The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-05-02
SELLING II ] BOOB / !
AUCTION
Not All Of the Statesmen Have til,
1; Same Method Of Passing
ia 81, <.,c# =s ~: Out Stock. .}..;ss @
TRAGEDY OF LITERATURE
Authors Choicest Gems Disposed 81
Under Red Flags and selar- Z ~ !:
~ ing Posters s.: . ~ F.. .:>zs: !

l
| T. Under Red Flags and. sGlar- A. !. :.
! ~ ing Posters : &: II = +. ~. VI:
The book auctioneer weighed a~svol-
ume critically in his hand as he turned
4 to the title page. In a moment he had
fixed the title and authors name firm
] ly in his mind, noted the number OF
pages and illustrations and stepped
]brislly forward to the edge of the
| platform. ~ r..
| The room was filled with mixed
crowd attracted from the sidewalk by
the red flags and haring posters. The
literary tragedy thus staged is enact
ed daily in scores of book sales
throughout the country. i"
''Now sentle,nen"-the man of books
forced his voice to it's highest key
IT never handled a finer line of books
in my life than we have here today.
I know a literary audience when I see
one. %, Well, today you, will have the
opportunity of a lifetime, believe me.
Il will begin the sale by offering
you a high-class literary article, the
works of the great writer-er-er-
Balzac. Now let me tell YOU who Bal
FAC was. He was a Frencnman, and
sellers of-of that period. Why. gem
tlemen, he thought nothing of writing
$4,000 book. Think of it! I now
show you his complete works in three
volumes.
To the Red Tie.
zone dollar and a half do I hear
One moment, gentlemen:
Volumes, count them. Who will offer
two dollars Two dollars? Yes:
Thank you. Now two and a half, a
half, half, half, half, My motto is
quick sales and small profits Who'll
give a half? Here's bargain. You'll
. never regret-half, half? Yes, gel
you over there in the corner. Going
at two and a half, half, half. Thank
you. The gentleman with the rec
necktie gets the complete set.
Il will now offer you another really
high grade book Just the book yol
have been waiting for, I'm sure. It's
by a writer named Browning, and Is
entitled, as you see, 1.-THE Ring and the
Book And this reminds me of a lit
tie story which with your kind per:
mission, will relate to YOU"
The auctioneer's voice had fallen tt
an ingratiating, conversational tone,
"A lady once entered a large de.
partment> store and inquired Of The
| first aisle man she met if she coulC
procure Browning in the emporium
He told her she could not. He ex.
fplained that they sold bluing, black.
ing and whiting and took orders fol
pinking, but they had no Browning
Well now, gentlemen, We are better
off than that store. We have Brown.
ing, all right, and how much am
bid for him."
Human Boasts the Price.
Under the spell of this irresistible
hu,mor the volume was started at sc
cents, run to Is cents, and. after spir-
tied fractional advances, knocked
down for 81 cents.
Nov. here We have real select
little book"-the auctioneer again
spoke with vehemence which shook the
lwindoWs"its bound in leather, you
see. an ornament for your table. It is
written by Thomas, let me see, OF
WAY. 1t seems to be a book OF
plays-Yes, its a book of plays-and
as you can see at glance, real Sc.
lect thing"
/ 1t was The ancient leather bind
ing had the unmistakab BILE dignity OF
age The leaves of rich tvellum had
taken on delicate shade Of brown
which was absolutely convincing-a
book to handle reverently.
Look at this leather" shouted the
auctioneer, "a little shopworn, per
How much?
Look at the Paper.
"Not a bid, gentlemen? Why, gen
tlemen, look what I'm offering you
Look at the grade Of paper they have
Il put into it.
Il open it at random. Here we have
l>A
I Venice Preserved You have all hearC
of the beautiful city of Venice, where
people go about the streets in boats.
! What do I hear? Five cents2 No
! gentlemen, I cannot sacrifice this book
for cents. L will purchase it myself
for my own private library. Here, Jim.
my, put this book aside for me-
Shades of the tender Otway!"
!, Nov, the best thing about a BOOB
THE salesman spoke with extreme ra.
pidity. Nov here is a, lot of CLASSY
little books which I am going to rur
off in a hurry. Each volume goes tt
tine first bidder. They were Al holiday
sellers only last year, but you all know
how the fashions change, so this year
they 60 cheap.
Where, Size Counts.
What am I offered, for this one
a fine novel, colored illustrate
mere than 300 pages Of entertaining
reading. Ten cents? It's yours.
Heres another, almost as big. How
much? Five? Take it. Now another
Five? It's yours. Here's pile of 'em
each and every one goes to the first
), bidder.
! Here is just the article you have
}been waiting for gentlemen"-tne auc-
}; ticmeer cleared his throat for a more
vehement effort this fine big book
Here it is. 1t seems TO be a collection
of plays and the authors name is E-U-
lR-I-Pides. Now. gentlemen, you must
all agree with me that there is moth.
ing more interesting than a good play
When you come home tired at night
after a hard days work what woulG
you rather do tnan anything else? En-.
4 JOY a good play, Of course. By purchas.
ing this volume you can read a number
of plays in your own homes. Now here
is full line of plays by this author
What am I bid?' ~ !
; We struggled forward to catch q
glimpse of the lost ma sterpieces OF
: Euripides, restraining an impulse ttc
|begin the bidding at a million.
| Thirty-cent saeriIege. H.;
Thirty cents, do hear? Now, gen.
tlemen,', the auctioneer pleaded, "does
this. look like thirty cents? Why SEE
the size Of the bOok-more thar 50(
} pages. Fifty, did you say?" Let US