The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-11-18
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THE AGENT
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When Pringle reached the kitchen
he found Mrs. Pringle busily engaged
baking a stuffed steak.
"Well," he began. how did things
go today?"
Erred" Mrs. Pringle returned, you
never fail to ask that question. But,
honestly, / did have the funniest ex-
perience this morning.
"About half-past ten the nicest-look-
ing young man came to the front door
and wanted to know If he was speak
ing to Mrs. Frederick Pringle. told
him YES and then he asked if had
a boy George and a girl Madeline in
the Hiawatha ward school. He seem
ed to think 1t couldn't be possible that
| should have two children old enough
to go to school, and seemed SO pleas
ed that couldn't help feeling pleased.
too. So when he said he was from the
board of education / was SO surprised
that / let him right in.
After he sat down he began to ask
me questions about the children;
wanted to know what grades they
were in and how they we're doing and
seemed so interested / thought the
board must pick out fine young men
as its employees.
Then he began to talk about uer-
ents cooperating with the teachers.
Then he began to talk about par
He seemed to think the best way was
to furnish the children with booAs at
home, so that they could employ their
evenings to advantage.
Then he reached inside his coat
and brought out reference book,
with all sorts of facts and figures in it.
He wanted to sell the book and want
ed me to sign contract to pay one
dollar down and one dollar week for
nine weeks"
Book agent. eh?" exclaimed Pring-
lie, with chuckie. "And he took you
in. A woman falls for that sly stuff
every time. suppose ne sold you the
book and then took orders for set
telling you how to NOW the Ia n,
paint china and build Mary Ann furni-
ture. Well, where's the book?"
HE did nothing of the kind" re-
turned Mrs. Pringle. Il simply took
him at his word and let him ram5le
on. Iseemed just as interested as ne
did. Then / asked him again If the
school board had sent him. Without
actually saying that it had he contriv-
ed to answer as if the board was re-
sponsible for the book and for his
coming, and as if it wanted everybody
to have the book
$50 then passed lot of comph-
ments about the board and asked him
il he knew Mr. RUNNER. knew his
name and business because Saole
Hartman tried to get him to help
her get a teachers place, and / went
with her to call on him. The nice
young man said he was we'll acquaint-
ed with Mr.. hummer.
Then went to the telephone, right
behind whore the young man sat, and
while | held down the receiver hook
/ pretended was calling Mr.. Rum
mer. / made believe / got Mr.. Rum
mer, and then said that happened
to have not dollar, and since was
such friend of his couldn't | have
the book without paying the dollar
and without signing anything. Then
pretended that he said could. ]
asked the young man If he didn't want
to talk to Mr.. RUNNER. He was most
polite and said that would be all right.
But he couldn't leave the book be-
cause he carried that for a sample, but
that he would be right back with an
other copy for me. And he left. He
hasn't been back yet"
''You don't say sol" exclaimed
Pringle. surveying his wife thru his
glasses with undisguised admiration.