The Opelousas courier., 1882-12-23
The Poetry Market.

A timid, but really rather pretty
Young man came stepping softly into the
HawEeye sapctum yesterday afternoon
when nobody was in but the ADVERTISE
ment solicitor. who was writing 9 hall
column puff of Slab & H~eadstohe's new
marble shop. The young man took OF
his hat and said: 'Good morning" and
the advertising nan snarled. 'What is
poetry vorthm asked the timid, but
pretty young man.
Forty cents a line," said the adver-
tisement man, promptly and rather
tenderly, ssand you can't do better any,
where in America. The advantages we
offer for the publication of poetry are
unsurpassed on either side of the Missis-
sippi. Our circulation, standing in hVe
figures the first year, has steadily in
creased three times an hour ever since,
and poetry published in this paper is
placed in the hands of 10000 families
before night. How much have your"
'.Perhaps,n said the timid young man,
fairly ree1ing with delight, lit is a little
too long"
"MaEes no difference" said the ad.
man, beaming upon him Kindly; "we'H
put it all in if we have to issue a sup
plement. And everything over 5000
lines goes at t~hirty-fve cents"
The timid Young man looked disap-
pointed. -,
1T isn't so much then,' he said,
sswhen it's very long?"
.Never," replied the ad. man, mag
unanimously. 'Never; less room, more
pay; that's the way you make your liv'
ing. Got your copy with you?"
Eyes, SIR" replied the young man,
joyfully: s'would you like to read it, sir,
Or shall l read it?"
''No, don't care to read it just now.
Sit down and We'll count it,"
So they sat down and counted it.
my heart, my heart in throbbine
numbers tells" read the ad. man
'.Heart medicine, young MANI" he
asked, in the patronizing way of a man
who knows everything.
mo sir" replied the young man, il
amazed tones. while the ad. man count
ed away for dear life. "No, sir; {
rhapsody, sir"
"FOh, yes; yes, of course" said the
ad. man, in reassuring tones, "Hun
dred nine, humid ten, humid 'leven-
course, hund fourteen-hain't done
much in rhapsodies since Helmbole
~failed-hund twent-thee-good things
though; we took a gross Of 'em las
spring on Pad & Lotions column
humid for -two-and / wore mysel
two weeks and it made-hund tift' -fou.
man of me. Cne hundred and sixty
eight lines, sir, and we'll throw il
a four-line head and won't count thu
odd half line-S65. 20; call it al ever
S65 cash down. Just step down to thu
business office and I'll give you a re
ceipt."
We don't know what happened i'm
mediately after that. We only know
that when the footman opened the doc
of the carriage to let us out at the mar
BILE steps of the Howasye Office, the ad
man was leaning on the heavy bronz'
ba~lusters, gazing wonderingly at thu
figure of q young man, walking I'm
steadily down the street, holding a fut
tering manuscript in n hand, ant
into the other clasping his pallid brow
"You may take my double-columl
head for a football, sir" said the ad
man, respectfully raising his hat ant
standing uncovered as we assembled on
broad stairway, 'sif that young fellow
going down street isn't a three-squart
funatic from GRANVILLE. Wanted MI
to pay him sixty-fve dollars for a lons
rhyming puff without a line of business
in it, sir. "-Burltngton HaUkeye.