The Cairo bulletin., 1909-07-12
1T SEEMED A
SHAME
The Book Agent Was Sure
He Was an Easy Marx

The Reformed Book Agent was re
citing a few of his adventures to the
bunch In the hotel lobby.
You know" observed the II. b. A.,
In the course OF the dissertation
there always comes time sooner or
later when the rule you've been going
by won't work 1t had got to be a rule
with me that school teachers were
comparatively easy marks for a man
/ who desired to enter negotiations for
the sale of book the size of child S
Bible. bound in either plain cloth or
half morocco. with title In gilt letters.
Il was selling a book that was prac-
tically the same thing as 25-cent
/ World almanac. containing all sorts OF
useful information, and if you didn I
care for the best binding you could
get 1t for as little as s275. 1t was a
work that appealed strongly to teach
ers principals, mothers and all who
had the education of the youth of any
given community at heart
Now, one feature of the book
agents game that's as old as the
statutes and city ordinances of the
Medes and Persians is to get the lead
ing educator of the town you're in to
buy the book, or at least make him
4, think he's bought it-give it to him
for nothing If need be--and, then,
having bought II, to write you out a
brief recommendation for the work
With that recommendation every wo.
man in town. and everybody else who
goes in for cultchuh and aht and all
your prey. Most of them will fall for
your great educational work, Just like
a lot of school children crowding in
line for a special matinee OF Ten
Nights in q Barroom
The first move a knowing book
agent makes therefore. is to get the
Endorsement of the superintendent of
public schools, or the president of the
college if there is one of these fresh.
water colleges around. and the lead
ing highbrow minister. But 1t is a sort
of unwritten law that the superintend-
cnt of schools must be made to come
over, first of all
The publishing house | was work
ing for 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 to
me, and | chuckled to myself. for he
looked so easy that had 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 me at my hotel by a messen-
ger boy. | knew that there was no
possible way that he could turn me
down. He looked so gentle and amia-
bic that yon would have sworn he was
the local representative Of the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Some
thing
I went over to see him the next
him right off that was a book agent,
and what ! wanted him to do. In the
light 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
party that had chatted along for half
an hour on general topics before
thought of mentioning my book. Ds
hat time we were as friendly as hired
help and | knew that / could sell him
anything from a book to a second.
land gas engine.
Il was just going to pull out my
when a young man came
ntO the reception room just outside
he Office and started 10 walk In where
we were, but stopped when he saw
ne. ! told the old man that | would
ct my business wait If the man in the !
next room wanted to see him for
minute, but he waved me back into |
ny chair.
Stay right whore you are, he
avs. smiling amiabv. and added in a
whisper. I think | know who that is.
Z young man who's been coming |
round to bother me about a book Ii |
Won't do him any good, for I never
NY books from agents. but I suppose
lell succeed in taking UP lot of my
ime before | get rid of him.
Wow! Put me in fine, didn't il?
bout abandoned any idea right then
4 owning up that | was book agent
myself, but to make matters worse.
he young chap walked in right then
nd my intended victim turned around
nd recognized him as his own son
Well, well.' hs r&.ckled, TO think
hat | would take IN. ewn son for a
ook agent! That's pretty good. |
uessn And he laughed heartily. We
II laughed. Mine must have sounded
Ike the cold. calculating laugh of the
ian who wears gray derby hat In
show, for there was no mirth In II.
hats a cinch.
Well. sir, do you know. was so