Book Agent Routed By Lawyer's Quiz

Caller Was Selling Bibles, but Couldn't Name Author.

Vice President Marshall, when still a struggling lawyer in Indiana, was sitting in his little office when a genial book agent entered and undertook to sell him a new edition of the Bible, "full morocco, annotated," etc.

Before the agent was through with his description of the merits of the new volume, Marshall interrupted him to ask who the author was.

"W-h-y, this is the Bible," explained the agent.

"I am fully aware of that," answered Marshall, in full soberness, "but I ask again, who is the author?"

Again the salesman explained that he was offering the Bible. Again, Marshall demanded the name of the author, and the demand and the explanation were repeated in varying forms again and again.

Finally the man of the books gathered up his samples, retreated to the door, and then, with one hand on the knob, turned around and shouted:

"You pinheaded fool and blithering idiot, it's the Bible."

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, May 22, 1920, page 9.