Agent.—“I want to explain a little before I make my proposition. You see, this is a new edition of Banner’s, brought right up-to-date. The company advertised extensively and, figuring on doing a big business, got out seventy thousand sets. This late financial crash happened, and it came near knocking us clear out. It don’t pay to keep the stock on hand, and pay taxes and insurance, so we are going to try and force them out, quick and cheap. Now, I’ll tell you what we are going to do. The regular price of a set is seventy-two dollars, but we have cut that right in two, making it thirty-six. If you order you get the complete set at once, free of expressage, and only have to pay fifty cents a week on them until they are paid for, nothing in advance, and no interest. If that is not almost giving them away I don’t know what is.” Mr. R.—“I’ll admit that is a fair proposition, but I don’t think I can accept it today.” Agent.—“It is a good idea for a man to be conservative, but sometimes it is policy to deviate from the regular rule. If you will sift this offer down to a fine point, take every particle of it into consideration, and compare these books with other encyclopedias, you will acknowledge yourself that even if things are not just exactly as you would like to have them, it is worth while taking hold of anyway.” Mr. R.—“Why do you claim that?” Agent.—“For various reasons. In the first place, the total cost for so good an article don’t amount to a hill of beans. Even if you paid it all down at once you wouldn’t feel it, let alone paying for it in such little dribs. It is virtually nothing.” Mr. R.—“Yes, but I have too many of these little dribs.” Agent.—“I don’t care how dull times are, how economical a man is, how many irons he has in the fire, or how many obligations he has on hand, there are always little incidental expenses during the month that are met without a murmur.” Mr. R.—“Even if I bought the books I would still have those outlays.” Agent.—“You are right, but I want to ask you one question. You make up your mind now to practice economy. If you were walking down the street and felt like drinking a glass of lemonade or smoking a cigar wouldn’t you go right in and spend ten or fifteen cents for the luxury?” Mr. R.—“Yes, certainly, if I felt like it.” Agent.—“You play billiards and pool occasionally, do you not?” Mr. R.—“Yes, frequently.” Agent.—“And you sometimes lose the game—one can’t always win?” Mr. R.—“I am no expert; I often lose.” Agent.—“If some ladies were to come in here now, soliciting for a church charity, you would dig up a couple of dollars without a struggle, wouldn’t you?” Mr. R.—“Yes, but it’s policy to do that.” Agent.—“So I acknowledge, but I am just illustrating how money goes. If you felt like dropping in at the theatre you wouldn’t stay away because business was a little slack. You would take your wife and go to the play and enjoy the evening, wouldn’t you?”