toward the front of the house, expecting to try the next neighbor. When
I neared the front steps, I was seized with a determination to either
get into that house or make the old lady some trouble for her impudence.
So I ran up and pulled the bell vigorously several times. Directly I
heard the doors opening and closing and a general rustling about through
the rooms, when suddenly the front door opened just far enough to admit
me and I landed in the hall-way with a single bound. The lady recognized
me and said:

"Here you are again."

"Yes'm here I am and I am here to convince you that I am no
house-burglar nor highway robber I am here with a valuable article which
you can not afford to be without nor can any other housekeeper and were
I to leave without showing it you would always pride yourself on getting
rid of one impostor I must insist on showing you the value of my
preparation which I can do on the hat-tree here in the hall."

I then began polishing, and kept up a ceaseless run of talk, much to the
disgust of her highness, who insisted that all peddlers and agents were
tramps, virtually speaking. I managed however, to do most of the talking
and at last convinced her from its rapid drying qualities that it was
almost indispensable. I then closed a sale with her, and as she had been
so very courteous and complimentary in her opinion of agents and
peddlers, I let her have two bottles for three dollars.

The third house I visited was that of a middle-aged gentleman who, after
purchasing a bottle of my renovator, expressed a desire to become an
agent for its sale. I informed him that I was sole proprietor and could
give him a very good chance. He asked what I would take for Washtenaw
County, Michigan. I saw at once that he was anxious to invest in
territory, and as my preparation was not patented, I decided to
accommodate him by letting him have the exclusive sale of it in that
county for a reasonable consideration. I proposed to let him have the
agency for that county for fifty dollars. The idea pleased him, but he
thought the price rather high. He had raised a very fine garden and had
a nice lot of vegetables in his cellar, which he showed me with a good
deal of pride. While looking them over I took a careful inventory of
every thing and became satisfied that he had enough stowed away for two
families, and as soon as we returned from the cellar I began negotiating
for a portion of each kind. His wife as well as hi