Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-03-23
FUN IN BILL POSTING.
HUMOR IN A BUSINESS WHERE YOU
WOULDN'T LOOK FOR 1T.


Picturesque and Mirthful Effects Produced
with Paste Pot and Brush-Devils and
Angels Are anonymously Mixed Up.
'sPost No Bills" Goes.
All trades have their droll aspects,
but that of the billposter is one long
vista of fun. He may become an artist
comedian of the first order. 1t does not
require much brain weight either. An
old fence is his only arena, and his post
ers are his stock in trade.
His fun is but momentary, but it is
potent while it lasts. He accomplishes
it by means of the combinations he is
forced to make when he posts new bills
over the old ones. Some of the combina-
lions are very funny. Thus he is forced
to become mirth producer whether he
will or no, but there are some among
the men who get their livelihood in
this manner who Intentionally place the
new bills where they will produce the
oldest if but momentary effects.
The reporter watched one of these
knights Of the paste pot while he pro-
ceeded to cover up a rather flaming pic
ture of his satanic majesty with bill
which portrayed a naval officer in full
uniform. The first section put on was
the officers head AS it fitted exactly
on to Mephisto's shoulders the effect
was comical. The next section brought
the naval man down to the bottom of
his coat. From a short distance it ap-
peared precisely as though he was mi
nus his neither garments and stood bare
legged in the rising flames which en-
veloped him to his knees. The billposter
chuckled as he surveyed his work at
this point and asked the reporter what
he thought of it while he covered the
officers nakedness with a pair of trou-
sers and shoes.
The billposter was quite talkative in
his way and spoke of the droll side of
his business. Ibid it never occur to
you" said he as he picked and sorted
some flaming colored bills preparatory
to FASTING them on the fence, "did it
never occur to you what an odd and
amusing business this is? You saw me
put uniform on the devil. Funny,
wasn't it? Well, it wasn't patch to
the effects produced sometimes. These
bills have to be changed nearly every
week, and the posters get fixed up in
the queerest way. I've put angels heads
on devils and devils heads ON angels.
I've put man with a dress coat on
where ballet girl was, SO that it look
ed as though the skirts branched out
below where the coat was. left it there
for moment while I pasted other bills,
and quite crowd gathered around. A
policeman came along, and I had to Gov
er it up.
"Once had a Salvation Army poster
to put up, and when I pasted the top
portion of it over bill advertising the
play of Julius Caesar the large blue
bonnet of the Salvation Army girl fit
ted Caesar perfectly. 1t was too bad l
had to spoil it,
"You see that ballet girl on the fence
over there? l have got to paste this big
cat over it. Now watch me do it.
He took section of bill with the
head of grinning feline on it and plac-
ed it so that it fitted to the girls shout
hClo. "A Aiet1O GUC CtiU IlGdt,
and the whole affair had puss in boots
air about it that reminded one of early
fairy tales. Near by on the fence was a
heroic size negro minstrel, whose i'm
mense teeth showed through lips which
stretched form ear to ear.
"Now see how will fix that fellow
said the man of the brush as he got
ready bill on which large tiger was
represented balanced on big blue ball
The tigers position was ON the upper
part of the poster. The first section fix
ed the animals head on the fence, and
with the next the body and feet were
pasted up Then appeared curious eff
feet. Where the blue ball was to be
pasted the negro's face still grinned,
but the tiger was now standing ON top
of the mans head.
'"Thet," said the billposter, sis what
call real artistic effect. 1t ism t often
an artist can create a Samson in almost
one stroke of his brush
Following his FASTING of the tiger, the
man proceeded to put up a bear. On the
spot where it was to go an overfat baby
held up package of a compound much
advertised of late. The bear was built
up from the feet, which rested Oh
horizontal bar. The bears neck and the
baby's neck touched the same point, and
before the bears head was pasted up
there appeared combination of human
and brute anatomy which could hardly
be equaled by monstrosity in dime
museum.
Bill posting has undergone great
change in recent years. 1t is not the
haphazard business it once was-that is,
it is not allowable for men to go around
FASTING bills wherever they could find
fence. Most of the big fences are pre-
empted now by firms who pay rent for
the privilege.
The old sign of "Post no bills" is
more potent than it was Its infringe
ment now may mean lawsuit. 1t used
to be very much disregarded. There is
record of very literal man who was
arrested for infringing sign which
read post no bills under penalty"
When the judge asked him if he had
any excuse to offer, he said he had not
posted under penalty. He had posted
further along the fence. New York
World
The Brightest Light.
The great searchlight made by the
General Electric company, and which