the gloom of the aromatic depths of
the Kilo livery and feed stable and
for a minute he could see nothing in
the darkness. He stood a minute to
let his eyes grow accustomed to the
dark, and as he stood the forms of s
Potts and Daniel gradually became
s distinct. S. Potts standing at the end
of a stall calmly oiling a set of har-
ness. and Daniel sitting patiently on
an upturned bushel basket at his side.
1t was the coolest place in Kilo, and
silent, except for the occasional stamp
: ing OF a horses hoof or the switching
of a tail. s. Potts had stopped talk
ing when the little book agent en-
! tered. and Daniel seldom talked at all
He sat at the feet of s. Potts and alb
sorbed the wisdom that dropped from
his lips as from perpetually active
. fountain.
1t had been a good day for Eliph
Hewitt, and he had sold ten copies of
: ''Jarby's Encyclopedia of knowledge
and Compendium of Literature,
+ Science and Aart' already. That morn
ing ne had received a letter from Jar
! by & Goss, New York, telling him
( that he was. as usual, at the head Of
their list of statesmen and assuring
him that he was beyond question the
greatest living book agent of Amer
! lea, and Eliph' Hewitt felt like break
ing records. He felt that he could sell
book to any living man, and he was
ready 10 do it.
He was ready TO sell s. Potts a copy
. He had already sold one TO Daniel.
For twenty years s. Potts had been
connected with the KilO livery and
feed stable. People bought the stable
and sold 1t again. and once or twice
the stable had been burned down.
Everything changed but S. Potts, and
he remained long and lanky and loose
jointed and straw-colOred in the hair
He was officially the helper, hOstler
coachman. horse doctor. expert Judge
of stock and all round man of the sta
BILE. Daniel was only Incidental He
had been incidental for ten or twelve
years. and officially he was the stable
boy. He was 50 years years, come next
birthday. but he was willing and eager
10 learn. He had a thirst for knowl-
edge, and 5. Potts had fountain of ii,
so they got along together frst-rate.
They were like a couple of amiable
spOnges; all S. Potts had to do was to
squeeze himself a little and informa-
ton flowed out in all directions, and
there was Daniel. like a dry sponge.
ready to sop it up. In the matter of
as a desert, but s. Potts was saturated
IT oozed out of him. He had plenty for
every one.
We'll" said S Potts cheerfully.
"glad { see yel Right glad L see vel
] was just sayin' L Daniel how funny
1t was you didn't come i'm L sell me
one of them books. I begun [ think
you was goin' [ give me the go-by. II
said TO Daniel. I told him il wasn't no
use for you TO come in, but felt hurt
YOU should pass me by that way, didn't
j. Daniei?"
yep" saiG Daniel.
You bet" said S. Potts. II felt hurt.
] seen 1t wasn't right. When a man
has been years buiIdin' up a reputation
for knowledge, like have. and a Teller
comes along sellin' a book that is right
in that line you'd natchelIy expect the
first man ne would call on would be
the felier with I repetition for that sort
Of thing. If I'm Settin up to be a
horse doctor I don't go off an try TO
work up trade among automobile folks.
10. sir, I go to them that has horses
and as is interested in horses. and
you'd natchellv expect a man that is
sellin' a book of knowledge would go
10 them that is interested in knowl-
edge. That was what / expected. But
IT wouldn't have done you no good if
YOU had come. That book wouldn't be
no use to ire"
TsIiuii' Hewitt Containing as il does.
ing with everything known TO man
from the beginning of the world to the
present day, including matters of cur