Evening Star Newspaper, July 5, 1936, Page 61

Moagoazine Section THIS Wl EK 3 f HID HIRST DAY The story of Jefferson Pope, of the Whee! Sales-School, who in one single day travelled the whole road: between failure and success by EVERETT RHODES CASTLE FOR JOSIE'S SAKE HE MUST GET ON THE WHEE! ROLL OF HONOR EFFERSON DAVIS POPE pressed the bell as per instructions laid down in the Whee! Sales-School by Mr. Minch. Not too insistently, because that might easily annoy the approaching prospect and thus create added sales resistance. Not too timidly, lest the brief tinkle be lost to the lady of the house as she went about her multifarious duties. In short, gently but firmly. Presently the sound of footsteps sent the waiting representative of the Whee! Washer into a dither of preparation for the forth- coming interview. His hands twitched at his necktie, and a smile intended to exude a pleasant magnetism implanted itself with glassy fixity on his earnest, youthful face. The door opened a scant six inches. ““Well?"” *‘Good morning,” said Jefferson Davis Pope instantly. ‘I — " **No magazines,” the sharp voice from the darkened interior cut in instantly. ‘I don't care whether you are working your way through college, or even a dozen colleges. You — " *“You are mistaken,”” Jefferson Davis Pope assured her hastily, still clinging desperately to his magnetic smile. ‘‘I have nothing to sell.” ‘‘What's that?”’ Was the voice a little softer? Jefferson Davis Pope took a deep breath. It was the crucial moment, according to Mr. Minch. From this point the interview went smoothly and inevitably forward to the point where a Whee! Washer was installed in the home for a free ten-day trial, or it passed forever into the limbo of lost opportunities. **Well?"’ the voice from the crack urged. “My firm,” said young Mr. Pope in a quavering version of Mr. Minch's ingratiat- ing, yet dominating, voice, ‘‘is keenly desirous of having the opinions of a selected list of representative women relative to its new and revolutionary type washer — the Whee! They do not ask you to buy, consequently I have nothing to sell. They would esteem it a g-great favor, however, if you would allow them to install this, their latest and g-greatest achievement in your home for ten days, without cost or obligation."’ ‘I thought you said,”” the voice behind the door crackled, ‘‘that you didn’t have any- thing to sell?”’ ““I haven’t!”’ Mr. Minch'’s pupil assured her with the proper mixture of firmness and can- dor advocated by his instructor. ‘‘This new and startling departure from t-the older practice of mechanical washing,” he hurried on as the door began to quiver, ‘‘with its balloon-type wringer, its fifty percent larger agitator operating at one hundred and thirty impulses per minute and its ten pound dry weight capacity per tub, is so new and so startling that you will readily see — " “I see,”” the voice agreed with a sniff. Then both the crack and the voice were gone. Jefferson Davis Pope stared desperately at the bleak surface of the green door, then turned and walked slowly back ddwn the walk. As he reached the street he remembered to shrug his shoulders. It was unfortunate that the speed with which opportunity had departed prevented putting into execution Mr. Minch's little suggestion of asking the name of the woman next door, so that the new interview might be opened on a more personal and intimate note. But there were more doors. Hundreds of them. How many young sales- men made a sale on their initial call or secured a trial installation? Not one in a thousand! Jefferson Davis Pope squared his young shoulders and started to whistle. As Mr. Minch had pointed out in his ad- dress to the graduating class of Whee! sales- men the day before, every man was off the bench now. He was out on the varsity hitting the line hard for old Whee! Let nine doors close. The tenth would creep open, inch by inch, until the goal was reached. The old punch! The old fight! That was what put names on the Whee! Roll of Honor. Every home was a new game. A new opportunity! And then there was Josie. Josie with her big blue eyes and little trick of smiling with one corner of her small mouth. Josie who just knew, as she kissed him good night, that life was really beginning for them. ' Jefferson Davis Pope stepped forward jauntily toward a white house with green blinds. ... i Twelve o'clock. A woman dressed in a startling wrapper of red and green stuck her head out of an upper window. ““What do you want?"’ she cried shrilly. Then, before Jeiferson Davis Pope could even affix his tired magnetic smile she continued: *If you have something to sell I haven't got time to talk. Well?"” It is difficult to speak persuasively with the head upthrust and a box of faded ge- raniums between the prospect and yourself. Jefferson Davis Pope did his best. “I—1 haven't anything to sell,”” he as- sured the lady loudly and tugged at his smile. *‘If I could speak to you for 2 moment I am sure you will agree that the time has been well spent.” **You're sure you're not selling something?"’ the woman asked, and her blue eyes were glacial with suspicion. ‘‘I mean if it’s a sample or trial offer, my children will be home from school in 2 minute. Well?"’ ‘‘Is your Monday a day of drudgery?"’ One of the points Mr. Minch often made to his embryo Whee! salesmen was the advantage of asking at the outset of the interview a (Continved on page 11)