Agent.—“I just want to show you the advantages of this offer and then I’ll go. In the first place, take the Blewtanical encyclopedia. It costs from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty dollars. Dippleton’s costs from seventy-five to ninety-five, and Judson’s, eight volumes, costs fifty-six dollars. The Monarch, in six volumes, costs sixty dollars; and the Mercury, in nine volumes, forty dollars; while the Peerless, the smallest standard encyclopedia, and only in three volumes, costs thirty-eight dollars. Now, mine is in twelve large volumes. It is four years later than any of the others, has all their merits, and more new features than all the rest put together. It is recognized as the standard edition all over the world, and I am offering it to you for less money than you can buy the cheapest of the others, and on such terms that you cannot afford to miss the chance.” Mr. R.—“But are not the others just as good?” Agent.—“Perhaps—as far as they go. I am not running them down, understand. One of our greatest presidents was once addressing a literary society on the subject of books. Speaking of this class, he said there were no words strong enough to tell the merits of a good encyclopedia. Of course, if you bought any of those other editions, you would be getting good books, but they are a few years behind and cost so much more money. It is just like putting six coats of paint on a house when two will answer the same purpose.” Mr. R.—“How is it you can sell yours so much cheaper than the others?” Agent.—“Because we are satisfied with larger sales and smaller profits. Our work is in no way inferior to the others; in fact, all authorities consider it superior, and my terms are so reasonable.” Mr. R.—“I should think you were taking big chances.” Agent.—“That is the very reason we interview reliable parties only. Formerly, when one bought an encyclopedia, paying a fancy price for it, he would have to give a mortgage on house, business, wife, children and almost everything he possessed. He’d have to sign promissory notes with a judgment clause, and you know what that means. He would have to pay ten per cent. interest, pay for expressage, and receive only one volume at a time. Under this proposition you don’t sign notes, you pay no interest, no expressage, make no advance payments, give no security, and get the complete set of twelve volumes at one time.” Mr. R.—“How do I know that you are telling the truth?” Agent.—“I am surprised at that question. Don’t the thing look fair, right on the face of it? I offer to ship you a complete set, free of charge, and then give you one whole year in which to pay for them. Just think, my dear sir, could I afford to make misrepresentations on these conditions? You are a business man, and so am I. Do you think I’d sell you one thing and ship you another?” Mr. R.—“And you say it is a very late edition?” Agent.—“Yes, sir, modernized and right up to date.” “Mr. R.—“Any maps?”