Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-05

The outside is a time-piscs, for it is q
sandal. 1t is a highly gilt case, j. e..
in an envelope of gilt paper. 1t is neat
and fiat, and it has a white enameled
face. with gilt letters, for it is merely
white card, with gilt letters printed on
it, and the key is a small paper of in
structions. Lastly, it may safely be
warranted for two years, if you do not
burn it in two days. There were a
great many vendors of these watches,
all using the same advertisement; but,
after they had somewhat exhausted the
demand, n of their number, a nan
OF striking genius, put out an adver-
tisement to this effect:
"Why give fifty cents for a wretched con.
struction OF string anu cardboard, when for,
Two Ssen dollars Ia 81, you can l,f have a genuine time
tered dial, horizontal movement and key?"
He had an immense number of re.
plies, and he sent to the applicants pre-
cisely the same article that he and the
others had been previously sending out
for fifty cents.
The frauds which are perpetrated at
mock auctions are too we'll known to
need any notice here, but there is an
analogous class of frauds which have
scarcely received the attention due to
their merits. You may constantly see
advertisements of this kind:
ga bonus of 500 will be given by the adyer-
tiser to any one who will advance him 5000
for six months. A piano worthi $500 will be
deposited as security for the paymentof the
advance"
Well, on a first glance of such an ad-
vertisement You take it to mean that a
distressed mortal is so much in the
want of money as to be ready to Dor
row it at a very eXorbitant rate OF in
terest; but it does not mean anything
of the kind. 1t means that he wants to
sell a piano, and that if he can get two
hundred dollars from you he will make
a very good bargain by leaving that
valuable article in your hands.
Some time ago an advertisement ap-
peared in a London paper which ran as
follows:
outlay, of two dollars and ! half"
The plan to secure this profit was
promised on the receipt of thirty post
age stamps. The reply ran thus:
"First purchase one hundred weight of
large-sized potatoes, whlch may be obtained
for the sum of one dollar, then purchase a
large basket, which will cost say another
dollar; then buy fifty cents worth of flannel
blanketing, and this will comprise your stock
in trade, of which the total cost is $3.50. A
large.sized potato weighs o half q
pound, consequently there are two hundred
and twentty;four potatoes in q hundred.
weight Take half the above quantity of
potatoes each evening to a bakers and have
them baked. When properly cooked put
them into your basket. well wrapped up il
tho flannel IN knnN fham hnf oJ1 Sn1lv forth
and offer them for sale at two cents each.
Numbers will be glad to purchase them at
that price, and you will for certain be able
From the calculation made below you will
see that by that means you will be able to
earn ten dollars per week. The best plan Is
to frequent the most thorough
fares, and make good use of yourlungs, thus
letting peonle know what you have for sale.
You could also call in at each liquor store on
your way and solicit the patronage of the
customers, many of whom would be certain
to buy OF you. Should you, have too much
nllo o s9 no e one need b bee ash nas,nes Of yG pmrsal
ing an honest calling) you could hire q boy
for u few shillings a week who could do this
handsome profitweekly."
If any of the readers of the EAGLE out
Of employment like the look of this
baked potato scheme I make them a
present OF it without asking the fee of
thirty stamps, the price at which ]
heard of this good thing. But the
newspaper and the book have long
ceased to be the sole means of adver-
tislng. The dead wall has now become
a valuable property, if it be situated in
q much frequented thoroughfare.
Spaces are measured off and charged
for at 80 much per foot, just as ad-
vertisements are charged for by the
column and half columns in the jour
nails. The interior of the horse cars
and those of the elevated railroads are
let out in the anne way. Walking adj
vertisements-I do not mean board
men, but peripatetic individuals wear
ing the articles to be advertised-are
now common. Not long ago I met an
individual of this class wearing a coal
scuttle on his head by way of casque
and some ingenious individual in New
York engaged a squad of men to carry
each a letter high over his head spelling
the name of his establishment. There
is a drawback to these letter men, how
ever, inasmuch as they get out of their
places and hence they do not spell.
But the subject of advertising presents
endless features-indeed, it is ever
varying and extending itself as the
struggle in the trading world becomes
fiercer. l have contented myself with
showing the reader a few of it's phases
and more ingenious devices. 1t would
require a volume to describe the art and
science Of advertising in extenso.-
Ro.noEIal3 EuoJo