The New York herald., 1921-02-27
Old Time Book Agent
Practically Has Gone


and an air of faded responsibility; but in
either case once having gained admission TO
a home or office, he would recite his sales
arguments in sing-song, mechanical man
ner which at once disclosed their origin to
observant person
The instructions to agents included not
only various statements intended to pre-
possess the prospect in favor of the set of !,
books or the ponderous tome which the
agent was exploiting, but they also pre-
sented various methods of approach in
tended to pacify the irritation of the busy
housewife. whose workaday temper was
never improved by finding an agent at the
front door after she had discarded hastily
her apron and dust cap in response to his
knock.
Women Commonly Proved
The Easiest of Victims
The book agent, however, preferred to deal
with women; he found them easier victims
to his wiles than men, particularly when
his appeal to them could be founded on the
assumption that the literature ne was sell
ing would be of nestimable value to their
children.
Perhaps the last distinctive phase of book
agenting came very few years ago with
that type of salesman who urged his wares
on the plea that he was endeavoring to work
his way through college. For a short time
agents who used this method of approach
were very numerous. They we're both male
and female, and their introduction consisted
OF the simple request for the vote of the
prospect. This opened the conversation and
IL then developed, according to the plausible
agent, that there was a country wide con-
test being conducted by some benevolent as
sociation and that the person getting the
most votes" would get a free college educa-
ton.
Needless to say, in order to cast a vote
in behalf of the apparently sincere and
earnest young person who applied for your
patronage ii was necessary for you TO buy
"a certain book or set of books. This gag
produced splendid results for two or three
years. but the public soon became aware of
the fact that, in most instances, the asser
tons of the agents were devoid of truth. with
the result that the aspiring student type
of agent lost much of his or her effective-
ness.
Throughout the country what might be
termed the genus itincrdnh is disappearing.
Charlatans and quacks of various kinds still
linger In the bacltwoods DISTRICTS but for
the greater part they have gone and left
only memories behind them. The book
agent, however. has left his imprint in every
communicative book shelves in homes in
the rural districts and the smaller ell
will testify TO his activities long after his
a long time TO come. the gloomy libraries
in oil fashioned American domicfles will
contain the inevitable doctors book. (which.
madam. will save rs cost in three months
by eliminating the necessity OF summoning
the physician for those slight ailments to
which mankind IN heir" the encyclopedia
(which is a beacon light OF knowledge and
which should be in every family which de-
sires the incalculable benefits OF erudition:"
the impressive little volume with the black
cover which exposes the wiles and wicked
ness of slick city crooks ind which states
emphatically. among other precepts. that
one must never sign paper for a
stranger
Few, save those who deplore the passing
OF certain picturesque phases Of American
lfe win mourn the passing Of the book
agent And yet society owes a certain debt
of gratitude to the young optlmlsts and the
old pessimsts who made up the majority OF
those In the profession" For. In the face
of obstacles that only dauntless or desperate
spirits could surinount, they carried the first
nickering light Of culture and education into
byways that otherwise might long have been
left unillumed.