The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-02-12
NO. so.
Do You Want to Buy a Dog2
An Advertisers Experience-How Buffer
was Made to " See IT."

An Advertisers Experience-How Buffer
was Made to "see It,"
"I can't see it," says Buffer. "No-
body reads all these little advertise,
merits. It's preposterous to think OF
it."
"But," said the editor, "you read
what inte rests you"
eyes"
"And if there's anything you par
ticularly want you look for it ?"
Certainly"
"Well, among the thousands upon
thousands who help to make up this
busy world of ours, everything that is
printed is read. Sheer as you please, 1
do assure you that printers ink is the
true open sesame to all business sue
cess"
And still Buffer couldn't see it. He
didn't believe that one-half of those lit
tie crowded advertisements were ever
read.
"Suppose you try the experiment"
said the editor. "Just slip in an ad-
vertisement of the want of one of the
more common things in the world. For
the sake of the test will give it two
insertions free. Two will be enough,
and you may have it in any out of the
way nook in my paper you shall select.
Two insertions of only two lines. Will
you try it ?"
Buffer said of course he would try it.
And he selected the place where he
would have it published-crowded in
under the head of "Wants." And he
waited and saw proof of his advertise
ment, which appeared as follows:
Wanted-A good house dog. APP
ply to J. Buffer, 575 Towser street, be-
tween the hours of 6 and 9 P. NJ"
Buffer went away smiling and nod
ding. On the following morning he
opened his paper, and, after deal of
hunting, he found his advertisement.
At first it did not appear at all con-
spicuous. Certainly so insignificant
paragraph, buried in such a wilderness
of paragraphs, could not attract atten-
ton. After a time it began to look
more noticeable to him. The more he
looked at it the palmer it grew. Finally
it glared at him from the closely-printed
page. But that was because he was
the person particularly interested. OF
course it would appear conspicuous to
him. But it could not be so to others.
That evening Mr.. Buffer was just sit
ting down to tea (Buffer was plain,
old-fashioned man, and took tea at six)
when his door bell was rung. The SER
want announced that there was man
at the door with dog to sell.
"Tell him don't want one."
Six times Buffer was interrupted
while taking tea by men with dogs to
sell. Buffer was a man who would not
lie. He had put his foot in and he
must take it out manfully. The twen-
ty-third applicant was a small boy, with
a girl in company, who had a ragged,
dirty poodle for sale. Buffer bought
the poodle of the boy and Immediately
presented it to the girl, and then sent
them off,
To the next applicant he was able
truthfully to answer, "Don't want any
more; have bought one."
The stream of callers continued until
near ten o'clock, at which hour Buffer
locked up and turned off the gas.
On the following evening, as Buffer
approached the house, he found crowd
assembled. He counted thirty-nine
men and boys, each of whom had dog
in tow. There were dogs of every
grade, size and color, and dogs of every
| quallUy OF WHlne, yep, paIh, Slo"l
and howl. Buffer addressed the motley
multitude and informed them that he
had purchased dog.
"Then what dyer advertise for? ?"
And Buffer got his hat knocked over
his eyes before he reached the sanctuary
of his home.
Never mind about the trials and
tribulations of that night. Buffer had
no idea there were so many dogs in ex-
istence. With the aid of three police.
men he got through alive. On the next
morning he visited his friend, the edi.
tor, and acknowledged the corn. The
advertisement of "wanted" was taker
out, and in the most conspicuous place
and in glaring type, he advertised thai
he didn't want any more dogs. And fol
the advertisement he paid. Then he
went home and posted on his door
"Gone into the country" Then he
hired special policeman to guard his
property, and then he locked up ant
went away with his family.
From that day Josephus Buffer hal
never been heard to express doubts
, concerning the efficacy of printers ink
, neither has he asked, who reads ad