Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-07-05

led the street to the saloon @There"
he said triumphantly @That's what l call selling!"
"Cal it whatever you want to- I said, "I1l never
use it-not. while there hundreds of blind in
the country holding out tin cups with money in them
l may be robber; but there is remnant of pity
in my heart. I'm going to buy blackjack and jimmy
and look for honest work"
And l really believed what said. But next day the
devil whispered in my couldn't resist the tempta
ton to try McGuires canvass haf-dozen times-and
at the end of the day had made money than l
supposed there anywhere in the world. The mark
of Cain upon From that time forth my hand
against every mans hand, and every mans hand
against mine.
WHEN the strike at the factory was they sent
notice to come back to work; but laughed
at them, and threw it away. was making money
in day-some days-than had ever before made in
week. matching my wits against the wits of those
who held good jobs and looked disdainully me-and
was beating them at their game. The thrill of the
chase through my VEINS Behind every office door
there money for if 1 would but go and take it;
pockets created only for my benefit; hands
divided into fingers that they might the easily
close round pencil; eyes designed by Heaven to
be fixed upon dotted lines Even today, old am,
have not lost the love of the game Let well fed lawyer
my trail, and am like dog at eash the sight of
nearly bald old gentleman with white whskers, sitting
behind mahogany desk in bank is the smell
OF smoke TO IRE morse turl me INTO the thou
sand miles, and by sixth sense | will a1ight in
town where the school teachers have just been paid
And expect to live so long that the sight of
doctor stepping out of automobile and entering his
home alone will leave unmoved
1t little than twenty years ago that
first heard that from the lips of Al Mcclure.
In those years have worked in almost every city and
town in the country with every of that the
ingenuity of bookmen has been able to devise. Like
certain celebrated parsonage mentioned in the Bible,
have gone up and down the land and back and forth
in it, for there is not in all the world utterly
independent individual than the successful book agent
| have spent most of my winters in Florida and my
summers somewhere between the two Portlands l
have been present at every great exposition, at the
Mardl Gras and at pretty nearly every other affair of
national Importance Sometimes have had plenty of
money! and at other times none but Dull Care has
been companion of mine any of my trips. There is
publishing Office in almost every city where my
is good for fifty dollars request: and have only
to touch the wre, say in the business to bring
me transportation and advance from any one of
hundred different managers.
"How many books have you sold in your life?" one
who is gueless asked me. And answered:
Il never sold book in my life: sell bargains"
And therein, Gentle Reader lies one of the saddest
commentaries that be passed upon the weakness of
you and your kind. know you, and all your graspng,
bargain-hunting Sort and 1 charge you with the
ruption and of all honest book agents. myself in
Guided. 1 would have brought you Shakespeare, and
you would not: perforce kndle fire in your inn
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