Evening star., 1898-09-03
A GENIUssIN ADVERTISING,
He May Have Told the Truth Without
Knowing It.


when way a ybungster, say of twentv
one," remarked the veteran journalist of a
western city,J.I was the editor of coun-
try parer in a townsof about five thousand
people, and having9nved for a year in New
York l had an idea that 1 was really the
only person in town who knew anything
had pretty hard time making things
come my waygbut youth and enterprise ar,
hard to down. and kept at it. There was
one firm. in town. Smith Brothers, which
was the strongest and most conservative
there, and l knew an advertisa from
them would be- tthelmaking of me- but thew
were very slow in lei ting me have it. How
ever, L persisted until at last | had it in
my clutches. and Iograsped 1t rs drown
ing man graspSV at1 life preseryer The
serior partner, who was most austere and
particular old chap, and q deacon into the
bargain. was anxious ate impress me with
the fact that they were doing a great deal
for me, and | must return value received
All of which ! agreed to do, and then the
cid gentleman surprised me by telling me
he would give me the copy and leave it to
my new-fangled notions. as he called them
to make up an ad. that would show the
smith Brothers to be as progressive as any
other merchants in town and quite as ready
to meet the modern ideas. Well, this was
moro than / could have asked for IL thew
had begged me to do SO, and l went out of
L
my office J. read the copy over again to
qnd Its strong points of display It was as
follows, for / never can forget it: Smith
Brothers. the well-knoWn dSalers in gro
ceries' are pleased to make the announce
ment that they are in receipt of the big
gest stock of canned goods eysr seen here
and they will be sold at prices hitherto un-
known. Some advertisers may be liars
but Smith Brothers are happy in knowing
that they have a, reputation for yeracity
which is worth more to them than gold.
That was good plain stuff with not
much of a margin visible for the play of
my versatile, fancg, but / was expected to
do some thing that would attract attention
for the old gentleman had been especialiy
strong on that point. He was tired of the
plainly severe. he said, and wanted some
thing that would not fail to stir things up
| sat up more than half the night with that
copy, and when morning came l had 1t all
in shape to fill a column, the amount of
space he wanted 1t to occupy. He told me-
when he gave me the copy, that if he
d!dn,t get around TO sac the proof. just to
let 1t go and take the chances, which did
when he didn't appear. and when the pa
per came out, there, in the biggest and
blacklist letters I could set I'D, was this
advertisement for a full column on the
first page:
SMITH BROTHERS.
the well-known dealers in groceries
ARE
pleased to make
announcement that they are in recent
of the
BIGGEST
stock of CANNED goods ever seen here. and
at prices hitherto unknown. Some
advertisers may be
LIARS
but Smith Brothers are happy
IN
knowing that they have reputation In this
TOWN
for veracity which is worth more to them
than gold
well, when the Smith Brothers saw that
ad. fairly shouting to them and at them
and about than, they were the maddest
men you ever saw, and they were only re-
strained by their religion from shooting
ME on the spot. However, they sued me in
spite of all my defenss Of the ATTRACTIVE
qualities Of the display. and would have
ge, gene to s,,, the xali f2r my genius and Ma
fact that before the time Of hearing the
suit the ad. had actually given smith
Brothers boom that almost frightened
them by its tremendous popularity, and
though they nHter repeated the ad and al
ways made ne submit matter before it
was printed. Ys BECAME great friends, and
each Of US didb5muchifor the other in dnan-
cia1 and othersw rswaysm = ->,--