The Washington herald., 1913-03-09

preparing to give away-absolutely free
OF CHARGE handsome volume bound IN
three colors and entitled Gems of Verse
and Prose with every paid-in-advance
years subscription. The solicitor was to
keep half he collected.
well, blamed II 1t didn't look good.
7 thought I saw where / could at least
get the price Of a railroad ticket out ol
town. aud the next morning l showed up
aud had 'em fit me out with neat little
prospectus in an oilcioth case, sample
copies Of their magazine, and line Of
talk that they had all ready. Squire
came along with me-he hadn't Just
struck any congenial employment yet
and sat around listening to 'em coach
me ou that talk ! was to hand out
He said he would go along and see
how I made out with my first victim.
Now, mind you, I'd never tried to sell a
nickePs worth Of goods In my life. and
this step marked real epoch In my ca
reer. one might say. j didn't blame
Squire for his curiosity to see II I'd
get away with the job I'd cut out for
myself and what WAS more. 1 didn't OBJ
ject to having him along to sort Of give
Tne courage.
We walked around over the territory
that'd been allotted to me for about an
hour before I could make up my mind to
take the initi1i stab. Then I sighted
through the window OF 4 dirky little no
ton store and saw n man back In the
lear with an undershot chin that made
him look so easy I decided To tackle
him.
He was sitting on stool In front OF
one OF those big long desks that you
could work at standing up If you wanted
to. I laid my prospectus OF the Gems
| of Verse and Prose volume on the desk
and started to unwind my line OF talk.
IT had been fortunate in the selection
of my victim. He listened TO me 30 at
tentively. nodding when / would make
point. that i had to pinch myself to
make sure il vas really SO. 1t looked
like a cincn. I was just about to shove
a slip out TO him for his signature when
happened to look around at Squire
His face was a study. Its expression
was made up OF a combina ton Of ad-
miration over the way I, without previ-
Gus practice, mad got away with my talk.
and amusement over the idea Of anybcdy
being such a mutt as TO buy such a fool
of n book. As i looked at him, the
whole thing struck me cs amusing 1
tried to suppress-a smile. At my smile
'Squire's' face broke into a sure 'noush
grin. Then tho whole thing seemed fun
nier n ever. 1t was just like trying TO
keep your face straight when some
trivial thing happens in church or at
funeral The more you try to avoid
looking amused. the funnicr the thing
gets Ny ribs began 20 vibrate with the
mirth 1 struggled TO suppress. My Gus
toner looked at me and binked If
afraid I was going TO have a fit on his
clean floor Then / buried my face on
his desk and fairly shouted with laugh
ter for I could restrain my amusement
no longer. There was really nothing I"
laugh at of course That was what
made it funny. / must have laughed
there for three or four minutes, durirS
which time could hear Squire snicker-
ing and chortling in his quiet way. over
across the room. Every time I looked
up at my near victim with the undershot
Jaw he was looking half frightened, as
II he'd decided we'd both gone plumb
bughouse. and then I'd laugh some more.
At last I managed to dry my eyes and
asked him between chuckles, that still
kept coming, Would you care to buy a
copy of this wOrk?' indicating the book
Not to-day he replied in a sharp
tone Of finality, like the swapping shut
of n clasp on a trunk.
But the next day says the Reformed
Book Agent. tossing away the ragged
little stub of his smoke. II went out by
myself and took eleven orders. And I've
been taking orders for things ever since
though not any more for Gems VI Verse
and Prose"