Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-05-27
A TRADE SURPRISE.
nut. which Il Matter OF Necessity
Rather Than Lack Of Policv-The
whole secret OF it Revealed
Along with Some ether Matters OF H.
terest For Merchants, Husbands
and HouAekeePers.

The average newspaper man, and you
may take the general run OF them. II
YOU will, inclines to the opinion that In
Sensational occurrences, and news OF
wrjghty import which may influence the
affairs of a whole country, are the sole
matters of interest to general readers.
Now from this standpoint wish to set
I'D a disclaimer which the argument
adduced think will prove. Newspa.
per readers like gossip, it Is true. Ana
they want to be posted on current
events, but will leave the verdict to
the vast majority if it Is not in the ma
terial practical dealings of every day
life in which they feel the warmest in
terest. II seems to me that wide field
is open in this direction for interviews
with our home merchants, and who in
an hours talk could say to twenty
thousand people in the same time
through the medium of the press just
what they could say to one. 1t Is true
that the enterprising ones do 1t through
advertisements, and yet there is some-
thing left over for the reporter to say In
his own way.
Now suggested this to Mr.. Joseph
Graves, the well known stationery,
book and wall paper dealer, at No. 80
Twelfth street, on yesterday, and to
show the correctness Of my ideas asked
me to take look through his establish
ment. l had often been in his store be-
fore and knew that the first floor,
which hadpresumed carried his stock,
was packed full of goods, and that his
trade was extensive and composed OF
clintelc of judious and good buyers.
The first invitation, however, was to
the third floor, and here l found store
room of itself.
With some shadow Of facetiouSness |
remarked: "IOu must think this
wonderfully progressive and prosperous
matrimonial centre from the number OF
baby carriages you have in stock"
"Ies, we sell quite good many.
We have them from three up to thirty
eight dollars each. There is no family
so rich as to have a baby that is too
poor to buy a carriage for it, and l sell
three dollar one with just about as
much pleasure as one for ten times the
money. We have solid comfort right
here for every one of the little folks. "
And so there was. / don't think L
ever saw so many miniature vehicles
together at one time, and half dozen
columns of this paper would not suffice
te describe the variety and elegance,
and all the appliances used for giving
the little ones the essence of 1.-The poetry
ofnotion.'
On this floor were some unique, o
rather grotesque japanese fire screenes.
made on japanese satin background
and beautifully according to the %s
thetic taste of the age-embossed with
quaint figures in colored silk.
"There is quite demand for these
goods" said Mr.. Graves. "They make
a very striking adOrnment for a room.
and, besides, they serve the purpose OF
utility and at the same time are not
very expensive
The second floor was devoted exclus-
lively to wall papers. There is miles OF
it there / am convinced. And here
am inclined to say word to the lady
readers of the REGISTER about the inn
provements which can he made in
your homes by the tasteful GOVERN 3 of
their internal walls by nice paper.
Plenty of you, am satisfied, have said
to yourselves: "I'll let this season 60
by without re-papering my parlor, or
dining room, or chamber, or Kitchen
as the case may be. Don't do it. The
cost can he made very small and II will
repay you hundred fold to expend 1t.
And let me say to you before deciding,
as l have indicated, go and see Mr..
Graves and look through his stock as |
have done. If you could know what
beautiful patterns and colors which are
there and at what are really astonishing
~ low prices, you would determine at
once to put an extra squirt on "house-
cleaning and the writer's word for it,
YOU would treasure up the suggestion
with kindly memory.
On the first floor, to which Mr.. Graves
conducted me, was stock OfstatiOnery,
blank and other books, articles Of
bric-a-brac and home adornments
which is carried by but few
of the very largest houses.
"We'are compelled to crowd away
goods under the shelves and counters
simply because we buy heavily and
secure advantages and because of the
wide variety of our different prices"
And this was evidently true. 1t sug-
gested to me the fact that this was a
good place to buy, and the impression
during years of his business here must
have got far abroad a. well as very deep
ly seated, for the influx of customers
during my short stay illustrated the
popularity of Mr.. Graves store.
Now if these lines which are here
printed will induce new patrons to
visit Mr.. Graves store, when | am
satisfied they can get exactly what will
please them and at lower prices than
they dream of, think the argument
will be carried out that this field of
newspaper work is one of substantial
interest and benefit to the reading,