Unfortunately for him, he was overtaken by sickness, and I did him a favor in financial as well as other ways when I allowed him for a time to turn his employment over to me. Of course, I went at it as a simple business proposition, and brought to bear all my resources rather than to lose a customer. They say if a man can’t use his tongue he may as well shut up shop. As I never had any difficulty in the former, I never was compelled to do the latter for any other purpose than temporary repairs. The agent told me what to say and gave me all his business methods. The way I worked an ordinary sale was something like this: After trying to lead my man into conversation, I would spring the real subject of my talk quite suddenly. “Oh, by the way, Mr. Smith, how would you like to have a nice family bible?” Mr. Smith.—“A bible, eh? Oh, I have the old bible that mother gave us when we were married.” Agent.—“Yes, I know. But we have a bible that discounts anything you ever heard of. It is a facsimile of an English bible that sells across the water for forty-five dollars. We are only charging twenty-two, and you pay only three dollars a month, without interest. It is the finest thing on the market today. Other publishers are dying to get our secret, because we are selling at less than it would cost them to manufacture the same article. Mr. Smith.—“Your bible must be a mighty fine one to cost twenty-two dollars.” Agent.—“Right you are. In the first place, it is printed on the very finest quality of white linen paper. Its cover is a superior quality of Morocco leather; the type is large and clean; the full-page engravings are executed on steel in the finest manner; it has the old as well as the new testament, enriched with parallel references and a fine biblical dictionary referred to in marginal notes. In addition to all this, it has elegant blanks for a marriage certificate, and a family record, together with the illuminated Lord’s prayer and the ten commandments, all on separate and decorated pages. To cap the whole thing and to give this bible a special ‘tone,’ there is a Swiss music box in it which plays twelve different hymns. Every time you open the bible you have the benefit of a choir, and if you ever feel like staying home from church just take down the good book, have your little boy fall asleep by the fire, and you’ll have a ‘meeting’ of your own—psalms, hymns, services and all. Why, man, it is the most complete and beautiful thing of the kind you ever saw, and if you don’t agree with me, on your honor, I’ll give you fifty dollars.” Mr. Smith.—“Whew. You’re a long-winded feller. I know that bible is fine, but I just haven’t got the money for it.”