AMERICAN "BOOK AGENTS."

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1521, 5 March 1886, Page 3

AMERICAN "BOOK AGENTS."

We have been much amused by a pamphlet recently published by the owner of a " subscription " cook-book. " WheD the lady of the house opens the door " —so begin the " Instructions to Agents 1 " Look her frankly in the face,". Ac.; and " when you have entered the house, still looking her in the eye, you can say," and so on. This advice is evidently important, for without it the agent might appear with a sleepish or hang-dog air, in which case success would of course be hopeless; but what is to be done in case the door is opened by someone else than " the lady of the house by the small boy for instance—the agent is not told. Bat, once in and confronted by the lady, the agent must politely "Point to a chair, and say ' Please sit down.'.. Seat yourself beside her, place your open book on her lap, and say," <fcc. These are among the general directions; we hare space to mention hardly t.ny of those adapted to special circumstances, which are indeed too numerous for mention. "If there happens to be a large chrumo of the Pope in the room," the agent is advised to "enlarge on the flah department," though why under these circumstances exclusively we fail to see, since peoplewhogetalong without a large chromo of the Pope eat fish as often, if not so regularly as those who enjoy this privilege. Of more general application is the direction 44 Never, under any circumstances permit yourself to be drawn into an argument with a customer." If,the lady replies, to the agent's iusinuating address, that she has twi, (more or less) cook-books already," he is to assure her that ladies who hare ten and thirteen ( 4, a tact") cook-books buy his. If she is 44 4 afraid the receipts are not good, about the best answer is to say that you yourself have u*ed it,. . . and proved the re-

eeipts to be good. There is no answer to this, except to accuse you of lying." If the lady remarks that she doesn't like the subscription plan of buyiug books," the agent is to assure her that " all the best class of books are sold in that way now." Finally, the agent ig cautioned against a little game which the lady in her turn may try,"' I may see you again when you are delivering and possibly I may take a copy then.' This is an attempt to get nd of you.' —Nation.