Mr. R.—“Well, no. I guess I will speak to my wife and let you know this afternoon.”
Agent.—“Mr. Rice, that is not business. You know your wife would like the books, and you also know you do not want to be bothered again. Your time is too precious, and so is mine. You can tell me right now as well as this afternoon.”
Mr. R.—“I want the volumes bad enough, but I must have time to consider.”
Agent.—“In order to make you safe I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I will send them to you with the distinct understanding that if your wife don’t appreciate them you can have them for nothing. Is not that fair?”
Mr. R.—“That is fair enough—can’t you come again?”
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.”