The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-12-25
SEEN IN PRINT.
Curiously Arranged Advertisements
That Attract Attention.
Many Of These Quaint Bits Found in En-
e snF.-Some of the Earliest Adver-
tiscments of Which There Is
ANY Record Kept.

which we have any knowledge appeared
in tho Mercurius Civicus, of London, in
the year 1643, 1t being that of book on
the Power of Parliament; but one of a
somewhat more modern character is
found in the Impartial Intelligencer, of
The same city, in 1649, inserted by a
country gentleman from whom two
horses had been stolen. The earliest
advertisement in New England is be-
lieYed to liaye been that of one John
Campbell printed in the Boston News
Letter in 1904; and, curiously enough,
this was an advertisement for adver-
Ciseinents 'at prices as low as twelve
penee.p Itappearss however. that even
at this rate.yery. few .wero to be OBJ
tanned.
In 165ta weekly paper entitled tne
Public Advertiser was issued in Lon
don, which consisted almost wholly of
advertisements, principally concerning
the arrivals and departures of vessels
and the names of books recently issued
from the press. Other papers soon be-
gan to insert various kinds of advertise
meats, some of which were exceedingly
curious. Many of the notices at this
period related to runaway apprentices,
fairs and cocl1-fights, burglaries and
highway robberies, stolen horses, and
lost dogs, swords and scent bottles. At
this time England swarmed with negro
or mulatto boys, who were frequently
offered for sale by means of advertise
ments. In 1862 one John Houghton, T.
K s., who combined the business of
apothecary with that of dealer in tea,
coffee and chocolate, commenced a
paper which at first failed, but revived
in 1902; and by his untiring persever-
ance and incessant thought and study
he Is credited with having educated his
contemporaries into a true knowledge
of the use and art of successful adver,
tising. His example, in some respects,
might we'll be followed at the present
time, for when quack advertisements
found their way into his paperhe placed
a turned rule above them with the fol-
lowing rather broad hint: pray mind
the preface to this half sheet Like
lawyers, | take all causes. / may fairly.
Who likes not may stop here
Al this period advertising was fast
becoming science, and by the end of
the eighteenth century matters were
very much as we find them now, al
though lacking entirely the genius
shown in such as. those. of tho noted
Philadelphia firm, said to be written by
o talented newspaper man and former
editor, whose salary for this work alone
would astonish advertisers of even
generation ago.
Most of the advertisements of curl
GUS or amusing nature owe their singu-
larity either to the eccen tricity of their
composers or to carelessness on the part
pfsome overworked compesfbor or proof
reader. Of the first of these classes
many bona fide examples might be
given, such as ssthe.one which appeared
some time ago in Pennsylvania paper,
written by clergyman anx-
ious to earn an honest penny outside of
his probable slender salary:
Cupid and Hymen. The little brown cottage
at Cambridge, Pa, is the place to call to have
the marriage knot promptly and strongly tied.
Inquire Of Rev. S. S. Whitcomb.
A Georgia justice of the peace, how
ever, goes the minister one better, by
the closing sentence in the following an
nouncement from the Rome (Ga } Trib-
une.
WANTED-A couple who wish to marry to
call on Justice Walter Harris, in his new ONCE
ever Bass &IIill's real estate office. He has re-
eelyed his commission and is readyto perform
marriage ceremonies at very low rate.
In some respects the English press
mar be said to surpass the American in
peeuliarities of advertising. Here is an
ingenious specimen extracted from a
recent number of religious iournal,
upon which comment is perhaps unnec-
essary:
pious young man desires to be received
INTO respectable family where the excellence
g his example and superior morality might be
considered us an equivalent for board and lodg- |
ingsn
The following advertisement ap-
peared in a recent number of the Lon
don Tablet:
To Parents: Unruly boys and girls of anv
ase visited and punished at their homes by a |
tnorough eiseiplinarian accustomed to admin |
lseef corporal punishment. All bad HABITS |
eared BY one or two attendances Fee, i've |
saillngs for two visits. Address Birch"
Tie Cleveland (Eng.) Mercury SAYS:
Nanted-A really plain but experienced and |
sniclent governess for three girls, oldest |
slAteen music, French and German required; |
ptlhlancy OF conversation, fascination of |
4 .nahher ana symmetry Of form objected to- as /
she father is much at home and there are
groWn-up sons. Address Mater, post-oface, |
Cleveland :"
The most whimsical advertisement. |
howsYer, which we have recently seen
: this, in which relief of conscience is
sought by the penance OF publication
i appeared in "A Bristol paper:
Lady travelled with gentleman. Birmingham
u briseol February 10, 1889 Friday after.
Ion. Lady told an untruth. She regrets il
'Aost deeply. She lives in Bristol.
while referring to foreign advertise
nents the following odd announce
leen1 which appeared in the Cologne
during the Franco -Prussian
1ar, as worth preserving:
nefr Charles G@rling and Fran I,opise
nee Hartmann, have the honor 10 an
oaalcs that during the firing Of salyos Of artil.
- = nonor Of the victory (GraveIottel thew
= ~ aau the happiness Of witnessing the hIrtb
!. aa0saer defender Of the country,
very ehagsg!eglstie French adYer.