The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1917-03-21
Wednesday, March 81, 1917
CATCHING Chickens.

ne was not selling booksa sales
men will be along hereafter. He had
sent out a few cards to prominent
young attorneys advising them that
they would receive a book contain
ing some famous orations free il
only they would sign the cards. Some
Of our young attorneys signed, and
the book-agent to show his regard
for a proper appreciation Of good
literature just called by to see them,
shake their hands and to tell them
about the books which were to be
offered for sale by the salesmen who
are to come.
Incidentally he showed them a
few endorsements Of the books they
were selling given out by certain
lawyers in Chicago and elsewhere
and by VIM. Jennings Bryan, if you
have ever heard Of him. He stated
that the endorsements of the book
by such men were worth a great deal
to his company, as would be the
endorsement of certain of our young
attorneys, politicians, etc., and they
were willing to pay for the en-
dorsements by fixing the price Of the
books at $1,000 and knocking off
about forty per cent. Of course
this offer was not made to everyone,
only those on the inside with in
fluence-the more prominent of the
members of the bar, whose names
would count. The endorsement Of
each one to whom he spoke, meant
about five sales to his company. The
president of the company he said
knew this from the reputation of
the attorneys.' And the young at.
torneys reached for their pens, and
the hawk had caught some more lit
tie chickens.
This reminds US Of an experience
which Judge Frank B. Gary had with
q representative Of Golfers some
years ago. Mind you, we say "rep-
resenative," because he was no
book agent, he said as much himself.
Judge Gary was then a lawyer, and
. hawk had caught him sometime be-
fore and he had sworn with a mighty
oath that when he got out Of Col
lier's claws he would never get
caught again. By and by the in
stallments were all paid, and little
time had elapsed, giving the lawyer
cooling time" About this time
the Representative" put in his ap-
pearance. he was all smiles, and
called lawyer Gary, "Counsellor."
he was very anxious to know about
the Counsellor's health, and SO. was
Mr.. Collier. Mr.. Collier, he stated,
had been somewhat worried that the
counsellor had not sent in any or
ders for books recently, and, while
he did not say so in so many words,
the impression was that Mr., Collier
had sent him all the way to- Abbe-
Vile 'toss see what the trouble was
with the; counsellor. :. The counseRf
intimated TO- the. representative. IL
no very complimentary :: terms his
opinion. 6f Mr.. Collier and especially
Of the fellows who came around at
the wrong time every month making
the collections. The representative
exclaimed, "Oh, counsellor, Mr..
Collier will be so grieved to hear
you speak thusly Of him, and espe-
cially Of the poor young men who
are working so hard, so far away
from home, in q vain effort to keep
life going in the brothers and sisters
who are in the far west struggling
themselves to "keep breath in the
body The representative and Mr..
Collier knew that the counsellor had
not lost his appreciation of good
books, and if the counsellor did not
appreciate certain publications the
trouble must be with the books.
After awhile the counsellor be-
gan to cave in. He made the mis-
take Of arguing with another man
that other mans case. The two got
confidential after awhile, and in a
little while the representative left
the order was for $49.50 which he
carried away with him.
And thus it is that there is moth
ing which works like appealing to
a mans vanity, and the show Of ap-
probation of ones self by another.