Page:Paine--J Archibauld McKaney collector of whiskers.djvu/139

  slightly different from the style selected by me had been sent. I had noticed the error and intended to write about it at my leisure.

In the meantime, however, the publisher had discovered the mistake, and during my absence in Boston he had sent an agent to my house with the other set of books to replace those already in my possession. My secretary explained to me that the agent had taken the wrong edition back to New York with him, and placed the new set of books in their case in my library. Knowing that I desired to have this change made, my secretary had made no objections. I am afraid that my language was shocking, but the provocation was immense. Here was my parchment envelope, containing the gem of my hirsute collection, whisked off to Heaven knew where, by a misguided wretch of a book agent.

When I became calmer I asked if anything else had happened during my unlucky absence. I was informed that Pillsover had called on the previous day, just as the publisher's agent was driving away with the first or wrong set [121