The Ordway new era., 1909-07-02
1T SEEMED A
SHAME
The Book Age..i Was Sure
He Was en- Easy MIX

in the course OF the dissertation
there always comes a time sooner oI
later when the rule you've been soinF
by won't work. It had got 10 be rule
with me that school teachers were
comparatively easy marks for a man
who desired to enter negotiations lu'
the sale of II book the size OF child.s
Bible. bound in either plain cloth OF
half morocco. with title In gilt letters
Il was selling book that was prac
ticalIy the same thing AS 2j.ccnt
" Norld almanac. containing all sorts oI
Useful Information. and II you didn
care for the best binding you could
get II for as little as S2,I5. II was "a
work that appealed strongly to teach
ers, principals. mothers and all whu
aad the education OF the youth OF any
given community at heart
Now. one feature OF the book
aEguts game that's us old as the
statutes and city ordinances OF the
NeLCs and Persians Is 10 get the lead
ng educator OF the town you're IN II
0Uy the book. or at least make hin
.hInk he's bought it-giye II to him
ibA AANAAAAAS "a ANAA sAAAAs AhHAalH
having bought 1t. to write you out
Driet recommendation Tor the worA
NTH that recommendation every VIZ.
man in town. and everybody else who
goes in Tor 'cultchUh and ahI and al
,hat-you know the typc-becDme.
your prey. Most OF them Will fall Iu.
your great educational work. just like
a lot OF school children CTowdluE IN
line for u special matinee OF Ten
Nights in BarroOm.
The first move a knowing book
agent makes. therefore. Is to get the
Endorsement Of the superintendent o.
public schools. or the president of the
college II there is one OF these fresh
water colleges around, and the lead
ing highbrow minister Hut 1t is a sort
Of unwritten law that the superiuteuI
ent OF schools must be made to come
over. first OF all.
The publishing house was work.
ing Tor sent me to one of those little
county seat towns where nothing OF
Importance ever happens except the
next number on the Star lecture
course. Somebody pointed out the
head Of the public school system 10
me, and | chuckled to myself. for he
.ooked so easy that had a notion Just
TO sell him the book by telephone
without even bothering to go to his OF.
flee and have him send his indorse.
ment to the at my hotel by n messen.
ger boy. | knew that there was no
possible way that he could turn ME
down. He looked so gentle and amia.
BILE that you would have sworn he was
the local representative of the Society
tor the Prevention OF Cruelty to Some
thing.
Il went over to see him the next
morning. At first | thought of telling
him right off that was a book agent,
and what | wanted him to do. In the
lght OF later developments that's
what | should have done. But | fol.
lowed the usual rule made and pro
Vided for book agents in such cases.
and talked to him as If | were inter.
ested in education some way or other
and had just dropped into visit with
him for spell and get his views.
He was such benevolent old
itfNs N'NN huu Sldlltl dIOIS LOT nan
an hour on general topics before |
thought of mentioning my book. BY
that time we were as friendly as hired
help and l knew that | could sell him
anything from book to second.
hand gas engine.
Il was just going to pull out nv
prospectus when a young man came
into the reception room Just outside
the office and started to walk in where
we were. but stopped when he saw
me. l told the old man that | would
let my business wait if the man in the
next room wanted to see him for
minute. but he waved me back into
my chair.
Stay right where you are he
says. smiling amiably, and added in n
whisper: I think l know who that is
It's young man who's been coming
around to bother me about a book Ir
won't do him any good, for I never
buy books from agents, but l suppose
he'll succeed in taking up lot of NV
time before get rid of him.
Wow! Put me in fine, didn't it? I
about abandoned any idea right then
oil owning up that | was a book agen,
myself, but to make matters worse
the young chap walked in right then
and my intended victim turned around
and recognized him as his own son.
Well, well!' he chuckled, to think
that | would take my own son for a
book agent! That's pretty good
guess' And he laughed heartily We
all laughed. Mine must have sounded
like the cold, calculating laugh of the
man who wears a gray derby hat in
a show, for there was no mirth in II
that's cinch.
wen, sir. do you know. I was go